SCO19 and its constituent elements are an elite unit that in an age of rising extremism will continue to play a large role in ensuring the security of London. The police would employ the Gold Silver Bronze command structure, with a Gold Commander being a senior officer overseeing events from a nearby police station, the Silver Commander who would oversee events from the on-scene control room, and the Bronze Commander who would be as close to the incident as possible. ARVs were introduced into the British police in the early 1990s, to provide them with the capability to respond to firearms incidents. As outlined in guidance issued by the Association of British Police Chief Officers, SCO19’s primary goal is firearms training; however, their role and organisation have evolved somewhat in the 40 years since its inception. Source) Overall, giving SCO19 has around 130 highly trained specialists on standby and can be deployed by air or maritime transportation.

On 13 January 2016, following the November 2015 Paris attacks it was decided to significantly increase the numbers of armed officers in London. We are grateful to the Ministry of Defence and the armed forces personnel involved for their support. After that it was changed to PT17 under Personnel and Training, when the Specialist Operations designation was introduced it was changed to SO19.He joined the Met at nineteen and after twelve years in uniform passed selection for PT17, the Mets firearms unit, where he was selected to work on the specialist firearms teams, experiencing firsthand the explosive and controversial world of police firearms operations. Only three forces in the United Kingdom routinely arm officers due to the nature of their work; the Ministry of Defence Police who are responsible law enforcement on MOD property, the Civil Nuclear Constabulary who guard civil nuclear facilities, and the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Potential SFOs are extensively trained in the use of specialist firearms, method of entry techniques and abseiling 'fast rope' skills. Negotiations are made allowing the hostage takers to issue demands, which are usually done to acquire time and avoid harm to the hostages. Specialist Firearms Officers receive enhanced training in dynamic entry tactics, for hostage rescue. The Financial Times and its journalism are subject to a self-regulation regime under the FT Editorial Code of Practice.A number of officers have taken the decision to step back from armed duties while they consider their position. ARVs outside of the capital are crewed by two officers, with the observer assuming the role of navigator. Most forces have purchased Volvo V70s for ARV duties, although the Metropolitan Police Service employs standard BMW area cars, adapted for specialist duty usage. During the early 1990s, most forces adopted white dress shirts for officers, rather than the previous light blue. Moreover, it was the first use of stun grenades by British police and the first time in the firearms wing’s 20-year history they had fired a shot.