Official Statistics

Police use of firearms statistics, England and Wales: April 2022 to March 2023

Published 13 July 2023

Applies to England and Wales

© Crown copyright 2023

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-use-of-firearms-statistics-england-and-wales-april-2022-to-march-2023/police-use-of-firearms-statistics-england-and-wales-april-2022-to-march-2023

This release contains statistics on police use of firearms and armed officer numbers for the 43 police forces in England and Wales in the year ending 31 March 2023.

Frequency of release: Annual

Forthcoming releases: Home Office statistics release calendar

Home Office responsible statistician: Jenny Bradley

Press enquiries: 0300 123 3535

Public enquiries: PolicingStatistics@homeoffice.gov.uk

This release includes information on the total number of:

Detailed data are provided in the accompanying data tables.

Data collection note Separate police use of force statistics include wider data on the use of firearms as a tactic (where it was aimed or fired) in incidents where officers use force on individuals. These statistics are not directly comparable with figures in this release due to the way in which the data are collected and defined.

1. Summary of annual statistics

There were 18,395 firearms operations in the year ending 31 March 2023, a similar number to the year ending 31 March 2022 (18,257).

The 2 largest police forces accounted for 34% of all firearms operations. These were the Metropolitan Police Service (20%) and West Midlands Police (14%).

Of the 18,395 firearms operations, 92% (16,971) involved an armed response vehicle (ARV), the same proportion as the years ending 31 March 2022 and 2021 (92%). Prior to this, there has been a gradual increase in the proportion of operations involving ARVs since records began in the year ending 31 March 2009 (81%).

There were 10 incidents in which police firearms were intentionally discharged (fired) at persons in the year ending 31 March 2023. This number was 4 in the year ending 31 March 2022.

On 31 March 2023, the total number of officers who were authorised to use a firearm was 6,651, a similar number to 31 March 2022 (6,677). Of the 6,651 armed officers, there were 6,038 operationally deployable armed officers, a 2% decrease (-154) compared with 31 March 2022. ‘Operationally deployable’ excludes officers who were absent due to sickness (long or short-term) or on restricted duties.

1.1 Impact of COVID-19

A range of restrictions relating to the COVID-19 pandemic began on 12 March 2020, and the first UK ‘lockdown’ measures were announced on 23 March 2020. Evidence shows that there was a reduction in crime and offending at the height of the pandemic across England and Wales. Figures for the years ending 31 March 2020 to 2022 may have been affected by the pandemic and consideration should be given when making comparisons with these years.

2. Police firearms operations

2.1 Main findings

In the year ending 31 March 2023, there were 18,395 police firearms operations in England and Wales, a similar number to the year ending 31 March 2022 (18,257).

The total number of firearms operations was relatively stable between the years ending 31 March 2012 to 2017, before increasing to 20,192 in the year ending 31 March 2019. Since then, the number of firearms operations has decreased, but remains higher than levels previously seen in 2012 to 2017.

Figure 1: Police firearms operations, including operations where an ARV was the first or only response, England and Wales, years ending 31 March 2009 to 2023

Source: Home Office, Police use of firearms statistics data tables, Table 1.

Note:
1. Percentage figures show the proportion of total police firearms operations where an ARV was the first or only response for each year.

In the year ending 31 March 2023, 92% of operations involved an ARV, the same as years ending 31 March 2022 and 2021 and the largest proportion since the series began in the year ending 31 March 2009. The lowest proportion during this time was 80% in the years ending 31 March 2010 and 2011.

Data collection note There are certain types of operations that are excluded from data collected on police firearms operations, for example those where officers were stood down before being deployed. See Section 5.2 for the full list of excluded operations.

