Stephen Smith, a veteran of over a thousand armed operations during his twenty-two years with the Metropolitan Police specialist firearms command, was born in south London in 1960. He joined the Met at nineteen and after twelve years in uniform passed selection for PT17, the Mets firearms unit, where he was selected to work on the specialist firearms teams, experiencing first-hand the explosive and controversial world of police firearms operations.Between operational postings, Stephen has taught most aspects of armed policing. He left the Met in 2013 after 33 years service and now instructs firearms and tactics with a non-Home Office police force.Author of _Stop! Armed Police!_ (Hale Publishing, 2013) Stephen Smith recently featured on Channel 5, in the four-part documentary series _Armed and Dangerous_ and previously HBO's _Secrets of New Scotland Yard_. He has also advised on films and TV police dramas. He continues to have a great interest in police firearms history and supports the police firearms charity the PFOA.