Stephen Smith

Hi, thanks for looking at my authors page.

There was a saying used many times in speeches by famous people, which traces back to an old Chinese curse, ‘May you live in interesting times!

So, as someone who has always had a massive appetite for history, including social, military and personal histories, it was easy for me to look back over my own career and realise I had actually been living through some pretty interesting times myself.

I joined the Metropolitan Police in 1979. Not long later on, I found myself on crowd control outside the Iranian Embassy in 1980, when it was stormed by the SAS and from that moment, I set a path in my police career that would eventually see me working on the Met's Specialist Firearms Unit (now SCO19) from 1991 through to retirement in 2013.

By the end, I had served thirty-four years in the Met, twenty-three of them working as an SFO (now CTSFO) on specialist firearms teams, as well as spending periods as a firearms instructor within the unit.

I was present at many notable operations and occasions, including the advent of the first Armed Response Vehicles (ARV's) patrolling London in 1991, posted on the first SFO team's in 1992, was present at the Stanstead Hi-jacking in 2000 along with the Great Dome Robbery on November that same year. I carried out thousands of pre-planned and spontaneous firearms operations on London's streets, including many hostage rescue interventions along with arresting many hardened armed criminals and terrorist suspects.

I also saw the other side of this job, on the rare occasion when shots were fired, I witnessed first-hand the Post Incident Process (PIP) and saw the stress and jeopardy in which our officers were placed and the coping mechanisms we used to get through these difficult times.

Myself and the teams I worked with were present during the aftermath of the July 2005 terrorist attacks and hunt for the failed bombers who attempted to repeat the atrocity the following week

culminating in the sad and unfortunate shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes at Stockwell Tube Station and the subsequent arrests of some of the gang days later.

I witnessed the development in armed police tactics, equipment and training, participated in the training for working in a diverse capitol city, these included working and training on the River Thames boarding boats underway, practicing to assault, aircraft, buildings, trains, coaches, lorries and other vehicles. Training on ropes, abseiling and using helicopters to deliver us onto target. Being trained in the use of multiple weapons systems and munitions.

I was present the first time operationally the department used explosives to gain entry to a building. I saw the changes in using specialist vehicles and motorcycles in armed operations along with advanced first aid, not only for victims of crime but also for suspects shot by police.

All through those years having to maintain a high standard of physical fitness and mental alertness, being on top of understanding the law and use of force along with changes in legislation and the continually evolving training programs.

At the end of 2013, just ready for my retirement date my first book 'Stop! Armed Police' 'Inside the Met's Firearms Unit' was published by Hale Publishing Ltd, it covered the early years of armed policing from 1966 right up to the London 2012 Olympic Games. It contained 269 colour photos and put the story of the Unit out there for all to see.

I continued to work as a firearms instructor in a non-Home office Police Force. I maintained contact with my old unit, now SCO19, and in 2018 began writing a sequel to my first book, this one called 'London's Armed Police' 'up Close and Personal', Published by Pen and Sword in Oct 2019. This brought the story right bang up to date and included the earlier incidents that I was unable to write about in my first book, such as the Azelle Rodney shooting, the awful murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby along with the Mark Duggan Shooting and subsequent mishandling by the investigating body that sparked the Riots across the country.

This book also included all aspects of modern armed policing again with colour photographs some 200 in this case. It also covered the alarming development in terrorist activities such as the Westminster attacks and the London Bridge/Borough Market attacks. It was completed with the full co-operation of SCO19 who allowed me access to officers and details of various incidents mentioned.

I feel passionately about the subject. My main aim being, is to put out there how difficult and dangerous the role is, and how courageous our men and women are who face down these violent armed criminals and terrorists on our behalf on a daily basis. They all need our support.

If you buy either of my books I hope you find them enlightening, informative and interesting and feel encouraged that we have a world class police tactical unit who are seen among the leaders in the world community of armed policing.

'May you live in interesting times'

Stephen Smith.