List of police firearms in the United Kingdom

British police officers are not routinely armed.^[1] Instead, they rely on specially trained Authorised Firearms Officers (AFO) to attend incidents where firearms might be needed. Specialist Firearms Officers are usually trained to a higher standard than an AFO, because they are likely to be the officers required to enter besieged premises. The vast majority of firearms used by the British Police are semi-automatic. Police use of force regarding firearms is governed by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).

Weapons used by Home Office police forces

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.

Firearms issued to Authorised Firearms Officers include:

Pistols

• Glock 17 pistol (used now by all police forces in the UK)
• Glock 26 pistol (issued to plain clothes officers of London's met police

Carbines, Shotguns, and Rifles

An officer of Metropolitan Police Service guarding Downing Street with a MP5SFA3 semi-automatic carbine. It has an EOTech 512 holographic sight attached.

• Heckler & Koch MP5SF (used by various forces, including Gwent police and London's Metropolitan Police)^[2]
• Heckler & Koch G36 variants^[3] (used by various forces, including Kent Police and Essex Police)
• LMT Defender AR-15 variant (used By Cheshire Police^[4] and British Transport Police)
• Heckler & Koch G3 variant (used for sniping roles)^[5]
• Remington 870 shotgun (used by Greater Manchester Police)^[6]
• SIG SG 550 (551 variant) (used by West Mercia Police), ^[7] (552 variant) (used by Derbyshire Police)^[8] and (553 variant) (used by West Yorkshire Police and Staffordshire Police)^[9][10]
• SIG SG 516 AR-15 variant increasingly used by police around the UK ^[11][12]
• HK417 Marksmen Rifle (used by Surrey Police and West Mercia Police) ^[13][14]
• HK416C (used by Hampshire Police) ^[15]
• SIG MCX used by London Metropolitan Police for dignitary protection and CQB^[16][17]

Northern Ireland

Unlike territorial police forces in England, Scotland and Wales, the Police Service of Northern Ireland routinely arms all of its officers.^[18] Officers are issued the Glock 17 pistol, phasing out the now obsolete Ruger Speed-Six revolvers previously issued. Historically, long arms were routinely issued: either the Sterling submachine gun and later Heckler & Koch MP5, or rifles such as Heckler & Koch G3s, G36 K and C variants, or HK33s. The latter replaced Ruger AC-556 select fire rifles. Long arms are still routinely carried in areas of higher threat such as North and West Belfast or various border areas.

Weapons used by non-Home Office police forces

A Ministry of Defence Police Officer on duty with an SA80 L85A2

British Transport Police

Most British Transport Police officers are unarmed. British Transport police AFOs carry:

• Glock 17 pistol^[19]
• LMT Defender^[19]

Belfast Harbour Police

Belfast Harbour Police officers carry Glock 17 9mm like most police forces in the uk.

Belfast International Airport Constabulary

Officers of the Belfast International Airport Constabulary carry glock 17 9mm whilst on duty. Officers are also authorised to carry Heckler & Koch MP5 support weapons, similar to those used by the Police Service of Northern Ireland prior to the adoption of the Heckler & Koch G36.

Civil Nuclear Constabulary

Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) officers are routinely armed while carrying out their duties. CNC officers carry:

• Glock 17
• Heckler & Koch G36

CNC officers also operate the armament on board the ships of the company Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited,^[20] which specialise in transporting spent nuclear fuel and reprocessed uranium on behalf of the British Nuclear Fuels organisation.^[21] Such ships have an on-board escort of armed police.^[22][23] The Civil Nuclear Constabulary use a range of heavier weapons up to automatic cannon of 30mm calibre deployed on the ships.

Historic firearms

In the past, police have been issued:

• Webley Revolver
• Lee–Enfield rifles
• Sten Gun
• Sterling Mark 6 "Police"—semi-automatic-only version of the Sterling smg
• Ruger Mini-14 rifle Used in the past by Surrey Police.^[24]
• Smith & Wesson Model 10 revolver—used in the past by Surrey police.
• Smith & Wesson Model 36 revolver—used in the past by Surrey police detectives.
• Parker Hale Safari sniper rifle—used in the past by Surrey police.
• Browning Hi-Power handgun—used in the past by Surrey police.

References