Dear Chief Constabubble...

[meles meles]

I don't know anything except that 60 FACS were issued to BTP officers

Is that unusual? Are Plods on firearms duty issued with a FAC ? Do elucidate, ooman.

[Sandgroper]

From what I understand it's something to do with the way the BTP is set up. To have their Officers armed they (the BTP Officers) had to have FACs issued by the local Police.

Not 100% sure how it's supposed to work, but I'm sure someone will be along to correct me!

[Jame5m]

Correct, BTP were advised to get rfd's and for each individual officer to get a FAC,

I'd love to know what they asked for and their good reason!

1 x 9mm pistol & 1 x assualt rifle to be used anywhere we bloody want and to be carried round and left in a Starbucks, good reason the control of 2 legged vermin and sheeple?

[Chuck]

I don't know anything except that 60 FACS were issued to BTP officers,

I'm guessing that they didn't request .22 bolt action rifles for target shooting on approved and authorised ranges......

If they were issued FACS for say example,

5.56mm self loading rifles & pistols ( the BTP seem to be walking around with pistols and lmt carbines)

For say example "defence of private property"

Then it would make a very interesting sec44 apeal!

Bloomin farce if it's true.....why would BTP need firearms......and RFD status.....RFD doesn't have right to carry for defence of anything last I heard - and they cannot drive around willy nilly with S5 kit in the boot..

[Sandgroper]

Bloomin farce if it's true.....why would BTP need firearms......and RFD status.....RFD doesn't have right to carry for defence of anything last I heard - and they cannot drive around willy nilly with S5 kit in the boot..

It was decided to arm the BTP after the Mumbai attacks as the rail network was seen as vulnerable if that style of attack was to happen in the UK.

[Tower75]

Hmm, I wonder where they are, then? The firearms, I mean.

I wonder if the MP5s are in the shoe lockers at the station.

Also, unless I'm wrong (possibly) the BTP only have a presence at rail stations, it is worth arming them if the baddies blow up a section of track 7 miles away from where they're based?

[Sandgroper]

Hmm, I wonder where they are, then? The firearms, I mean.

I wonder if the MP5s are in the shoe lockers at the station.

Also, unless I'm wrong (possibly) the BTP only have a presence at rail stations, it is worth arming them if the baddies blow up a section of track 7 miles away from where they're based?

Ask them what the conditions of their FACs are?

It depends on what the motive is for blowing up a section of track. Doing that would not be high profile enough for most terrorist groups hence the predilection for attacking civilians directly.

In a guerrilla campaign the tracks would be an ideal target, but a terrorist campaign has different priorities.

[forward observer]

Clarke kent to his boss,"gee thats terrible mr white" kent he replies "thats why they call them terroists!"

[Chuck]

Sandgroper, then that's a waste of time and money isn't it.

take an average London station, choc a bloc with commuters and as someone said, BTP tools locked away and cannot be used without some "order"..meanwhile innocents would be massacred, exactly like in Mumbai.....although to be fair Mumbai police legged it in face of superior firepower (bolt action -v- AK47's) and there is now a PRO gun movement in India as the people were just defenceless.

Of course we would have millions of hours of footage on youtube as people stood and filmed it on their personal cams and cell phones :lol:

[Sandgroper]

Sandgroper, then that's a waste of time and money isn't it.

take an average London station, choc a bloc with commuters and as someone said, BTP tools locked away and cannot be used without some "order"..meanwhile innocents would be massacred, exactly like in Mumbai.....although to be fair Mumbai police legged it in face of superior firepower (bolt action -v- AK47's) and there is now a PRO gun movement in India as the people were just defenceless.

Of course we would have millions of hours of footage on youtube as people stood and filmed it on their personal cams and cell phones :lol:

I would agree it would be a waste of time if the firearms were locked away, but somehow I doubt they are.

If the reason for the BTP being armed is because of the Mumbai attacks - fair enough - but then they all should armed as per Civil Nuclear Constabulary. I am pretty confident that if there was a concerted attack then the SOPs (standard operating procedures) for armed police would not require them waiting on an 'order.'

You're not going to like it, but here it is - http://www.btp.police.uk/advice_and_inf ... ility.aspx