Special Escort Group (Metropolitan Police)

The Special Escort Group (SEG) is a Specialist Operations unit (SO14) within London's Metropolitan Police Service.

Role

The unit's purpose is to provide armed motorcycle escorts for members of the Royal family, protected members of the Government, visiting royals, heads of state and other visiting dignitaries. It also provides armed vehicle escorts for valuable, hazardous and protected loads and high risk prisoners.

This specialist unit of the Metropolitan Police consists of officers with a range of skills and operational experience from various policing backgrounds. One motorcyclist (lead bike) positions himself in front of the escort, controlling the precise pace, position, speed and timing of the escort, whilst the others forge ahead, dealing with traffic situations and advising the lead bike of the safest path through the traffic they are controlling. SEG officers on Honda VFR1200F motorcycles use whistles in preference to sirens (which are not fitted). This reduces the level of noise that precedes an escort and reduces the environmental impact on the escorted person and general public.

Officers from The Special Escort Group are among the few police motorcyclists within the UK that carry firearms openly whilst riding. All SEG officers are Advanced Drivers, Advanced Motorcyclists and are fully trained in anti-hijack driving and firearms tactics. The SEG uses a wide range of other vehicles aside from motorcycles, including Range Rovers, and BMW 5 Series, both marked and unmarked.

The motorcycle officers of the SEG carry Austrian Glock 17s, if authorisation is gained all are qualified in the use of the German Heckler & Koch MP5 and since May 2012 the Heckler & Koch G36 making each member an Authorised Firearms Officer.

The Head of the Special Escort Group used to be Chief Inspector Vincent Hoar, MVO.