Does Special Branch still exist?
Historically:
Special Branch was a named unit in UK police forces, especially well known in the Metropolitan Police.
In 2006, the Metropolitan Police Special Branch was merged with the Anti‑Terrorist Branch to form Counter Terrorism Command (SO15). Today:
The name “Special Branch” is largely obsolete in England and Wales, but its roles live on inside:
Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP)
SO15 (in London)
Regional Counter Terrorism Units (CTUs) and Counter Terrorism Intelligence Units (CTIUs)
Some forces and official documents still informally or historically refer to “Special Branch”, but operationally these units are now part of the counter‑terrorism structure.
So: the branch mostly disappeared in name, not in function.
What did Special Branch do (and what happens now)?
Core responsibilities (then and now)
Special Branch officers were, and their successors still are focused on national security and intelligence-led policing, not ordinary crime. Their main functions included:
- Counter‑terrorism intelligence
- Monitoring extremist and terrorist threats
- Working closely with MI5 (who gather intelligence but cannot arrest people themselves)
- Surveillance and intelligence development
- Ports and airports security, including examining officers under terrorism legislation
- Protection of certain VIPs (non‑royal)
These exact duties are now handled by Counter Terrorism Policing units, rather than a unit called “Special Branch”.
How this differs from MI5
This is a common point of confusion:
- MI5:
- Intelligence service
- Cannot arrest or charge
- Special Branch / Counter Terrorism Police:
- Police officers
- Can arrest, interview, and prepare cases for prosecution
- Act as the law‑enforcement arm alongside MI5
This relationship continues today through SO15 and regional CT units.
Why was Special Branch reorganised?
Several reasons, especially after the early 2000s:
- Need for better coordination after 9/11 and later attacks
- Desire to merge intelligence and operations into a single command
- Introduction of the UK’s CONTEST counter‑terrorism strategy
- Concerns about political policing and oversight, especially after undercover policing scandals
In plain English - Special Branch as a named unit: mostly gone
- Special Branch‑type work: very much active
- Who does it now: Counter Terrorism Policing, SO15, regional CT units
- Focus: terrorism, extremism, national security—not routine crime