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If you're reading this in January then I'm confident it's not too late to wish you a Happy New Year. If it's later in 2025 (or 2026,...

Unbeliveably, another year has flown by and Christmas is upon us. If you are celebrating, or even if you are not, I wish you a happy and...

Yesterday (21st October 2024) saw the conclusion of the trial of a serving Metropolitan firearms officer, accused of murdering a man who...

In this last part of our Armed Policing blog (for now), I'm going to take a look at the uniform and equipment worn and used by armed...

CTSFOs - Counter Terrorist Specialist Firearms Officers - are the most highly trained and best equipped armed police officers in the UK....

Every UK police force deploys Armed Response Vehicles (ARVs), on duty all day, every day, 365 days a year. They are the 24/7 armed...

I've been wondering for a few days what to write about the ongoing far right unrest which is blighting many towns in the UK at the...

If you've read my previous blog entries about armed policing, then you may recall that the Tactical Firearms Commander (TFC) makes the...

In an earlier blog post I outlined the role of the TFC - the tactical firearms commander - who has responsibility for deciding to deploy...

All firearms operations have a command structure, which is defined and explained in the College of Policing Authorised Professional...

First off, full disclosure - this is the role I performed in the Metropolitan Police for 5 years! TFC stands for Tactical Firearms...

Many TV and film dramas portray British armed police, and as you might expect, there's a whole spectrum of authenticity on show from the...

Every right minded person will be shocked and appalled at the violence delivered in Hainault early yesterday morning, when an attacker...

As well as my Police Advisor work, I also spend time as a Supporting Artiste - extra - on various productions. Often I'm portraying a...

What does the inside and outside of a police station look like? Maybe you already know?! It seems like a simple enough question, and I...

Armed police seem to be a real staple of even the gentlest police and crime dramas these days. And why not - armed officers are highly...

Police officer hats -- maybe you've never given it much thought... There are of course the obvious ones - the iconic custodian helmet...

I saw this quite recently on a crime drama set in contemporary times, and it really jarred. Police officers (male and female) were at the...

Ever watched a police drama where the police are undertaking a tense interview with a hardened criminal? You know the score - it's all...

Do you know your police ranks? What do all the stripes, pips and numbers mean? When and where are they worn? What about the colourful...