Armed Response Vehicles for London
01 July 1991
From July permanently armed police patrol cars, known as armed response vehicles (ARV), will be patrolling the streets of London. Eight ARVs are planned with between three and five on the streets at any one time. Officers trained by Scotland Yard's PT17 firearms unit will provide crews for the specially customised vehicles and their armoury will include automatic pistols and Heckler and Koch 9mm sub-machine guns. The plans have been attacked by the National Council for Civil Liberties as "the further militarisation of the police" without debate or consultation.
Guardian 10.5.91; Independent 11.5.91; South London Press 17.5.91.