Kit list for PaDP, MO19 and Special Escort Group

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.25.048130

I note you seek access to the following information:

I'd like to request into the difference in kit carried by SO14/SO18 officers, and regular MO19 officers. What is the difference in Personnel Carried Kit, and vehicle carried kit. Including but not limited to Royalty and Specialist Protection, Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection, Specialist Operations Aviation Policing and finally Metropolitan Operations 19 officers.

Second of all, I'd like to know the progression route for Firearms Officers to be able to move through to become Specialist Firearms Officers / Tactical Rifle Officers, or are these qualifications limited to Counter Terrorism / SO15 officers.

Finally, I'd like to request into the details around ARVs being used in TPACs and if ARVs are permitted to take part in regular TPACs that are not to do with firearms if no other MO8 resources are available.

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) provides public access to information held by public authorities. The Act details certain requirements, one of which, is that public authorities have an obligation to confirm or deny, when permitted, whether the information requested is held. Further to this, public authorities have a duty to communicate this to the requester. The Act also lists several exemptions, meaning that requests can be refused if a public authority has a good reason why they cannot comply with the request. If any or all parts of a request are refused, then a written refusal notice must be sent to the requester.

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full. Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

I would like to inform you that I will disclose the kit list for Armed response vehicle (ARV) officers, the kit list for AFOs in PaDP, and the kit list for Special Escort Group motorbike riders in RaSP. Please find these kit lists in the attached document please click on the tabs titled:

List of kit for AFOs in Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection
List of kit for ARV's in MO19
Special Escort Group motorbike riders kit-list

Please note the MPS cannot supply detailed information on kit that is carried by all the teams within the units you have listed, as this directly relates to capability, which would affect law enforcement. This information has therefore been withheld as it is exempt from disclosure

NAME CHANGES
Whilst you have referenced SO14/SO18, these teams are now known as RaSP and Aviation Policing. For the remainder of this response, I use the current names. Please note Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection (PaDP), does not fall under the old SO14, but was the former SO16 (Diplomatic Protection) and SO17 (Palace of Westminster).

Q1 - I'd like to request into the difference in kit carried by SO14/SO18 officers, and regular MO19 officers. What is the difference in Personnel Carried Kit, and vehicle carried kit. Including but not limited to Royalty and Specialist Protection, Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection, Specialist Operations Aviation Policing and finally Metropolitan Operations 19 officers.

Please find these kit lists in the attached document please click on the tabs titled:
List of kit and equipment for AFOs in Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection
List of kit for ARV's in MO19
Special Escort Group motorbike riders kit-list

Q2 - I'd like to know the progression route for Firearms Officers to be able to move through to become Specialist Firearms Officers / Tactical Rifle Officers, or are these qualifications limited to Counter Terrorism / SO15 officers.

In the MPS we have CTSFO’s (not SFO’s). Ordinarily they are recruited from within MO19 and any person becoming a CTSFO would have to pass the selection process and training courses. Tactical Rifle Officers are usually selected from within MO19 but not a specific department. It is a skill and not a role.

Q3 - I'd like to request into the details around ARVs being used in TPACs and if ARVs are permitted to take part in regular TPACs that are not to do with firearms if no other MO8 resources are available.

ARV’s are not typically TPAC trained