A firearms unit is an armed unit within each territorial police force in the United Kingdom. For the most part, the police forces of the United Kingdom are unarmed; however, all have firearms units to provide the police force with the capability to deal with armed criminals. A police officer cannot apply to join the firearms unit without first finishing their two-year probationary period, with a further two years in a core policing role for some forces. Firearms unit is the most common name outside of the capital, while that of London's Metropolitan Police Service is called the Specialist Firearms Command, Trojan, or SCO19. Within the media, it is sometimes compared to the SWAT units of the United States.
A Metropolitan police officer attached to the DPG guards an entrance to Downing Street, London, home of the Prime Minister.
Law enforcement in the United Kingdom
Law enforcement in the United Kingdom is organised separately in each of the legal systems of the United Kingdom: England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Most law enforcement duties are carried out by those who hold the office of police constable of a territorial police force.
Metropolitan Police officers.
The British Transport Police are responsible for policing the railway network of England, Scotland and Wales
An example of a UK police vehicle, this one a Norfolk Constabulary Vauxhall Astra, featuring standardised blue and yellow battenburg markings used by all UK police forces.
Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) officer wearing chemical protective equipment and armed with a HK7 personal defence weapon taking part in training
