Flying Squad

The Flying Squad is part of Central Specialist Crime within the Metropolitan Police. It has also previously been known as the Robbery Squad (since its primary purpose is to investigate robberies), Specialist Crime Directorate 7, SC&O7 and SO7. It is nicknamed The Sweeney, an abbreviation of the Cockney rhyming slang "Sweeney Todd" (rhyming "squad" with "todd"), or the Heavy Mob. The Flying Squad are an elite team of covert officers, who specialise in armed surveillance and ambush. The Squad’s primary purpose is the investigation of Serious Organised Acquisitive Crime (SOAC) concerning the robbery of cash in transit companies, banks and building societies. Perhaps the most dangerous part of the Squad's work today is the 'pavement ambush', where armed robbers are arrested in the act of committing a crime. The Squad are also responsible for providing the Metropolitan Police’s on-call response to kidnaps in action in London.