Page 42 - Top Cover Issue 8

42 TOP COVER ISSUE 4

AROUND & ABOUT

COLLABORATION

seems to be the way many forces are heading

With the endless cuts gradually eroding the police service we
once knew it’s hardly surprising forces are getting together to cut
costs to try and balance the books. With the PFOA being located

in Cambridgeshire, I wanted to find out more about the Beds,
Cambs, Herts Tri Force Specialist Operations Collaboration unit.

WRITTEN BY MARK WILLIAMS

ormed in April 2012,
the Tri Force armed
policing unit comprises
ARV, Close Protection,
Dynamic Search, Rifle
and Surveillance Officers.
Ops Inspector Paul
F Sandwell and Training
Inspector Mick Crozier, both long-term
supporters of the PFOA, head up the unit
of some 145 officers. The unit trains every
six weeks at various locations including
Kempston, Huntingdon, Northants and
Chicksands military range.
The ARV crews work a 12-hour
shift four on four off, two days then
two nights. The shifts are staggered on
handover to ensure continuous cover
in all counties where possible. Having
spoken to several Cambs officers it’s
apparent that the shift pattern works well
and provides a good work-life balance.
During each shift some eight ARVs will
patrol the three counties. Out of these
eight, two cars patrol Luton Airport as
part of an armed presence at the location.
The Tri Force area also covers key
motorway routes including the M1, M25
as well as the busy A1. Coming from
a Met ARV perspective it amazes me
just how much area county ARVs have
to cover. Geographically it’s daunting