Armed Security UK, Do Bodyguards Carry Guns in the UK?

Some clients enquire about the possibility of armed security UK wide for their protection. It’s also debated by UK security professionals about whether security operators should be allowed to carry a firearm in the UK whilst protecting their principal as a bodyguard.

Currently only specialist police and military units can carry firearms in the UK. Those firearms being assault rifles and a pistol for Police Authorised Firearms Officers or soldiers from Military Special Forces and Special Operational Units. Plus we are seeing more police officers carry a taser, which requires completion of the four day police taser operator course.

From a potential clients perspective, the question that should be asked is the same as when any prospective client enquires about protection, whether it’s armed security UK wide or not. That being, why is it you feel you require personal protection, and furthermore, why do you feel that you need armed protection. Now for some clients it might be the norm for them to have armed security as they normally operate in countries such as South Africa or Switzerland. But for other clients, they may deem the risk towards themselves to be at such a level that armed security is required. At that point, a full threat assessment is required to fully understand the risk, rather than the requirement being made on the client’s perception of risk. If that threat assessment deems that armed security is required in the UK, then the guidance needs to be that the potential client should phone the police and discuss their case, as security operators are not currently licensed to carry firearms in the UK. Or for some potential clients who do need armed security, but that are involved in serious organised crime and are requesting security, then the potential job is politely declined.

The debate about security operators carrying a firearm as part of their protective duties and deploying as armed security UK wide is one that promotes discussion across a broad spectrum of reasoning.

Competency would be high on the list, as currently to become a bodyguard in the UK, you don’t need previous military or police experience, and the potential firearms familiarisation and use that may come with those roles. So essentially you could have armed security operators carry firearms who have little to no experience in weapons training or carriage.

Competency is one aspect, but even for the most experienced firearms user, conducting armed security UK wide in a westernised country in the urban environment needs the most highly trained operator. It wouldn’t be appropriate for a security operator to complete a five day pistol awareness course and then be able to provide armed security in the UK. 

Potentially there could be a case for security operators from ex Police Authorised Firearms Officers or Military Special Forces and Special Operational Units, to carry in the UK once they’ve left their respective services. But then you’d create a two tier weapon carrying system in the UK which would be hard to manage. Plus you’d need to ensure that the operator was completing appropriate continuation and refresher training. Then it’s unlikely that the operator would be providing daily armed security UK wide, so the skill fade aspect of experience would start to effect their competency.

Realistically there is very little chance of security operators ever being able to carry firearms whilst providing protection to clients in the UK, without a significant change to firearms laws and legislation in the UK. No matter what the background of the security operator is. However, in the past five years, we have seen job creep where security operators are taking on tasks that would traditionally have been conducted by the police. Such as public area policing in town centres to manage anti-social behaviour. Or patrols of higher net worth residential areas to reduce crime. So could that job creep at some point extend to a security company having operators that are licensed to carry firearms whilst protecting a certain level of principal. The new commercial security for UK MP’s for example. 

A debate that is likely to continue for many years throughout the security industry.

Article written by Tom Richmond, Managing Director of Security and Safety Solutions