Territorial Support Group

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The Territorial Support Group (TSG, or CO20) is a Central Operations unit of London's Metropolitan Police Service. The TSG replaced the controversial Special Patrol Group in 1987, and was tasked with three main roles in the policing of London:

providing a level one response to public order
reducing priority crime through borough support
securing the capital against terrorism

TSG units patrol in marked police vans. Each unit consists of between four and six police constables and a sergeant. TSG officers are not routinely armed, and are only equipped with handcuffs, batons and CS spray like any other beat officer. A small number, however, are trained as Authorised Firearms Officers for certain, infrequent, security tasks.

1 Public order
2 Borough support
3 Terrorism response
4 Bases of operations
5 References

[edit] Public order

Although public order is not the TSG's only role, it is certainly their most visible and well-known. Like all PSU carriers, TSG vans are equipped with wire window shields, and officers are equipped with acrylic glass riot shields, visored 'NATO' helmets, shin and elbow guards and fireproof uniform coveralls. This level of protection allows them to deal with many potentially violent situations, including riots, football violence and suspects armed with weapons other than firearms. (Suspects armed with firearms are dealt with by the Specialist Firearms Command.)

[edit] Borough support

The TSG provides support to regular divisional officers through high-visibility patrols, pro-active targeting of suspects, surveillance, decoy operations and providing a presence on the streets.

[edit] Terrorism response

The TSG is equipped and trained to deal with the aftermath of a terrorism emergency in London, and the unit includes a dedicated CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radioactive, Nuclear) team. Working closely with SO13 (the Metropolitan Police Anti-Terrorist Branch) the TSG also has considerable counter-terrorism responsibilities.