As part of their recruitment drive to train more Authorised Firearms Officers (AFOs), Essex Police has released some body-worn camera footage of just some of the incidents which their specially trained officers have dealt with.
AFOs receive months of intensive training before being authorised to carry a firearm and are trained to use various lethal and non-lethal weapons and devices.
The body-worn camera footage released by Essex Police shows their AFO and ARV officers responding to various incidents where the deployment of firearms was deemed necessary to deal with the threat being posed to members of the public and the police.
Thanks to the officers’ professionalism and their intensive training, the police discharged no firearms during any of the encounters that Essex Police shared in the video montage.
Before a police officer can apply to become an AFO, they ordinarily have to complete at least two years of service on the front line of policing.
Potential firearms officers also typically have an unblemished service record and have to show that they have a proven ability to deal with a variety of fast-paced and high-stress situations.
As of March 2021, Essex Police are recruiting more officers for their specialist teams. Visit the Essex Police website for more information.
CLICK HERE to watch more footage recorded by police body-worn cameras
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