Authorised Firearms Officer (AFO)

An Authorised Firearms Officer (AFO) is a police officer who has been selected, trained, accredited and authorised by a Chief Officer to carry a firearm operationally.

Please note that this profile is intended to provide a generic baseline of various AFO roles (e.g. Rifle Officer, Specialist Firearms Officer, Armed Response Vehicle Officer).

• Respond to conflict situations using a range of tactical options, assessing the threat to determine a proportionate response in line with legislation, policy and guidance.
• Assess the immediacy and proximity of threat in order to make operational decisions for the protection of life.
• Apply the National Decision Model to manage their response to a situation in a reasonable and proportionate way.
• Justify the proportionate and lawful use of force in line with legal accountabilities.
• Understand their role within the context of the wider police operation to support the achievement of operational strategies and priorities for action.
• Gather and handle information and intelligence from a variety of sources, to assess threat in line with legislation, policies and guidance to take the appropriate action.
• Provide public reassurance when deployed within communities.
• Provide medical aid commensurate with training as required to preserve life.

Prior education and experience:

• Trained to the national common standard for all specific AFO roles in which they are operationally deployable.
• Passed relevant medical and fitness tests (annual requirement)

Skills:

• Good communication skills with the ability to listen to others.
• Able to produce concise statements or other documents.
• Skilled in the use of standard or user specific IT packages, systems and/or databases to fulfil role requirements.
• Able to use resources efficiently in own role in accordance with procedures, policy and guidance.
• Able to identify potential opportunities to enhance efficiency and/or effectiveness within own area of work.
• Able to identify cause and effect and develop a course of action designed to target root causes and mitigate risks.
• Able to work effectively in a team to achieve shared objectives, demonstrating awareness of individual differences and providing support as required.
• Able to review own performance objectively and to take steps to maintain and enhance competence and professional standards appropriate to the role.
• Able to appropriately prioritise and plan own work.
• Able to proactively develop effective working relationships with colleagues, partners and other stakeholders.
• Competent with a range of weapons and tactical equipment appropriate to the role.
  Competent in the provision of ballistic first aid.
• Able to proactively develop effective working relationships with colleagues, partners and other stakeholders.
• Understanding of post deployment procedures.
• Able to act with discretion and emotional intelligence to manage conflict and defuse difficult situations.
• Able to apply procedures and legislation in line with policy and guidance.
• Able to respond appropriately to vulnerable persons.
• Understanding of other armed policing roles.
• Understanding of firearms, ammunition, ballistics, protection characteristics and capabilities.
• Competent in a range of tactical options commensurate with their AFO role (s).

• Undertake mandatory refresher training in all modules and units of the National Police Firearms Training Curriculum (NPFTC) in accordance with, or relevant to the role.
• Undertake additional mandatory refresher training as determined by your force or agency.
• Annually meet health and fitness standards relevant to the role.

• See CPD Section

• NPoCC Mercury Profile: Authorised Firearms Officer – 89 – v2