Territorial Support Group

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CO20

Territorial Support Group CO20
Active 1987 – Present
Country Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Central Operations
Type Public order response unit.
Role Domestic disorder and Law Enforcement
Part of Headed by Chief Superintendant
Nickname SO20, CO20, TSG

The Territorial Support Group ( or CO20) is a Central Operations unit of London's Metropolitan Police Service. The TSG is an uniformed branch of the MPS that replaced the controversial Special Patrol Group in 1987. Today TSG has three main tasks in the policing of the Metropolis:

  • Securing the capital against terrorism
  • Providing a London-wide 'Level One' response to disorder
  • Reducing priority crime through borough support

TSG officers are selected from officers the Metropolitan Police Service has to offer. Officers are selected on merit and much emphasis is placed upon pro-active policing ability, personal motivation, resilience and good all round 'thief-taking' ability. A high degree of fitness is required. Applicants must be recommended by a senior officer (minimum rank of Inspector) whilst on division.

TSG units patrol the streets of the capital in marked police vans known as carriers and officers can be identified as TSG from the distinctive 'U' in their shoulder number.

Mercedes Sprinters are the standard vehicle of TSG and each van transports six Police Constables and a Sergeant, this being an operational Serial. All TSG units have the call-sign; 'U', 'Uniform'.

TSG officers are not routinely armed, but are equipped with speedcuffs, extendable (ASP) batons and CS Spray like divisional officers. TSG does, however, have its own firearms capability with officers from '1 Area' being trained as Authorised Firearm Officers (AFOs) on various weapons including Glock 17 and Heckler & Koch MP5. 1 Area officers conduct armed operations in Central London and regularly perform Legion and Spartan patrols.

TSG is also authorised to deploy Tasers. This has been operational for some time among Trojan teams and is now being rolled out for TSG units. Taser is a stun-gun type weapon designed to incapacitate a suspect where the use of baton or incapacitant spray has proved ineffective and the use of a firearm is inappropriate. Taser is intended to be a less-lethal option for police where a suspect proves particularly violent and/or resistant to conventional means of arrest.

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[edit] Public Order

Although public order is not the TSG's only role, it is certainly their most visible and well-known. Like most Police Support Unit vehicles, TSG vans are equipped with mesh window shields and officers are equipped with acrylic glass riot shields, visored 'NATO' helmets, shin and elbow guards and fireproof coveralls. This level of protection allows them to deal with many violent situations, including riots, football violence and violent suspects armed with a variety of weapons. TSG officers are trained to a higher standard of operational readiness in their public order role than most other Police Support Units, TSG training is refreshed every five weeks of an officer's career. Exercises are conducted predominantly at Gravesend in Kent, though other sites are used as required, and encompass all 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. TSG units spend considerable time training with other specialist police (SFO) teams as well as certain military units. TSG performs many of the roles that SWAT/Emergency Service Units (ESUs) in the United States would perform.

[edit] Borough support

The TSG provides support to regular divisional officers through high-visibility patrols, surveillance and decoy operations and providing a presence on the streets. Boroughs are also supported through the provision of a 'Commissioner's Reserve' a section of TSG that is on standby 24/7/365 to be called out anywhere in the Metropolis to quel public order problems, be it violent bar brawl or large scale public disorder. Day to day TSG assist the boroughs in handling and relocating particularly violent prisoners.

[edit] Terrorism response

TSG is equipped and trained to deal with the aftermath of a terrorism emergency in London, and the unit includes a dedicated CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radioactive, Nuclear) team. Working closely with SO13 (the Metropolitan Police Anti-Terrorist Branch) TSG also has considerable counter-terrorism responsibilities.

[edit] Bases of operations

The TSG operates from five bases located throughout London:

[edit] References