Information on Police Officers duties

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.22.023054

I note you seek access to the following information:

1. Can any police officer of any rank in the Metropolitan Police take an unmarked police car home, and I’d also like to ask about a marked police car as well.
2. Do any non firearm unit officers carry firearms?
3. Can officers pick their own cars for when they are on patrol or is it selected by the department.
4. What duties can an off duty officer not perform?
5. Lastly, as stabbings have increased significantly in London and they are many homicides in London, why isn’t every single officer equipped with a firearm or at the very least a taser.
6. Furthermore, are normal Police Constables equipped with a taser?

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

Q1 - Can any police officer of any rank in the Metropolitan Police take an unmarked police car home, and I’d also like to ask about a marked police car as well.

Please find below the relevant extract from the MPS ‘Use of official vehicles for work to home journeys’ Policy.

“The Work to Home policy covers officers up to, but NOT including NPCC officers. In order for an officer to use official vehicles for work to home journeys, the use needs to pass the absolutely necessity test in which the officer or staff is designated ‘On-Call’ or ‘Available for Duty’. Unmarked vehicles under the above two categories may in these circumstances be taken home. Authorisation is not normally given to take home a marked vehicle.”

Q2 - Do any non-firearm unit officers carry firearms?

By definition any non-firearms unit does not deploy firearms officers. The only time you would find an Authorised Firearm Officer posted to a non-firearms unit would be if they had previously been posted to a firearms unit and their authorisation was still in date but they would NOT be able to deploy in the non-firearms unit with a firearm.

Q3 - Can officers pick their own cars for when they are on patrol or is it selected by the department.

There is a pool of vehicles that are available for duty. Vehicles are not selected by person but rather by availability and flexible operational need.

Q4 - What duties can an off duty officer not perform?

There are no duties that an officer who is off duty cannot perform. The very act of carrying out a duty reserved for warranted constables effectively places said constable on duty.

Q5 - Lastly, as stabbings have increased significantly in London and they are many homicides in London, why isn’t every single officer equipped with a firearm or at the very least a taser.

The MPS are very clear that all operational officers are NOT routinely armed with a firearm or Taser. Robust governance is in place stipulating which operational units are authorised to carry firearms or Taser and officers who are authorised to carry firearms or Taser undergo a rigorous selection and training process to enable them to do so.

Q6 - Furthermore, are normal Police Constables equipped with a taser?

All MPS Police Constables who have completed 18 months service are eligible to apply for Taser training. That application process is rigorous and requires officers to secure their line manager and OCU Commander’s support. Once they have successfully completed an Initial Taser training course, officers are able to deploy with a Taser IF their specific role is authorised to do so.