Most British police officers (except in Northern Ireland) are not routinely armed. Instead, they rely on specially trained Authorised Firearms Officers (AFO) to attend incidents where firearms are necessary. Specialist Firearms Officers are usually trained to a higher standard than AFOs, because they are likely to be required to enter besieged premises. The vast majority of firearms used by British police are semi-automatic. Police use of force regarding firearms was governed by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO, dissolved 2015).

Weapons used by Home Office police forces

Firearms used by police officers vary between police forces in the UK. The Chief Constable and Police Authority of each force decides the number of firearms officers and type of police firearms available. In 2010, 5.56 mm calibre carbines were widely introduced in case of an attack similar to the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Firearms issued to Authorised Firearms Officers include:

Pistols

Submachine guns

Rifles

Shotguns

Riot guns

Northern Ireland

Unlike territorial police forces in England, Scotland and Wales, as well as the Garda Síochána in the neighbouring Republic of Ireland, all Police Service of Northern Ireland officers are trained to use firearms and are routinely armed while on duty, as were those of the preceding Royal Ulster Constabulary; many officers also carry firearms while off duty. Historically, RUC officers were issued with the Ruger Speed-Six revolver from 1979 onwards and had access to the Sterling submachine gun and the Ruger AC-556 select-fire rifle until these were replaced by the Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine gun and the Heckler & Koch G3 and Heckler & Koch HK33 rifles between 1992 and 1995, with the PSNI inheriting the Speed-Six revolvers and the Heckler & Koch weapons upon its formation in 2001; the Speed-Six revolvers were subsequently superseded by the Glock 17 pistol from 2002 onwards, while Heckler & Koch G36 variants were acquired to supplement earlier Heckler & Koch weapons. L104 riot guns are available for crowd control purposes.

Weapons used by non-Home Office police forces

British Transport Police

Most British Transport Police officers are unarmed. British Transport Police ARV officers carry:

Belfast Harbour Police

Like the PSNI, Belfast Harbour Police officers are issued the Glock 17 pistol.

Belfast International Airport Constabulary

Like the PSNI, officers of the Belfast International Airport Constabulary are issued the Glock 17 pistol whilst on duty. Officers are also authorised to carry Heckler & Koch MP5s, similar to those used by the PSNI prior to the adoption of the Heckler & Koch G36.

Civil Nuclear Constabulary

All Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) officers are trained as Authorised Firearms Officers and are routinely armed while carrying out their duties. CNC officers carry: CNC officers also operate the armament on board the ships of Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited, which specialise in transporting spent nuclear fuel and reprocessed uranium on behalf of the British Nuclear Fuels organisation. Such ships have an on-board escort of armed police. The Civil Nuclear Constabulary use a range of heavier weapons up to automatic cannon of 30mm calibre deployed on the ships.

Ministry of Defence Police

All Ministry of Defence Police officers are required to pass a firearms module during training (with marine units receiving additional firearms training that is specific to their role ) and are routinely armed unless they are posted to Crime Command.

Historical firearms

In the past, police have been issued: