Police Constable – Armed Response Vehicle Officer (ARVO) & Authorised Firearms Officer (AFO)

Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire (BCH) Police are looking for authorised firearms officers (AFO / ARVO) and qualified national firearms instructors to join their dynamic two base armed policing team. The Armed Policing Unit is a successful collaboration supporting 24/7-armed response across all three forces with overt, high visibility patrols at London Luton Airport as a key part of the departments remit. If you’re looking to develop your career and uncover new challenges, BCH APU is a diverse organisation both internally and geographically. There are two operating bases, in Huntingdon and at the brand-new facility at Luton Airport with the firearms training centre based out of Bedfordshire Police HQ. There are opportunities to ‘upskill’ to ARVO based on vacancies on the territorial ARV team.

The Operational teams work a 4 on 4 off pattern and receive a targeted variable payment of £2000.

The NFI teams work a two-week pattern. Week 1 – Monday – Thursday – 0800 – 1800. Week 2 – Tuesday to Friday 0800-18:00. NFI’s receive the targeted variable payment of £2000. There is a requirement for NFI to join the Tactical Advisor on call rota.

Officers have exclusive access to a range of vehicles including Volvo XC90s and bespoke vehicles to support surveillance operations and CAT A prison Escorts.

The team maintains armed support to the forces in respect of spontaneous armed response, ARV CBRN incidents and demands in respect of counter terrorism including frequently supporting national events through mutual aid. Officers also maintain a permanent presence at Luton Airport with initial attendance at high risk response policing incidents. In addition to dealing with wide ranging crime and disorder, our officers are often required to police high profile local and national events across each of the three forces, support to visiting royals and dignitaries and the escorting of high profile prisoners.