FO removed from BA Flight

[GLAEDI]

The use of Firearm Officers

At most large U.K. airports there’s three police units and a Border Force presence for different law enforcement activities. The Police in general have three roles.

1) Firearm units, there as 1st point of call for counterterrorism where an actual event is being undertaken.
2) Uniform Police who are there for general police duties and would normally deal with instances of this type.
3) Border Police Command CTC Intel Officers, the one’s used to be called SB wear plain clothes and are there for Intel gathering duties in the main
4) Border Force who mainly deal with the Immigration Acts & Customs & Excise legislation but have been given powers to detain on behalf the police for other offences.

When a call would have been made then it would have been likely based on what duties the Officers were doing that the quickest response would be the armed unit. This maybe due geography of the airport or that uniform were busy dealing with something else. It’s unfortunate that in the U.K. because a cop is carrying a firearm it automatically means that the situation meant the FO needed to be pulled from cabin ala Daily Mail sensationalism. It could have been the uniform cops or plain clothes cops (who probably left their kit in the office as it doesn’t sit well under there suits) who arrived at the plane to arrest the FO under suspicion of circs were different. I expect now that a charge has been raised and he’s been remanded, that a blood test and/or breath test has been done. The initial test at the aircraft as in driving is guide to allow Officers in England & Wales to arrest on suspicion (although no test is needed if the officers don’t have a machine it’s suspicion, so smell, slurred speech or anything to suggest he was unfit to fly would mean he could be detained). The tests at the station will be the evidence for the charge and court proceedings. Until the magistrate has given his decision the FO is innocent under the law, unfortunately not by the media.