This department has three areas of responsibility:

Planning VIP and public military events

The unit plans the policing surrounding all royal visits and those of other VIPs such as ministers.

Contingency planning for major incidents.

The unit plans for major emergencies at airports and the Severn Tunnel and during widespread flooding and nuclear incidents. Much of this work involves close ongoing liaison with local authorities and other responsible organisations to ensure the necessary arrangements are in place.

They also provide round-the-clock support by supplying back-up lighting, feeding and other services at remote locations for ongoing major operations.

Policing operations

Operational planning is responsible for working with the organisers of major events such as the Glastonbury Festival and football matches to plan appropriate policing.

The responsibility for public safety rests with the organiser of an event, the owners of the land on which it takes place and possibly the local authority if the event takes place on a road.

The core responsibilities of the police at large-scale events relate to the prevention and detection of crime, preventing breaches of the peace and activating emergency plans if necessary. Police powers to regulate traffic for planned events are extremely limited and traffic regulation will only be carried out in circumstances that are provided by statute.