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UK Armed Police Loadout


LordRonin
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So im wanting to create a UK armed Police load out like this below.

 

First of all are you allowed to look like armed police, even if its only for air soft?

 

And secondly does anyone know where i can get the Cap these guys are wearing and similar looking chest Rig

 

 

Image result for UK armed police

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3 minutes ago, LordRonin said:

First of all are you allowed to look like armed police, even if its only for air soft?

 

And secondly does anyone know where i can get the Cap these guys are wearing and similar looking chest Rig

 

I do not believe that you would be able to get the cap - Section 90 Police Act 1996 - offence to possess an article of police uniform. 

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Just now, Jedi_Master said:

 

I do not believe that you would be able to get the cap - Section 90 Police Act 1996 - offence to possess an article of police uniform. 

Thats what i thought :(

 

Most likely gonna go for a Dark Blue Cap with A Police Patch on 

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Just now, Immortal said:

Impersonation of an officer is also a crime. (more so if trying to look like a real one, not a party outfit with a funny plastic tit hat)

This is what i thought, i didnt know if itd be different due to maybe doing it for a reason (airsoft) 


Guess ill stick to my SAS build 😎

 

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I think you'd be alright wearing similar gear as long as you don't have any patches that actually say 'POLICE'.

Would be funny to have the same loadout with patches that say 'PLOD' or 'PIG'  😂

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47 minutes ago, EDcase said:

I think you'd be alright wearing similar gear as long as you don't have any patches that actually say 'POLICE'.

Would be funny to have the same loadout with patches that say 'PLOD' or 'PIG' 

 

Try to be more POLITE.

 

do-you-think-these-vests-take-the-edge-o

 

Impersonation is a curious offence.  The offence of actually wearing police uniform requires intent to deceive, which won't apply if you're only doing it for dress up at an airsoft site.

 

However, mere possession requires you to "[prove that you] obtained possession of that article lawfully and has possession of it for a lawful purpose".  No specific purposes are mentioned.  Film or theatre would be the obvious one.  Airsoft, dunno, best of luck.

 

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/16/section/90

 

An aside, there was a Scotch stripper who went by the moniker Sergeant Eros who used to wear realistic uniform and gear, with "STRIPPER" on the back.  He was arrested and prosecuted repeatedly for doing so, and for possession of an offensive weapon (his baton and fake PAVA spray, which is where I got interested in the case) despite Sheriffs sending the police and Fiscal away with bees in their ears several times.

 

At first I was all "Boo, massive over-reaction, poor show, petty harassment, power to the people".  However, it turned out that he was a proper fantasist and they finally did him for fitting blues to his car and pulling folk over.

 

But that does show that it's more what you do with it than merely possessing it.

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1 hour ago, LordRonin said:

Guess ill stick to my SAS build

 

Go CTSFO instead - Still police related.. ?

 

Infact @Jedi_Master has lots of Grey CTSFO kit. He can probably point you in the direction of his bits and pieces (And the grey kit!)

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17 minutes ago, L3wisD said:

Infact @Jedi_Master has lots of Grey CTSFO kit. He can probably point you in the direction of his bits and pieces (And the grey kit!)

 

If he could thatd be cool, Ive been wanting to build a kit around SAS but CTSFO might suit what i want aswell

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I just have some grey kit for everyday wear.

 

Have a look here:

 

 

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3 hours ago, Rogerborg said:

 

Try to be more POLITE.

 

do-you-think-these-vests-take-the-edge-o

I was tempted to get one of those for a laugh but I don't think it would have fooled anyone riding around on this 🤣

 

Bike_small.jpg

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3 hours ago, kasaran said:

This is perfect. Thank you

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You best bet would be ignore the word police.

 

After that most kit worn by armed response officers is stuff that's available on the market for everyone. 

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You can find plenty of items, including that cap, on eBay. 

 

Iirc you can wear Police gear on private property, but I may be wrong - it is not something I have looked into. I have seen a few people dressed as police at skirmish sites recently.

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21 minutes ago, Dentonboy said:

You can find plenty of items, including that cap, on eBay. 

 

Iirc you can wear Police gear on private property, but I may be wrong - it is not something I have looked into. I have seen a few people dressed as police at skirmish sites recently.

So many legal things 😂

 

why do laws have have to exist!?

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I have a CTSFO impression. Nothing illegal wearing police kit on private land. Impersonation is all about intent, bit like stolen valour.

 

Do not under any circumstances wear said kit to or from a game though. Buying it can also be tricky: you can legally buy defunct kit (old constabulary like Rutland for example) or import it (I've never had any issues). 

 

For AFO kit, you can get the caps readily with no badge. 5.11 gear is pretty standard, or get surplus police issued gear. Surplus vest or new one from Aegis. Appropriate firearm. Done

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5 hours ago, EDcase said:

I was tempted to get one of those for a laugh but I don't think it would have fooled anyone riding around on this 🤣

 

Bike_small.jpg

 

 

You could do a Street Hawk loadout... combine your hobbies :lol:

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14 hours ago, _stylian_ said:

Nothing illegal wearing police kit on private land. Impersonation is all about intent, bit like stolen valour.

 

Whether it's private land or not has no relevance to the offence.  It's all about intent.  Consider that you could be impersonating with intent on someone else's land.  In fact, someone who turns up at an airsoft site dressed up as a copper might be committing an offence depending on whether they're just there to play the game, or whether they shout "Armed rozzers, down on the ground, you slaaags."

 

The offence of mere possession also does not require you to be in public and does not require intent.  It's a guilty until proven innocent by providing a "lawful purpose" offence.  However, it turns out that the scope of what constitutes a lawful purpose is much wider than you might imagine.

 

Case law can be found at https://www.bailii.org and I'd suggest an advanced search along the lines of "Police Act 1996" AND "section 90", narrowed to case law.

 

Here's the most recent and relevant case, from the Court of Appeals in 2015:

 

https://www.bailii.org/cgi-bin/format.cgi?doc=/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2015/3312.html&query="police+act+1996"+AND+"section+90"

 

A trader (http://www.britishbobby.co.uk/) was convicted of possession at Crown, but cleared at Appeals.  Possession for selling to the public without performing any checks on the identity or the intent of the buyer was held to be a lawful purpose.  Parliament should clarify the scope of S90 if they disagree.

 

The significant part for potential purchasers / owners:

 

"Articles of police uniform can lawfully be possessed for a wide variety of purposes, other than the performance of police duty. The following is a non-exhaustive list: theatrical, film or TV performance by actors (amateur and professional) in the role of a police officer; wearing at fancy dress parties and similar events; collection and display in a museum; private collection for personal enjoyment;"

 

Now, I'd consider that last one to be far too broad, as it essentially says that wanting to possess them constitutes a lawful purpose for possessing them. But who am I to argue with Mr Justice Mitting?

 

The tl;dr version is that in England and Wales, you now have a strong defence for possession if you can show any sort of reason for wanting it.  I wouldn't fret about it, just don't flaunt it in public, and don't ever pretend to actually be a copper, even briefly as a prank.

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Just my 2p but you could get a tac vest with Velcro panel on the back and get a big POLICE patch for it. Just remove the patch when you leave the Airsoft site if, perhaps, you are walking home with it or whatever.

 

There is a guy at my local site (depot) who has a police replica loadout and it looks pretty good.

 

Imho it's just like military replicas in the way that as long as you're not a dick about it and think or act the real deal, nobody is gonna say or do anything about it.

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