Firearms used by police officers vary between police forces in the UK. The
Chief Constable and
Police Authority of each force decides the number of firearms officers and type of police firearms available. In 2010,
5.56 mmcalibre carbines were widely introduced in case of an attack similar to the
2008 Mumbai attacks.[2][3]
Glock 19 (issued to South Yorkshire Police as a variant to the Glock 17 pistol[citation needed], as well as to firearms officers of the Metropolitan Police).[7]
Glock 19M (Glock 19 variant issued to firearms officers of the Metropolitan Police)[7]
Glock 26 (issued to plainclothes[13] and firearms officers of the Metropolitan Police)[7]
Firearms officers of the Metropolitan Police with a
MP5SFA2 (left) and a
SIG 516 (right) as well as holstered Glock pistols and
Taser conducted energy devices.
Accuracy International Arctic Warfare (7.62x51mm and
.338 variants issued to firearms officers of the Metropolitan Police;[7] also used by Essex Police[17] and Cheshire Police and North Wales Police Alliance Armed Policing Unit[77][78])
In addition to the issued weapons above,
AK-47 variants have been seen in use with Metropolitan Police officers roleplaying as gunmen during CTSFO training exercises.[79][80]
Heckler & Koch HK69A1 L104A1/A2 37mm riot gun for
baton rounds (used by Metropolitan Police,[87][7] Kent Police,[35] South Wales Police,[88]Dyfed–Powys Police,[33] Hampshire and Thames Valley Police Armed Response,[52] Lancashire Constabulary,[89] Northumbria Police,[12] and Essex Police;[17] used with attenuating energy projectile and discriminating irritant projectile rounds[90])
Northern Ireland
Unlike
territorial police forces in
England,
Scotland and
Wales, as well as the
Garda Síochána in the neighbouring
Republic of Ireland, all
Police Service of Northern Ireland officers are trained to use firearms and are routinely armed while on duty,[91] as were those of the preceding
Royal Ulster Constabulary; many officers also carry firearms while off duty.[92] Historically, RUC officers were issued with the
Ruger Speed-Six revolver from 1979 onwards and had access to the
Sterling submachine gun and the
Ruger AC-556 select-fire rifle until these were replaced by the
Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine gun and the
Heckler & Koch G3 and
Heckler & Koch HK33[93] rifles between 1992 and 1995, with the PSNI inheriting the Speed-Six revolvers and the Heckler & Koch weapons upon its formation in 2001; the Speed-Six revolvers were subsequently superseded by the
Glock 17 pistol from 2002 onwards,[94][95] while
Heckler & Koch G36 variants were acquired to supplement earlier Heckler & Koch weapons.[26][96] L104 riot guns are available for crowd control purposes.[97] The HMSU unit within the PSNI has been equipped with Sig Sauer MCX rifles, a departure from the HK G36 rifles used by the rest of the police force.
[2][3]
All
Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) officers are trained as Authorised Firearms Officers and are routinely armed while carrying out their duties. CNC officers carry:
All Ministry of Defence Police officers are required to pass a firearms module during training (with marine units receiving additional firearms training that is specific to their role[111]) and are routinely armed unless they are posted to Crime Command.[112][113]
Sig Sauer P229 Slowly being replaced by the Glock 17 to standardise with Home Office Police Services and the Armed Forces][112][113]
Heckler & Koch MP7:[112][113][114][115] General issue nationwide. Introduced in 2005 to replace the Browning HiPower, SA80 and MP5. The SF (Single Fire) Variant was produced to meet the exclusive request by MDP as its only user worldwide. Planned to be phased out of most roles and replaced with the Colt Canada C8.
L85A2[112][113][118][119] Used by officers at HMNB Clyde and RNAD Coulport. Planned to be removed from service and replaced by the Colt Canada C8[citation needed].
^Shaw, Danny (17 May 2016).
"Do police have the firepower to tackle gun menace?". BBC. Retrieved 25 December 2020. At a firing range in Northampton, 14 policemen and women, each carrying a Glock 17 self-loading pistol, are on their first week of training.
^"Marine Units". mod.police.uk. Archived from
the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2021. Training in the MP7 weapon system and in marine-specific firearms tactics training is also required.
