Operational Services
Tactical Support
The Tactical Support Team (TST) incorporates the firearms response team, whose Authorised Firearms Officers (AFOs) are on-call around the clock.
AFOs have a role-related fitness test every 12 months, and are highly trained in weapon handling, tactical knowledge, shooting skills and judgement.
They are trained to use a number of weapons, and to provide a range of specific firearms responses including: searching buildings to find offenders or casualties; surveillance; containment of incidents; hostage rescue.
All TST officers are trained to undertake duties in the force’s armed response vehicles (ARVs), which patrol Staffordshire 24/7.
Members of the TST are trained in a range of other disciplines including:
- ‘on foot’ surveillance, covert observations and street arrests
- house-to-house inquiries following major crimes or serious incidents
- ‘method of entry’. The officers are trained to use a range of specialised equipment to enter properties, eg when arresting suspects at home
- high visibility policing, or policing situations where public disorder is possible, eg football matches or demonstrations
- executing search warrants
- dealing with dangerous dogs
- indoor or outdoor crime scene searches.