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Written question asked by Alicia Kearns (Conservative) on Tuesday, 3 February 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 5 February 2026. It was answered by Dan Jarvis (Labour) on Monday, 9 February 2026 on behalf of the Home Office.


Police: Dogs

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of Conflict Management Dogs as a less-lethal option for Counter Terrorism Specialist Firearms Officers; and what plans she has to ensure that capability is maintained.

Answer

Armed policing capabilities are built upon ongoing assessments of operational threat and risk and are used in threat to life situations. The use of firearms by the police should always be the last resort, considered only where there is a serious risk to public or responder safety. Counter Terrorism Specialist Firearms Officers (CTSFOs) receive the highest level of police firearms training and can provide a second-wave response to more complex or long running attacks.

The Home Office works closely with the police to ensure they have the necessary capabilities and their capacities to respond to a range of incidents across the policing and counter-terrorism landscape, while respecting their operational independence from Government.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
110473
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Counter-terrorism Dogs Police
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk