Flying Squad

The Flying Squad ( Engl.: flying squad ) is a special operations unit of the Metropolitan Police Service in London, UK. The unit today is engaged in the fight against serious and organized crime across London without taking into account the limits of individual police districts.

History

The unit was created in 1919 as a Mobile Patrol Experiment, as part of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID ). You should fight the sharp rise after the First World War crime. At its inception, it consisted of twelve policemen. They moved through London in a horse-drawn covered wagon, in whose pages peepholes were cut. When they saw burglar or pickpockets at work, they left the car and arrested her. They also collected information in pubs or other places, who were known as meeting places for criminals. The Flying Squad was continually expanded in the 1920s and since 1948 it has the status of a separate unit.

In the 1970s, the unit came because of their close links to the underworld in the criticism; a series of corruption scandals were uncovered. On 7 July 1977, the commander of the unit, Detective Chief Superintendent Kenneth Drury was sentenced to eight years in prison for corruption in five cases. Twelve other convictions and a series of resignations by members of the Flying Squad followed. 1978 to 1981 it was merged with other units and renamed the Central Robbery Squad, the name Flying Squad will continue to officially hand.

Tasks

The unit is now part of the Serious and Organised Crime Group of the Specialist Crime Directorate in the London police. It consists of members who are trained in rapid chases by car and arrests of armed men. The Flying Squad is engaged in the discovery and prevention of armed robbery and related offenses and organized crime.