Video: Police complete firearms training

Eight police officers who have endured a 10-week training programme to join West Midlands Police's firearms unit have had their places on the team confirmed.

A handful of recruits were selected from more than 200 applicants and the latest phase of their gruelling training saw the remaining eight officers hone their armed room-to-room search skills.

Their assignment was to locate and disarm colleagues posing as "active shooters" who had taken refuge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UJVsuNadUI&feature=youtu.be

West Midlands Police's chief firearms instructor, Inspector Simon Pemberton, said: "Firearms officers could be called to any kind of environment to deal with incidents: everything from wasteland or countryside to tower blocks, a retail centre or even a school or college.

"We select a range of training venues in order to try and replicate the kinds of situations officers could potentially face.

"Armed Response Vehicles (ARVs) are on standby around the clock, 365 days a year, to protect our communities so they could be called out in the middle of the night, in sub-zero temperatures or on a baking hot summer's day.

"We also throw in a variety of distractions for the students to contend with in order to keep them on their toes and test their focus."

Among the eight successful firearms graduates is Pc Rebecca Couchman.

The 28-year-old is one of just a handful of female officers that have qualified to join the firearms unit and is due to start her new role in the coming weeks.

Pc Couchman, who spent two years working as a geologist before joining West Midlands Police in 2009, said: "There is a history of working in the force in my family and I never wanted a job where I would have been sat behind a desk.

"It is true that there are not many females in the department but that just inspired me to succeed; the course was physically very tough and mentally hard. There was no special treatment for me.

"You're constantly under the microscope as you pass through the course and it is very intensive. The main thing they teach you is to assess every situation."