Firearms Command
Firearms Training
The new purpose built centre at Milton provides training to Met Police staff in all aspects of the firearms environment relevant to today's modern police service:
- Initial Firearms Courses
- Armed Response Vehicle Course
- Specialist Firearms Officers Course
- National Firearms Instructors Course
- Tactical Refreshers for all Authorised Firearms Officers
- Firearms Incident Command Training
- And other courses that fall within the remit of the Firearms Training Establishment from time to time
Initial Firearms Course
We aim to provide all the necessary skills, and theory, to allow an Officer to become an Authorised Firearms Officer and function in that role for whichever department that Officer may serve in.
The course is of two weeks duration and includes input on the Glock 17 Self-loading Pistol and the various drills, the Law, Basic Firearms Tactics, Target Identification, and Containments. Some time will be spent in the Simulation Gallery where students react to incidents and apply the Law to those incidents, in as near to real life as we can achieve.
A lot of time is spent on the ranges learning shooting skills and weapon handling. The course is structured so that an Officer, with no experience of firearms, will by the end of the course be able to complete a shooting test and be competent in the tactical use of Police firearms.
ARV Course
After being selected for becoming a member of the Armed Response Vehicles, the successful Officer will undertake a Basic Firearms Course, if not already an AFO, a one-week H & K MP5 Carbine course and then an intensive three-week ARV course. Having passed the course Officers are then posted to an ARV relief and attend training for three days every six weeks.
The ARV course covers aspects such as team building, vehicle deployments, building containments and firearm make-safes to an advanced level. The course introduces students to the subject of searching buildings for armed suspects, building searches using specially trained CO19 dogs and Legion Patrols (anti-terrorist patrols). Having passed the course Officers are then posted to an ARV relief and attend training for three days every six weeks.
Specialist Firearms Officers Course
This course provides training for CO19 officers who have passed an extensive selection process to become Specialist Firearms Officers. The course builds on the skills, and experience, these officers gain during their ARV duties, to equip them with the necessary skills for such operations as hostage rescue, rapid entries where firearms are believed to be involved, plain clothes support to other departments and maritime operations.
All Officers are abseil and shotgun trained prior to attending the course. The course seeks to enhance the Officers shooting skills to an advanced level. Officers must pass the National Rapid Intervention and the Specialist Firearms Officers Shoots.
The course covers various methods of effecting entry to buildings, including the use of pyrotechnics, distraction devices and the use of ladders! Officers are also trained to work in a variety of clothing, which will best protect them from any environment they may find themselves. This will include, chemical, biological and nuclear.