Misplaced Pages

#285714

16-596: Counter Terrorism Command ( CTC ) or SO15 is a Specialist Operations branch within London 's Metropolitan Police Service . The Counter Terrorism Command was established as a result of the merging of the Anti-Terrorist Branch (SO13) and Special Branch (SO12) in October 2006, bringing together intelligence, operations, and investigative functions to form a single command. CTC has over 1,500 police officers and staff, and

32-578: A number of investigators based overseas and also hosts the Counter Terrorism Policing headquarters. It originated in 1883 as the Irish Bureau, or Special Irish Branch as it became known, formed in 1883 at New Scotland Yard by the then Home Secretary Sir William Harcourt. It consisted of just 12 detectives aiming to defeat the "Fenian" terrorist campaign that had been on-going in London and across

48-523: A number of other national security functions. It deals with sensitive national security investigations, such as Official Secrets Act enquiries, the investigation of war crimes (effectively making it the successor to the Met's War Crimes Unit ) and crimes against humanity, and politically motivated murders. Counter Terrorism Command is part of the Counter Terrorism Policing network. It is overseen by

64-792: Is given the title Commander or Acting Commander. Specialist Operations At its peak, Specialist Operations (SO) was a group of twenty specialist units, which were formed to give the Metropolitan Police a specialist policing capability. The SO designation was implemented in 1985 as part of Sir Kenneth Newman 's restructuring of the Metropolitan Police Service. Most of the units designated SO units were already in existence, many of them as branches within C Department of New Scotland Yard, and all were presided over by an Assistant Commissioner of Special Operations (ACSO). In 1999 its Organised Crime Group took over residual work from

80-462: Is led by a commander overseen by a deputy assistant commissioner . The deputy assistant commissioner is the concurrent National Police Chiefs' Council Senior National Coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing leading the network. The Counter Terrorism Command (SO15) is responsible for protecting London and the rest of the United Kingdom from the threat of terrorism. The command operates against

96-562: The Angry Brigade . During the 1970s it assisted in the campaign against the IRA , alongside Special Branch and the Security Service (MI5) . In 2005, the branch had 345 officers attached to it, with funding for another 500 being sought. The Metropolitan Police Commissioner , Ian Blair , announced later that year that some of the specialist operations units were to be "re-aligned". In 2006

112-587: The Protection Command was split into three units that provided protection for ministers, for the royal family, and for foreign embassies, diplomats, and visiting dignitaries: Until April 2015, the Security Command consisted of three units that provided protection for Parliament, for the two airports within Greater London (Heathrow Airport and London City Airport), and for major events in London. This

128-655: The United Kingdom or from the diplomatic community. As such, it is analogous to the United States Secret Service or the Diplomatic Security Service . The command comprises two branches: The Security Command is led by a commander and overseen by the same deputy assistant commissioner as the Protection Command. The command comprises two branches: The Counter Terrorism Command (CTC)

144-474: The International Operations branch of Counter Terrorism Command, SO15 has proactively deployed officers around the world as well as in response to terrorist incidents in support of host countries and to investigate when British nationals are the victims of acts of terrorism. Such investigations include: This position is formally known as Head of the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command, and

160-648: The counter-terrorism coordination committee, chaired by Assistant Commissioner Matt Jukes of the Metropolitan Police Service. As part of its role in the Counter Terrorism Policing network, SO15 operate against the threat of terrorism at a local, national, and international level and engages with a range of partners to prevent terrorist related activity, including the Security Service ( MI5 ) and Secret Intelligence Service ( MI6 ). In its present form Counter Terrorism Command has been responsible for investigating several high-profile terrorist incidents, including: Through

176-543: The country. As of November 2013 the current form of CTC comprised 1790 staff including 1350 police officers and 600 detectives working in 75 specialist units with the capability to respond proactively or reactively anywhere in the world. According to Counter Terrorism Command's website, the Command’s overriding priority is to keep the public safe and to disrupt terrorist -related activity in the United Kingdom and against UK interests overseas by: The Counter Terrorism Command has

SECTION 10

#1732883501286

192-460: The disbanded War Crimes Unit . In 2010, ACSO co-directed Operation Guava , aimed at "a significant terrorist plot". The aim of this ACSO action was to prevent the establishment of a jihadist training camp in Kashmir on land owned by one of the suspects. Operation Guava resulted in the 2012 conviction of Usman Khan , who went on to perpetrate the 2019 London Bridge stabbing . Until April 2015,

208-472: The investigation of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and politically motivated murders. It was created in 2006 through the merger of the Met's Anti-Terrorist Branch and Special Branch . Owing to continual restructuring of the Metropolitan Police, only a few of the original SO units still exist in their original form and still use the SO designation. Where the SO designation has been reassigned to another unit,

224-598: The threat of terrorism at a local, national and international level, and supports the national Counter Terrorism Policing network (the regional counter terrorism units and the National Police Chiefs' Council). The Command also has the national lead for domestic extremism in support of the National Domestic Extremism and Disorder Intelligence Unit . The command also deals with sensitive national security investigations, such as Official Secrets Act enquiries,

240-526: The units are listed in order Metropolitan Police Anti-Terrorist Branch The Anti-Terrorist Branch (or SO13 by its designation) was a Specialist Operations (SO) branch of London 's Metropolitan Police Service , formed to respond to terrorist activities within the capital and the surrounding areas. The Anti-Terrorist Branch (originally known as the Bomb Squad) was formed in January 1971 to deal with

256-538: Was formed by the merger in October 2006 of the Anti-Terrorist Branch (SO13) and Special Branch (SO12), both already within Specialist Operations. It has remained structurally unchanged since that date. The Specialist Operations Directorate comprises three commands. The Protection Command is led by a commander overseen by a deputy assistant commissioner . The command is responsible for protective security for high-profile governmental representatives of

#285714