Firearms used by police officers vary between police forces in the UK. The
Chief Constable and
Police Authority of each force decides the number of firearms officers and type of police firearms available. In 2010,
5.56 mmcalibre carbines were widely introduced in case of an attack similar to the
2008 Mumbai attacks.[2][3]
Glock 19 (issued to South Yorkshire Police as a variant to the Glock 17 pistol[citation needed], as well as to firearms officers of the Metropolitan Police).[7]
Glock 19M (Glock 19 variant issued to firearms officers of the Metropolitan Police)[7]
Glock 26 (issued to plainclothes[13] and firearms officers of the Metropolitan Police)[7]
Firearms officers of the Metropolitan Police with a
MP5SFA2 (left) and a
SIG 516 (right) as well as holstered Glock pistols and
Taser conducted energy devices.
Accuracy International Arctic Warfare (7.62x51mm and
.338 variants issued to firearms officers of the Metropolitan Police;[7] also used by Essex Police[17] and Cheshire Police and North Wales Police Alliance Armed Policing Unit[77][78])
In addition to the issued weapons above,
AK-47 variants have been seen in use with Metropolitan Police officers roleplaying as gunmen during CTSFO training exercises.[79][80]
Heckler & Koch HK69A1 L104A1/A2 37mm riot gun for
baton rounds (used by Metropolitan Police,[87][7] Kent Police,[35] South Wales Police,[88]Dyfed–Powys Police,[33] Hampshire and Thames Valley Police Armed Response,[52] Lancashire Constabulary,[89] Northumbria Police,[12] and Essex Police;[17] used with attenuating energy projectile and discriminating irritant projectile rounds[90])
Northern Ireland
Unlike
territorial police forces in
England,
Scotland and
Wales, as well as the
Garda Síochána in the neighbouring
Republic of Ireland, all
Police Service of Northern Ireland officers are trained to use firearms and are routinely armed while on duty,[91] as were those of the preceding
Royal Ulster Constabulary; many officers also carry firearms while off duty.[92] Historically, RUC officers were issued with the
Ruger Speed-Six revolver from 1979 onwards and had access to the
Sterling submachine gun and the
Ruger AC-556 select-fire rifle until these were replaced by the
Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine gun and the
Heckler & Koch G3 and
Heckler & Koch HK33[93] rifles between 1992 and 1995, with the PSNI inheriting the Speed-Six revolvers and the Heckler & Koch weapons upon its formation in 2001; the Speed-Six revolvers were subsequently superseded by the
Glock 17 pistol from 2002 onwards,[94][95] while
Heckler & Koch G36 variants were acquired to supplement earlier Heckler & Koch weapons.[26][96] L104 riot guns are available for crowd control purposes.[97] The HMSU unit within the PSNI has been equipped with Sig Sauer MCX rifles, a departure from the HK G36 rifles used by the rest of the police force.
[2][3]
All
Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) officers are trained as Authorised Firearms Officers and are routinely armed while carrying out their duties. CNC officers carry:
All Ministry of Defence Police officers are required to pass a firearms module during training (with marine units receiving additional firearms training that is specific to their role[111]) and are routinely armed unless they are posted to Crime Command.[112][113]
Sig Sauer P229 Slowly being replaced by the Glock 17 to standardise with Home Office Police Services and the Armed Forces][112][113]
Heckler & Koch MP7:[112][113][114][115] General issue nationwide. Introduced in 2005 to replace the Browning HiPower, SA80 and MP5. The SF (Single Fire) Variant was produced to meet the exclusive request by MDP as its only user worldwide. Planned to be phased out of most roles and replaced with the Colt Canada C8.
L85A2[112][113][118][119] Used by officers at HMNB Clyde and RNAD Coulport. Planned to be removed from service and replaced by the Colt Canada C8[citation needed].
^Shaw, Danny (17 May 2016).
"Do police have the firepower to tackle gun menace?". BBC. Retrieved 25 December 2020. At a firing range in Northampton, 14 policemen and women, each carrying a Glock 17 self-loading pistol, are on their first week of training.
^"Marine Units". mod.police.uk. Archived from
the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2021. Training in the MP7 weapon system and in marine-specific firearms tactics training is also required.