Support Group is a professional and dynamic specialist part of the Operations Department that is committed to supporting Force priorities. There are eight units, made up of one Sergeant and seven Constables led by two Inspectors. The units are based at Almondsbury, Keynsham and Taunton, ensuring that there is a good spread of resources across Avon and Somerset.

Support Group officers are Force experts in search techniques and are used for high-risk missing person enquiries, crime scene searches, evidential property searches and VIP/military events.

Officers are trained to the highest national standard for public order policing, and are always involved in the policing of football matches, demonstrations, other public order and major events, and dealing with violent persons for which officers are equipped with Taser.

Included within Support Group is the Underwater Search Unit, capable of conducting dive operations to a maximum depth of 50 metres. Much of their work involves searching of waterways for bodies and evidence for major investigations. The unit also services the South West Region.

One unit is dedicated daily to the Force's Serious Crime Group (Proactive) that tackles the activities of drug dealers and associated gang tension issues.

When not delivering its specialist skills, Support Group is used to tackle the key problems faced by the Force, and is often called on to target an area experiencing high crime. Through pro-active policing and community engagement, units have been able to have a positive impact on such problems, improving the quality of lives within our communities.

In addition to the above activities, Support Group's other core functions are:

• To assist with major crime enquiries (house to house)
• To provide the Force with specialist skills in response to Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear incidents
• Recovery of badly decomposed bodies from sudden deaths
• Response to mass fatality incidents that require disaster victim identification
• Court security duties for high risk trials
• Force experts in method of entry to secured premises
• Hazardous area search - confined spaces and working at height

All new recruits must pass a stringent selection process, showing in particular the ability to work well as part of close knit tea. They must have excellent general policing skills, and be a proactive police officer who acts on their own initiative. Physical fitness is also vital as each officer's PSU equipment weighs 22lbs. Officers must therefore undertake regular fitness tests.

Rope Access Team