SO19 and CO19 explained

[mally]

CO19 is the name given to the department, which provides the firearms related support to the rest of the Metropolitan Police Service

CO19 Specialist Firearms Command are better known by SO19 which was its former Specialist Operations, which provides the firearms related support to the rest of the Metropolitan Police Service.

Have a look at the intro document for more info.

[co19]

Very imformative, yes the name changed because the department moved from Specialist Operations Command to Central Command as it is a pan London Unit.

It trains the Diplomatic Protection Group, Royalty Protection, SCD1 Diplomatic and Vip Protection, SCD7 The Flying Squad, SCD11 The Surveillance Department aswell as others in the police and other agencies in the use of firearms and tactics.

They travel all over the world working/training with other agencies including FBI HRT, Frances GIGN and many others.

Nick

[mally]

Heres a little video showing co19 at work.

Very impressive, looks like a good job!

YouTube - CO19 Frontline

[co19]

It was a great job, I did over a 100 ot those vehicle ambushes whilst I was there, out of around 1000 deployments out of probably 9000 incidents I dealt with in 8 years, till I was affected by tenure. Meaning you have to move on, thanks Paul Condon. I was due to go to the Aztec Squad with SB but thought sod it and went to Iraq as a PMC.

[NG9]

how do you go about applying for co19 once inside the MPS?

[Marian]

This is one from polish police work, it's normal traffic unit, they are chasing guy who refused to stop, leter he got blocked/cut off by other police car, this happened while recording program about police work for polish TV.
Not so bad considering they had to chace that Audi A4 using Ford Focus

You Tube

[co19]

Once inside the Met Police you have to finish your probation. Then you will need to gain policing experience on plain clothes squads and the territorial support group if possible. When you have got several years of experience, then its your time to apply once you have your divisional commanders recommendation.

You will submit your application of which there are around 300 per year, 200 will be paper sifted/binned and the final hundred will sit an assessment and interview. 60 will be put forward for courses of which generally 50% will pass so you will end up with 30 new officers a year.

You will train UK 1 week in 6 and you will attend months of further courses throughout your time. Effectively in 8 years you will be trained for about 1 year minimum. Overseas training with other agencies is conducted.

Further training will include CP, CAT, KRATOS/ TST/ SFO/ RIFLE/ MARITIME/ DRIVING etc

Good Luck

[NG9]

wow, not so straight forward, the numbers are so minimal, surely thats not the accurate amount of people.

[co19]

30 is the amount that enter the department a year, 30 is also the number that leave every year or move on within the department.
When I left just over 3 years ago there was 330, now there is over 400. 100 of those will be instructors who train RoyaltyCP/Diplomatic CP/DPG/Flying Squad/SB/TSG/Palaces etc they train over 2000 non CO19 armed officers to various standards.

At one point in 2003 co19/so19 had 27 officers suspended from duty for being involved in police shootings, in the UK you are suspended straight away and it can last for 4/5 years if you are unlucky.

[Marian]

It is very long time of probation and applying and training, but I think on that occasion it is the best way to do it, that kind of units should be elite, and people who are recruited to work there, should prove their comitment and dedication before hunderds of thoudands pounds will be spend on their trainings.
The only down side is, if you make a decision to take this career path being let's say 25 by the time you get there you're +/- 40
But as I said before that way of recruiting shows how much you really want it.