Police

:This article is about law enforcement. For the band, see The Police. For the town in Poland, see Police, Poland.

Police armament and equipment

Generally

In many jurisdictions, police officers carry firearms in the normal course of their duties.

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Police often have specialist units for handling armed offenders, and similar dangerous situations, and can often, in extreme circumstances, call on the military, sometimes including special forces like the SAS. They can also be equipped with non-lethal (more accurately known as "less than lethal" or "less-lethal") weaponry, particularly for riot control. Non-lethal weapons include batons, shields, riot control agents, rubber bullets and stun guns. The use of firearms or deadly force is typically a last resort only to be used when necessary to save human life, although some jurisdictions allow its use against fleeing felons and escaped convicts. Police officers often also carry handcuffs to restrain suspects.

Related Topics:
Military - Special forces - SAS - Non-lethal - Riot control - Baton - Shield - Riot control agent - Rubber bullet - Stun gun - Deadly force - Handcuffs

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Modern police forces make extensive use of radio communications equipment, carried both on the person and installed in vehicles, to coordinate their work, share information, and get help quickly. In recent years, vehicle-installed computers have enhanced the ability of police communications, enabling easier dispatching of calls, criminal background checks on persons of interest to be completed in a matter of seconds, and updating the officer's daily activity log and other required reports on a real-time basis. Other common pieces of police equipment include flashlights, whistles, and, most importantly, notebooks and "ticketbooks" or citations.

Related Topics:
Radio - Flashlight - Whistle - Notebook - Citations

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In specific countries

The Republic of Ireland has an unarmed police force, An Garda Síochána, although they are all trained to use firearms and all detectives and special units carry them.

Related Topics:
Republic of Ireland - An Garda Síochána

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In the United Kingdom and some other countries of the British police tradition, the police are not normally issued firearms, but are issued other weapons (truncheons although replaced now, batons, pepper spray, CS Spray etc.), although some officers may be issued firearms in special situations. This originates from the formation of the Metropolitan Police in the 19th Century, when police were not armed, partly to counter public fears and objections concerning armed enforcers. However, the Ministry of Defence Police, Civil Nuclear Constabulary and Police Service of Northern Ireland (formerly known as Royal Ulster Constabulary) are issued firearms as a matter of routine. Every force can also call upon armed response units in a matter of minutes, and certain specialist squads, such as the Flying Squad, Special Branch, Diplomatic Protection Group, Royalty Protection Branch, and officers protecting airports and government buildings, are routinely armed.

Related Topics:
United Kingdom - British police - Truncheon - Pepper spray - CS Spray - Metropolitan Police - 19th Century - Ministry of Defence Police - Civil Nuclear Constabulary - Police Service of Northern Ireland - Royal Ulster Constabulary - Flying Squad - Special Branch - Diplomatic Protection Group

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The archetypal British "bobby" walked his beat alone. Apart from rapid response units, motor vehicles were rarely used except in rural districts (and even there bicycles were more common). However, in the last few decades the police have become increasingly motorised and it is now rare to see an officer on foot patrol except in city or town centres, and then rarely alone. Patrol cars, known as panda cars (or sometimes jam sandwiches), are in use everywhere and may be crewed by one or two officers. Except for rapid response and traffic patrol vehicles, they are generally smaller and less powerful than American vehicles.

Related Topics:
Bicycle - Panda car - Jam sandwich

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Police in the United States usually carry a pistol (Glocks and Sig-Sauers are the most common) and an impact weapon, a baton also known as a "nightstick". Most large police departments have elite SWAT units which are called in to handle situations which require greater force, such as hostage situations and building raids. Some departments also use nonlethal weapons like Mace, pepper spray, electroshock guns, and beanbag rifles. Some police departments allow their officers to carry shotguns or assault rifles in their vehicles for additional firepower.

Related Topics:
United States - Pistol - Glock - Sig-Sauer - Impact weapon - SWAT - Mace - Pepper spray - Electroshock gun - Beanbag - Shotgun - Assault rifle

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To efficiently cover the sprawling layout of the typical American city, American police officers usually patrol in pairs called "units," and ride in specialized cars (such as the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor) called "cruisers", "patrol cars", or "prowl cars", or in the New York City Police Department "RMPs" (Radio Mobile Patrol). High-speed car chases are common in certain areas of the United States, so police officers are usually trained in high-speed driving techniques and the PIT maneuver. Horses are still used, mainly in crowd control situations but in remote areas occasionally for patrol or search and rescue.

Related Topics:
Sprawl - City - Ford Crown Victoria - New York City Police Department - Car chase - PIT maneuver - Horse

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