SO19
| Central Operations Specialist Firearms Command (SC&O19) | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1966 |
| Country |
 United Kingdom |
| Branch | Specialist Crime and Operations Directorate |
| Role | Domestic counter-terrorism and law enforcement |
| Nickname(s) | SO19, CO19, blue berets |
| Colours | Blue and black |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Chief Superintendent Alistair Sutherland |
| Insignia | |
| Identification symbol |
CO |
Specialist Crime and Operations Specialist Firearms Command (SC&O19) (previously known as SO19 and now CO19) is a Specialist Crime & Operations branch within Greater London's Metropolitan Police Service. The Command is responsible for providing a firearms-response capability, assisting the rest of the service, which is not routinely armed.
They are full-time units whose members do not perform any other duties. On occasion, they have been referred to as the "blue berets", as they used to wear these. Today they are more likely to wear either blue baseball caps or combat helmets (of PASGT type).
At its formation in 1829 the police service did not routinely carry firearms, but Home Secretary Sir Robert Peel did authorise the Commissioner to purchase fifty pairs of flintlock pistols for use in emergencies—such as those that involved the use of firearms.
As time progressed, the obsolete flintlocks were decommissioned from service, being superseded by early revolvers. At the time, burglary (or "house breaking" as it was then called) was a common problem for police, and "house breakers" were often armed. Due to killings of officers by armed criminals in the outer districts of the metropolis, and after public calls debating whether Peel's service should be fully armed, the Commissioner applied to Peel for authorisation to supply officers in the outer districts with revolvers. The authorisation was issued on the condition that revolvers could only be issued if, in the opinion of the senior officer, the officer could be trusted to use it safely, and with discretion. From that point, officers who felt the need to be armed, could be. The practice lasted until 1936, although the vast majority of the system was phased out by the end of the 19th century.
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Wikipedia