Having successfully completed their Armed Response Vehicles Initial Firearms Course, four RGP officers were today presented with their certificates by Assistant Commissioner Cathal Yeats.

The Assistant Commissioner thanked PCs Sam Attias, Michael Hill, Ethan Nacimiento and Jordan Recagno for volunteering for a qualification which he said ‘could potentially place them in greater danger than many of their colleagues.’

The course lasted for 11 weeks of full time training on three weapons, the Carbine MP5, the Glock 17 Self Loading Pistol and the Taser X2. The training was a mix of classroom work and practical sessions on the Buffadero Training Area and it included modules on Policies, Use of Force, Threat Assessments, Risk Assessments, Advanced First Aid, Weapon Handling and a range of Tactical scenarios. There were Pass or Fail assessments in Week 2 and throughout Week 11.

‘These officers will now rotate between normal frontline policing and Armed Response Officers,’ explained Police Sergeant Mark Diaz. ‘And, in order to retain this qualification, they must spend a minimum of 120 hours of Continuous Professional Development training every year for the rest of their police careers.'