Most British police officers (except in Northern Ireland) are not routinely armed. Instead, they rely on specially trained Authorised Firearms Officers (AFO) to attend incidents where firearms are necessary.
Specialist Firearms Officers are usually trained to a higher standard than AFOs, because they are likely to be required to enter besieged premises. All firearms used by British police are semi-automatic, except for certain forces like the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP). Firearms used by police officers vary between police forces in the UK.
Police use of force regarding firearms was governed by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO, dissolved 2015). 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 mm calibre carbines were widely introduced in case of an attack similar to the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
Firearms issued to Authorised Firearms Officers include:
Unlike territorial police forces in England, Scotland and Wales, as well as the Garda SÃÂochána 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, as were those of the preceding Royal Ulster Constabulary; many officers also carry firearms while off duty.
Most British Transport Police officers are unarmed. British Transport Police ARV officers carry:
Like the PSNI, Belfast Harbour Police officers are issued the Glock 17 pistol.
All Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) officers are trained as Authorised Firearms Officers and are routinely armed while carrying out their duties. CNC officers carry:
CNC officers also operate the armament on board the ships of Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited, which specialise in transporting spent nuclear fuel and reprocessed uranium on behalf of the British Nuclear Fuels organisation.
Such ships have an on-board escort of armed police. The Civil Nuclear Constabulary use a range of heavier weapons up to automatic cannon of 30mm calibre deployed on the ships.
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) and are routinely armed unless they are posted to Crime Command.
In the past, police have been issued: