Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection
Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection (PaDP) is a branch of Protection Command within the Specialist Operations directorate of London's Metropolitan Police Service. Duties A unit of the Metropolitan Police Service, PaDP is responsible for providing officers (armed and unarmed) to protect the Palace of Westminster, which contains the Houses of Parliament; it protects government ministers and provides advice on threat levels. Within PaDP is a Parliamentary Liaison and Investigation Team (PLaIT), which is responsible for coordinating with local police forces and with the Parliamentary Security Department (PSD) that reports to the Speaker of the House of Commons and the Lord Speaker of the House of Lords. In addition, PaDP is responsible for security at Downing Street, which is home to the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer. PaDP is also responsible for the protection of diplomatic missions in the UK, consistent with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (which requires that a host country protect embassies and consulates, while preserving their inviolability). PaDP provides armed and unarmed security in both police cars and foot patrols, and uniformed and plainclothes operations. History PaDP was created in April 2015 through a merger of the Metropolitan Police Service's Diplomatic Protection Group (SO16) and the Palace of Westminster Division (SO17). It is the largest armed police unit in the UK. The Diplomatic Protection Group (DPG) was originally formed in November 1974 as a branch of the Metropolitan Police Service devoted to the protection of diplomatic missions in Central London. DPG officers were also assigned to support security operations for royal weddings, state visits, and other special events. The group was elevated to a command in 1979. The Palace of Westminster Division (SO17) was a branch of the Specialist Operations Directorate within the Metropolitan Police Service. In accordance with a contract and Special Service Agreement with Parliament, SO17 was responsible for security at the Palace of Westminster and the rest of the Parliamentary Estate. Notable incidents On 27 December 1972, police constable (PC) Peter Slimon, en route to his post protecting the Jordanian embassy, ran across an attempted bank robbery in progress at the National Westminster Bank at Kensington High Street. A gun battle ensued (a very rare event in London at that time). Slimon fatally shot one bank robber and wounded another; Slimon was himself wounded by gunfire. Slimon was awarded the George Medal for "outstanding resolution, devotion to duty and courage of a very high order" in tackling the robbers. During the Iranian Embassy siege of 1980, PC Trevor Lock was taken hostage along with the embassy staff. The British Army's Special Air Service rescued the hostages six days later. PC Keith Palmer, who was murdered in the line of duty in a terrorist stabbing attack in 2017 in New Palace Yard, was a member of PaDP. Controversial incidents In early 2021, PC Wayne Couzens, who then served with PaDP, used his warrant card to arrest Sarah Everard under the pretence of her having breached the COVID-19 regulations then in effect. He then