2.2 Highest number of police firearms operations reported by the Metropolitan Police Service and West Midlands Police

The police forces with the highest number of police firearms operations in the year ending 31 March 2023 were the Metropolitan Police Service (3,685) and West Midlands Police (2,538). These 2 forces accounted for 34% of all operations in England and Wales. These forces also saw large changes compared with the year ending 31 March 2022. The total number of operations in the Metropolitan police force area increased by 18% (+552) in the year ending 31 March 2023, reversing the downward trend seen in the previous 3 years. The total number of operations in the West Midlands police force area decreased by 9% (-258).

Figure 2: Total police firearms operations for the top 10 police force areas, England and Wales, years ending 31 March 2022 and 2023

Source: Home Office, Police use of firearms statistics data tables, Table 1.

Out of the 10 police forces with the highest number of operations, the largest year-on-year percentage increase was +50% (+173) in the Thames Valley police force area and the largest year-on-year percentage decrease was -26% (-234) in the South Wales police force area.

2.3 Highest number of operations per 100,000 population reported by West Midlands Police and Cleveland Police

The highest numbers of police firearms operations per 100,000 population were in the West Midlands, Cleveland and South Wales police force areas. The police force areas with the lowest number per 100,000 were Essex, Hampshire, Devon and Cornwall and Cumbria as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Total police firearms operations per 100,000 population by police force area, England and Wales, year ending 31 March 2023

Source:
1. Home Office, Police use of firearms statistics data tables, Table 1.
2. Office for National Statistics, Population and household estimates, England and Wales: Census 2021.

Notes:
1. City of London is not included as the Census 2021 population estimate is less than 100,000.
2. The areas with the three highest and four lowest numbers of police firearms operations per 100,000 population are labelled.

3. Incidents in which police firearms were intentionally discharged at persons

In the year ending 31 March 2023, there were 10 incidents in which police intentionally discharged firearms at persons, which represents 0.05% of total firearms operations. Table 1 shows that this is an increase compared with the previous 3 years. The highest number since comparable records began in 2009 was 13 in the year ending 31 March 2019. Figures for the years ending 31 March 2020 to 2022 may have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and consideration should be given when making comparisons with these years.

Table 1: Number of incidents in which police firearms were intentionally discharged at persons, England and Wales, years ending 31 March 2014 to 2023

Year ending March 2014 March 2015 March 2016 March 2017 March 2018 March 2019 March 2020 March 2021 March 2022 March 2023
Number of incidents 3 6 7 6 8 13 5 4 4 10

Source: Home Office, Police use of firearms statistics data tables, Table 3.

Notes:
1. Figures are the number of incidents where firearms were intentionally discharged at persons. The figures do not include discharges of less-lethal weapons such as attenuating energy projectiles (AEPs) and CED (Taser ®) or accidental discharges, discharges for animal destruction, the use of firearms during police training and tyre deflations.

Data collection note These figures refer to incidents in which police intentionally discharged (fired) firearms at persons. The number of incidents does not mean the number of firearms that were fired, or the number of shots fired.

4. Armed officers

4.1 Main findings

Statistics on the number of armed officers and, of those, the number that were operationally deployable on 31 March 2023, are included in this release. Figures on the total number of armed officers are included in this release for the second year and are designated as experimental statistics to acknowledge that they are new, and further development of the data collection and quality assurance process is needed.

There were a total of 6,651 armed officers as at 31 March 2023, a similar number to 31 March 2022 (6,677).

Of the 6,651 armed officers, there were 6,038 operationally deployable armed officers, a 2% decrease (-154) compared with 31 March 2022. ‘Operationally deployable’ excludes officers who were absent due to sickness (long or short-term) or on restricted duties.

A 5-year armed officer uplift programme, with the aim to train and equip 1,000 extra firearm officers was announced on 1 April 2016 (separate from the recent recruitment of an additional 20,000 officers). Following the programme, the number of operationally deployable armed officers increased from 5,639 on 31 March 2016, to a peak of 6,621 on 31 March 2019 (Figure 4).

