An insider’s account of an elite unit fighting crime and terror on the streets of London—includes hundreds of photos. In this book, veteran firearms officer Stephen Smith goes behind the scenes of the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Firearms Unit, CO19—covering a wide range of events in recent history, from the controversial shootings of Azelle Rodney in 2005 and Mark Duggan in 2011 to the terrorist attacks on Westminster, London Bridge and Borough Market, as well as stories from decades past. Through his unique access to CO19, Smith has managed to put together hundreds of detailed photographs, both historical and contemporary, along with text that goes a long way to explain why it is necessary to have such an elite firearms unit on standby 24/7 in London. This comprehensive volume will bring you up-to date with the training, operations, equipment, and mindset of these courageous individuals who put their lives on the line on a daily basis to keep London safe.

Join veteran crime-fighter Stephen Smith on a journey through the dark and dangerous world of the Metropolitan Police specialist firearms command from its inception in 1966, when the cold-blooded murder of three police officers sparked a revolution in the training of armed officers, to the present day. This unique police unit battled against the IRA in the 1970s, experienced its first operational shootings in the 1980s and underwent massive expansion in the 1990s. In the new millenium it fought against Dome raiders, kidnappers, and al-Qaeda terrorists, then worked to provide London with a secure environment in which to host the 2012 Olympic Games. From a gunman ordering cannabis smuggled in fried chicken during a siege to a deranged killer holding toddlers hostage, London's armed police have seen it all. With his wealth of first-hand experience, Stephen Smith has woven together historic and up-to date accounts of perilous and often famously controversial firearms operations across England's capital. Using hundreds of photographs, illustrations and drawings from several archived sources, this fascinating volume spans five decades of the Metropolitan Police's fight against crime and many of its photographs and illustrations have never been published before. Packed with detail and intrigue, 'Stop! Armed Police!' is a must-have for those with an interest in police firearms matters and is a captivating behind-the-scenes look at the dangerous business of policing London's streets.

Shooting to Kill? Policing, Firearms and Armed Response explores the dilemma of armed response policing in the UK, and policing in a gun culture. Offers the first critical exploration of the ACPO code of guidance on Police Use of Firearms and other tactical manuals Includes interviews with senior police firearms managers and critical case studies of police firearms incidents Features the first in-depth, academic analysis of the Stockwell shooting incident and the Kratos policy Provides a review of key developments in armed response policing around the world Describes the crucial phases in armed response policy development in Britain and explores the consequences of arming the police

The full story of the armed police in Britain.

This report explores the use of lethal force by police in the United Kingdom. Following a discussion on the organization and policies of London's Metropolitan Police, the focus turns to weapons, training, issues in the use of force by police and the controversial question of whether police should be armed. The need for tactical and refresher training for police, and appropriate training for police unit-commanders, to make them aware of the tactical operations available to them, is pointed out. The demand for the greater firepower of self-loading pistols may be reduced if ammunition issued to police officers has greater stopping power. An alternative to ball ammunition is necessary, since ball ammunition poses a danger to innocent citizens when it is used. The most acute dilemma is not faced by policymakers but rather by police officers who must decide whether to draw their weapon, to take aim, or to open fire. Sometimes, police officers have only a second in which to decide whether to fire their guns; if they make the wrong decision, the may be killed, or kill someone else unnecessarily. There is a continual need to balance police operational effectiveness against public acceptability and safety.

There is tremendous controversy across the United States (and beyond) when a police officer uses deadly force against an unarmed citizen, but often the conversation is devoid of contextual details. These details matter greatly as a matter of law and organizational legitimacy. In this short book, authors Jon Shane and Zoë Swenson offer a comprehensive analysis of the first study to use publicly available data to reveal the context in which an officer used deadly force against an unarmed citizen. Although any police shooting, even a justified shooting, is not a desired outcome—often termed "lawful but awful" in policing circles—it is not necessarily a crime. The results of this study lend support to the notion that being unarmed does not mean "not dangerous," in some ways explaining why most police officers are not indicted when such a shooting occurs. The study’s findings show that when police officers used deadly force during an encounter with an unarmed citizen, the officer or a third person was facing imminent threat of death or serious injury in the vast majority of situations. Moreover, when police officers used force, their actions were almost always consistent with the accepted legal and policy principles that govern law enforcement in the overwhelming proportion of encounters (as measured by indictments). Noting the dearth of official data on the context of police shooting fatalities, Shane and Swenson call for the U.S. government to compile comprehensive data so researchers and practitioners can learn from deadly force encounters and improve practices. They further recommend that future research on police shootings should examine the patterns and micro-interactions between the officer, citizen, and environment in relation to the prevailing law. The unique data and analysis in this book will inform discussions of police use of force for researchers, policymakers, and students involved in criminal justice, public policy, and policing.