Our firearms squad needs a 'woman's touch' says police chief

It may appear a macho profession, but Scotland Yard wants to bring the woman's touch to its firearms squad.

Police chiefs believe that female officers with guns could have a calming effect on criminals.

And to capitalise on that, the Met wants to recruit more female officers to the traditionally male-dominated CO19.

Although women make up 21 per cent of all Met officers, less than 3 per cent of the unit is female - about 12 officers out of more than 500.

Chief Superintendent Bill Tillbrook, the head of CO19, said: "We want the best people and we're looking for a woman's touch in our armed officers.

"The incidents we respond to are among the most challenging and the most demanding of policing situations and it's always our intention to resolve them safely."

Women are often more aware of the prevailing emotions during an incident, he said.

They also have different negotiating skills from male officers.

"If there's a pub fight, for example, people will often calm down more quickly if it's a female officer asking them."

Mr Tillbrook said the women officers in the unit had noticed a difference in the response of suspects cornered by police in an armed siege when they were asked to surrender by a female voice.

Often they were likely to react less aggressively.

"There are usually several answers to a situation and the more breadth of perspective among your officers, the more options you have."

The drive to recruit more female officers has included women-only open days and appointing existing female CO19 officers to mentor applicants.

Senior officers are also considering running training sessions for women that fit around the school run.

Firearms officers in armed response vehicles are called out about 1,000 times a month to a variety of incidents in London.

Shots are fired on average on only a couple of occasions each year, including the times when CO19 provides back-up to the Flying Squad or on drugs raids.

One of the aspiring female members of CO19 is PC Funda Bay. Part of a Safer Neighbourhood Team in Haringey, North London, she said: "It will be a challenge. It's not going to be easy but it's not unachievable. I see it as part of my personal development. "Not a lot of women express an interest in CO19. Most women in the job think that it's only men who are interested.

"Men and women have a different viewpoint. Women have a diffusing effect, calming things down."