Police support unit (United Kingdom)

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A Police Support Unit or PSU is a unit of police officers who have undergone specialist tactical training in Public Order and Riot Control.

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About

Police Support Unit training in the United Kingdom is voluntary tactical training undertaken by selected candidates that provides students with the skills required to safely and effectively deal with a variety of public order situations outside the remit or capability of regular divisional officers. Comparable units in the United States are local SWAT teams, trained to deal with situations beyond normal police work.

PSU-trained officers in the UK are commonly referred to as Level 2, Mutual Aid Support Trained, or PSU officers.

Equipment

The majority of UK Police Forces use Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans, commonly referred to as 'Carriers', as standard transport for PSUs. A notable exception is the Police Service of Northern Ireland, whose Tactical Support Group officers famously use armoured Land Rovers. These vehicles are equipped with mesh window shields and/or high-impact-resistant polycarbonate windscreens and outfitted with storage compartments for officers' riot control equipment as well as Method of Entry and CBRN kit. Carrier drivers must undergo specialist driver training in 'riot conditions' before qualifying as a carrier driver. The Metropolitan Police's Territorial Support Group also maintains a fleet of armoured Ford F450 based Jankel Guardians [1] for use in serious public order situations, like the 2011 England riots. [2] These are identical to, and interchangeable with, the Guardians used by SCO18 Aviation Command and SCO19 Firearms Command.

Standard kit for PSU officers consists of a transparent acrylic riot shield, a baton, a visored 'NATO' helmet, shin and elbow guards, along with fireproof coveralls when required. Taser is a recent addition to the PSU officer's armoury. This level of protection allows officers to deal with a variety of violent situations, including riots, football violence and suspects armed with a variety of weapons. Some PSU teams are also dual-trained as first-line responders for CBRN incidents and carry relevant detection kit as well as major incident equipment.

Training

PSU officers are trained to a higher standard of operational readiness than their divisional counterparts. Training exercises undertaken encompass a variety of public order scenarios; officers will undergo extensive riot training including being petrol bombed in large scale engagements, prison clearance tactics, football stadium scenarios, night club scenarios, aircraft, rail and various 'angry-man' scenarios, as well as additional specialist training including use of stun grenades and distraction devices. PSU units spend considerable time training with other specialist police teams as well as certain military units.

Organisation

A PSU consists of: [3]

A PSU may be supported by:

PSU grades

All officers will be trained to the common minimum standards as defined in the ACPO Public Order Tactical Trainers Manual. [4] The grades are dependent on the training that the officer has received. [5]

Full-time PSU

Most police forces maintain full-time PSU sections whose role is to provide a wide range of specialist services in addition to high visibility core policing. Forces that do not maintain a full-time PSU section will have PSU trained officers in other roles (such as standard response roles) who can be called upon by a rota system.

As well as PSU they (full-time units) may be called, dependent on the police force:

Core functions

The core functions of the support unit, dependent on the police force or service are:

Other PSU elements

Special Constabulary

As with their full-time counterparts, some Special Constables are trained in public order duties, including policing of football matches and demonstrations. In West Yorkshire Police, 24 specials have received Level 2 PSU - Police Support Unit training, and have become part of the 'Operation Target' team. [6]

PSU Level 2 training is also available to Special Constables in the following forces, where they are deployed as an integral part of regular PSUs.

- City of London Police where SC officers fully integrate into PSUs as part of in-force, pan London and national mutual aid deployments. Their compliment includes officers trained and deployed in Constable, Sergeant and Inspector roles, along with qualified PSU medics.

- Cheshire Police, where there are enough officers to commit a full deployment. Attendance at football matches is regular as well as assisting other forces on mutual aid.

- Greater Manchester Police (as of September 2023)

- Police Scotland

- Suffolk Constabulary (as of April 2022)

- Norfolk Constabulary (as of April 2022)

- Lancashire Constabulary (as of May 2024)

- Lincolnshire Police (as of November 2019)

- Avon & Somerset Constabulary (as of 2014 where they regularly deploy to football matches and as part of the response to protests and violent disorders)

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "MPS Marked vehicles" (PDF). 29 June 2019.
  2. ↑ Peracha, Qasim (13 May 2019). "Meet the 'Guardian' seven tonne monster truck keeping Londoners safe". getwestlondon. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  3. ↑ "Dyfed-Powys Police - Public Order" (PDF). Best Value Review Inspection Reports. HMIC. March 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 April 2009. Retrieved 1 March 2003.
  4. ↑ Kent Police M07 Public Order - Policy (accessed 05.01.06) Archived 16 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ↑ Metropolitan Police - Public Order Training (accessed 05.01.07) Archived 26 September 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ↑ Specials magazine (Published on behalf of the Home Office) Autumn 2005
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