Since 31 March 2019, the number of operationally deployable armed officers has decreased by 583 (to 6,038 on 31 March 2023). This is the fourth consecutive year that the number has decreased. Despite recent decreases, the number of operationally deployable armed officers is 7% (399) higher than before the armed officer uplift programme (31 March 2016) and the total number of armed officers (which includes those absent due to sickness or on restricted duties) remained stable in the latest year.

Figure 4: Number of total and operationally deployable armed officers, England and Wales, as at 31 March 2014 to 2023

Source: Home Office, Police use of firearms statistics data tables, Table 2.

Notes:
1. Experimental statistics for total armed officers available as at 31 March 2022 and 31 March 2023 only.

4.2 Small decrease in the proportion of armed officers to unarmed officers

Data from the Police officer uplift quarterly statistics, published on 26 April 2023, shows there were 149,572 police officers (calculated on a headcount basis) in England and Wales on 31 March 2023, an increase of 5% (+7,067) compared with 31 March 2022. This continues a five-year upward trend in the number of police officers, linked to the police uplift programme.

While the total number of armed officers remained stable in the latest year, the proportion of operationally deployable armed officers to total police officers was 4.0% on 31 March 2023, a small decrease compared with the last 9 years (between 4.3% and 5.3%). This is likely linked to the increase in police officers overall, through the police officer uplift recruitment drive, with newer recruits more likely to be in Local Policing roles.

Figure 5: Total number of unarmed officers and operationally deployable armed officers, England and Wales, as at 31 March 2014 to 2023

Source:
1. Home Office, Police use of firearms statistics data tables, Table 2.
2. Police officer uplift data tables, Table U1.

Notes:
1. The total number of police officers is calculated on a headcount basis. Figures for the year ending 31 March 2023 are provisional.
2. Percentage figures indicate the proportion of total police officers that were operationally deployable armed officers each year.

Chief Officers determine the number of armed officers needed in their areas based on assessments of threat and risk.

5. User guide

5.1 Revisions

During the data confirmation exercise carried out with police forces, one force submitted revisions for the year ending 31 March 2022 relating to data on:

  • firearm operations
  • operations involving an ARV

These figures have been revised in the latest release in line with the revisions policy as set out in the Home Office Statement of compliance with Code of Practice for Statistics. Table 2 details these changes.

Table 2: Revisions to figures published in year ending 31 March 2022 release

Financial year What was revised Number of forces that made revisions Previously published figures (in 2021-22 release) Revised figures (in 2022-23 release) Numerical change Percentage change
2021-22 Police firearms operations 1 18,259 18,257 -2 -0.01%
2021-22 Police firearms operations involving ARVs 1 16,853 16,831 -22 -0.1%

Source:
1. Home Office, Police use of firearms statistics data tables, Table 1.
2. Previously published figures from Home Office, Police use of firearms statistics data tables, Tables 1 and 2

The data for the latest year (and for previous years) may be revised in due course. It is standard practice across all Home Office statistical releases to incorporate revisions for previous years’ data in the latest release.

5.2 Quality and methodology

Data quality

During the year ending 31 March 2022 data collection process, it was identified that some forces had interpreted ‘operationally deployable’ differently in relation to sickness and isolation rules during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, some forces were not able to provide figures that were fully compliant with the required definition of ‘operationally deployable’ due to recording system restrictions. Whilst some figures for the years ending 31 March 2021 and 2022 were revised by forces and are as close to the required definition as possible, there may be small inconsistencies in years prior to this. Guidance for police forces has been updated to further improve consistency in reporting.

The statistics on the total number of armed officers are currently labelled as experimental statistics. They are considered to be valuable to users but are under development. A separate data confirmation exercise for these figures was carried out by Home Office statisticians with the support of police forces in England and Wales.

Data assurance

The ‘Police use of firearms’ statistics are Official Statistics produced to the highest professional standards and free from political interference. They are produced by statisticians working in the Home Office Analysis and Insight Directorate in accordance with the Home Office’s Statement of compliance with Code of Practice for Statistics which covers our policy on revisions and other matters. The Chief Statistician, and the Head of Profession for Statistics, report to the National Statistician with respect to all professional statistical matters and oversee all Home Office Official Statistics products with respect to the Code of Practice for Statistics, and are responsible for their timing, content and methodology.

