Armed in the UK?
- Thread starter heli
- Start date
Starlight
Super Moderator
Not in the UK unless you're police or military
Each country that makes up Europe has its own laws and legislation, but on the whole you can't carry.
They have their own 'Armed Police' for armed CP roles protecting Government officials or visiting dignitaries (UK has RaSP and PaDP units (Google them), plus individual police forces around the country have their own 'Specialist Firearms Officers' with CP training).
Some countries allow their own ex Police to provide armed security after they leave the force, but as a 'visiting CPO' or as you pass-through with your Principal you can't legally carry.
There are 'special arrangements' whereby a Government will grant licence for a visiting security detail to carry, but that tends to be the likes of USSS protecting the US President, rather than a micky mouse team protecting some dictator from a country nobody heard of - Governments tend to get twitchy when it comes to people they know nothing about, having not trained them, carrying firearms within their borders.
I know a few 'County Estates' where they employ 'Gameskeepers' to 'protect livestock' and 'look after the Deer' who carry Shotguns and Rifles, which is perfectly legal with the right licence/certificate, and they're obviously not providing any Close Protection to the VIP that lives there so there's no issue...
They have their own 'Armed Police' for armed CP roles protecting Government officials or visiting dignitaries (UK has RaSP and PaDP units (Google them), plus individual police forces around the country have their own 'Specialist Firearms Officers' with CP training).
Some countries allow their own ex Police to provide armed security after they leave the force, but as a 'visiting CPO' or as you pass-through with your Principal you can't legally carry.
There are 'special arrangements' whereby a Government will grant licence for a visiting security detail to carry, but that tends to be the likes of USSS protecting the US President, rather than a micky mouse team protecting some dictator from a country nobody heard of - Governments tend to get twitchy when it comes to people they know nothing about, having not trained them, carrying firearms within their borders.
I know a few 'County Estates' where they employ 'Gameskeepers' to 'protect livestock' and 'look after the Deer' who carry Shotguns and Rifles, which is perfectly legal with the right licence/certificate, and they're obviously not providing any Close Protection to the VIP that lives there so there's no issue...
As has been answered, in UK NO, just military and special units of police carry.
For EU (European Union, the promised land of milk and honey that UK decided lo leave...) you, as said, have many different laws.
For as far as I know you (In Spain) CAN CCW while performing a CP role IF you have a contract approved by the homeland ministry and apply for the temporal license on advance OR get an exception when arriving to the country.
ALSO, in EU you have an "european gun license" that recognizes your (from other EU country) right to have and use weapons, provided you are following the requirements form your original license AND the weird ones that your host state may have on top of them.
Usually to be allowed to hire armed guarding you need to apply and defend your need for arms and of you are granted the exemption you will be allowed to hire a company or individual (registered CP) checked by homeland ministry who will have the license for CCW. Also, if this is a requirement for a place and not a personal protection, you usually are allowed (showing the importance of the items/location to protect) to hire companies with UNIFORMED armed guards just with open carry licenses, in Spain 38 caliber revolvers and 12 gauge shotguns (or for "county estates" any kind of long gun barreled in handgun calibers; but at least they can be self employed).
For EU (European Union, the promised land of milk and honey that UK decided lo leave...) you, as said, have many different laws.
For as far as I know you (In Spain) CAN CCW while performing a CP role IF you have a contract approved by the homeland ministry and apply for the temporal license on advance OR get an exception when arriving to the country.
ALSO, in EU you have an "european gun license" that recognizes your (from other EU country) right to have and use weapons, provided you are following the requirements form your original license AND the weird ones that your host state may have on top of them.
Usually to be allowed to hire armed guarding you need to apply and defend your need for arms and of you are granted the exemption you will be allowed to hire a company or individual (registered CP) checked by homeland ministry who will have the license for CCW. Also, if this is a requirement for a place and not a personal protection, you usually are allowed (showing the importance of the items/location to protect) to hire companies with UNIFORMED armed guards just with open carry licenses, in Spain 38 caliber revolvers and 12 gauge shotguns (or for "county estates" any kind of long gun barreled in handgun calibers; but at least they can be self employed).