These statistics are compiled by statisticians within the Home Office. They undertake a wide range of quality assurance checks and work closely with all 43 police forces with regular contact as needed. These checks follow the QAAD guidance (Quality Assurance of Administrative Data) and include:

  • variance checks, such as investigating substantial changes in figures compared with the previous year
  • safeguards within the return to improve data quality
  • ensuring all returns are accounted for, and that no duplicate returns are provided
  • querying incomplete or invalid data and invalid combinations of data, provided in returns
  • explaining to users about the data quality and the impact upon the statistics

Data collection

The statistics in this release are based on figures submitted by the 43 territorial police forces for the year ending 31 March 2023 as part of the Annual Data Requirement (ADR). The ADR is a list of all mandatory data requests made to police forces in England and Wales under the Home Secretary’s statutory powers.

As with previous releases, a data confirmation exercise was carried out by Home Office statisticians with the support of police forces. Validation and variance checks were carried out on the data as part of the quality assurance process. This reduces the risk of publishing incorrect figures.

The total number of operations involving the authorised deployment of armed officers does not include:

  • operations where officers were stood down before being deployed
  • armed officers deployed for VIP protection, armed prisoner escorts, airport patrols, other guarding duties and routine patrols
  • firearms operations involving accidental discharges, discharges for animal destruction, during police training, or to deflate tyres
  • operations where the reporting police force did not issue an authority but assisted another police force on an operation; the authorising police force would submit data relating to this operation, eliminating double counting

The total number of police firearms operations include all operations involving ARVs. The number of operations involving ARVs is a sub-category of all police firearms operations in which the first or only response was by an ARV.

Figures for incidents where firearms were intentionally discharged cover the number of incidents where police intentionally discharged conventional firearms. The figures do not include incidents involving accidental discharges or discharges of less-lethal weapons, for animal destruction, during police training, or to deflate tyres.

The number of armed officers includes all armed officer roles (including ARV officers, Specialist Firearms Officers and Counter-Terrorist Specialist Firearms Officers), as well as those currently acting as trainers or deployed in non-firearms roles.

The number of operationally deployable armed officers does not include officers who were absent due to sickness (long or short-term) or on restricted duties. The total number of officers authorised to use firearms includes those who were not operationally deployable on the 31 March for the reasons above.

Changes to the data

Publications prior to year ending March 2017 included the number of Authorised Firearms Officers (AFOs). An AFO was defined as “a police officer who has been selected, trained, accredited, and authorised by their Chief Officer to carry and use a firearm”. Following feedback from the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), College of Policing, and police forces, the publications for the year ending March 2017 and onwards includes the number of ‘armed officers’.

This change was introduced to increase understanding, as the term ‘AFO’ can be used to refer specifically to an armed officer trained at the basic level, as well as to any armed officer in general. The change accounted for less than 0.5% of the total number of armed officers as at 31 March 2017. As such, the figures for 31 March 2017 and onwards are regarded as comparable with figures from previous publications.

Comparability of the data

Data from the year ending March 2002 to 2008 did not have the same rigorous data validation or variance checks that have been applied to the data since. The quality of the figures from the year ending March 2008 and before, may not be of the same standard, making them incomparable with data after the year ending 31 March 2008.

Data on the number of incidents in which police firearms were intentionally discharged has been collected as part of the ADR since the year ending March 2012. Previously, the data on incidents involving discharges were supplied by the NPCC who collected the information from forces. This was not a mandatory requirement, and the figures were not quality assured in the same way that the discharge data collected via the ADR have been.

The Police use of firearms statistics, England and Wales: financial year ending March 2014 release detailed some of the quality assurance work that took place for previous years, including data confirmation by Chief Officers for all data covering the period from the years ending March 2009 to 2014.

Rounding

Data is provided unrounded in the data tables to provide detail for users.

Where data are rounded, they may not add up to the totals shown, or 100% for percentages, because they have been rounded independently.

5.3 Glossary

Armed response vehicle (ARV)
ARVs are police vehicles carrying armed officers trained to the ARV standard. These vehicles are crewed by uniformed officers who have been selected and trained to respond to a range of armed operations involving subjects on foot, in moving vehicles and in buildings. ARVs are adapted to accommodate specialist equipment and enable firearms officers to be transported swiftly to deal with ongoing incidents.

Armed officer
This refers to officers authorised to carry and use firearms, which should include all armed officer roles (including ARV officers, Specialist Firearms Officers and Counter-Terrorist Specialist Firearms Officers), as well as those currently acting as trainers or deployed in non-firearms roles. For more information please visit the College of Policing website.

Attenuating energy projectile (AEP)
AEP is a less-lethal weapon only available to authorised officers who have been specially trained to use it. AEP gives specially trained officers an additional option to deal with threats of serious violence without resorting to firearms. It is not intended to cause serious or life-threatening injury but it can dissuade or prevent a violent, or potentially violent person, from their intended course of action, thereby reducing the threat.

Counter-Terrorist Specialist Firearms Officers (CTSFOs)
These are the UK’s most highly trained armed officers. They are trained to the Specialist Firearms Officer (SFO) level and additionally in counter-terrorism (CT) specific tactics and procedures. They provide a ‘second-wave’ response to ‘no notice’ terrorist attacks in support of ARVs, however their primary CT responsibility is to support planned operations. They also routinely deploy on planned serious and organised crime (SOC) operations in support of forces and regional organised crime units (ROCUs).

Firearm
This includes any conventional firearm routinely deployed by firearms officers. This does not include less-lethal weapons such as AEPs and conducted energy devices (CED) for example, Taser ®.

Police firearms operations
Police firearms operations involve the authorised deployment of armed officers where they may have to protect themselves or others from a person who:

  • is in possession of a firearm or other weapon
  • has immediate access to a firearm or weapon
  • is otherwise so dangerous that the officer’s use of a firearm may be necessary

Each operation is counted as only one operation regardless of the number of personnel (or deployments) or tactics employed, or the number of rounds discharged.

Police firearms operations involving ARVs
Police firearms operations in which an ARV was the first or only response are counted in this category. Police firearms operations in which ARVs were deployed as a secondary response would be counted in police firearms operations.

Specialist Firearms Officers (SFOs)
They are trained in dynamic entry and or searches of buildings, and provide support to planned operations. A small number of forces outside of the national CTSFO network train officers to SFO level.

5.4 Uses of the data

These statistics are used by a range of users to monitor trends in the police use of firearms and armed officer numbers in England and Wales. Specific uses of the data are included below.

Informing the general public

Figures are used by the media and the public for information on and to scrutinise trends and police force area comparisons in the police use of firearms and armed officer numbers.

Figures on levels and trends in police use of firearms and armed officer numbers are routinely requested via parliamentary questions (PQs) and freedom of information (FOI) requests.

Policy making and monitoring

The figures are used by policy makers and advisors to monitor the number of police firearms operations and those in which a firearm was intentionally discharged at persons. They provide a national and regional level picture of armed policing, giving some insight into policing resource and capability and contribute to decisions on police force funding.

Statistical releases for Police use of firearms, England and Wales have been published annually since the year ending March 2008.

Figures for the years ending March 2002 to 2008 are also available online.

Upcoming publications are pre-announced on the Home Office statistics release calendar.

5.6 Feedback and enquiries

We are keen to improve the accessibility of our documents. If you have any problems or feedback relating to accessibility, or general enquiries, please email: PolicingStatistics@homeoffice.gov.uk.

Home Office responsible statistician: Jenny Bradley

Press enquiries: 0300 123 3535

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