Basic command unit


A Basic Command Unit is the largest unit into which territorial British Police forces are divided BCUs may alternatively be called a Division, a Local Policing Unit, a Local Policing Team or an Area Command. There are 228 BCUs in England and Wales.
Most forces are divided into at least three BCUs and some have many more. Most BCUs are further subdivided into smaller units. The BCU is usually commanded by a Chief Superintendent.

Metropolitan Police

Until recently the Metropolitan Police used the term Borough Operational Command Unit for regional units within Frontline Policing, the subdivision of the Met responsible for day-to-day policing within the 32 London boroughs.
Between 2017 and 2019 the 32 BOCUs were reorganised to form 12 new Basic Command Units, each incorporating between two and four of the original BOCUs.
The term Operational Command Unit is used for specialised units, for example the Aviation Security OCU.

West Midlands Police

is split into 10 Local Policing Units. Each LPU is in turn organized into four Core Policing Teams that manage its different core functions: Investigation, Neighbourhood, Response and Community Action and Priority Team.

Warwickshire Police

has abolished BCUs, the first British territorial police force to do so. The force is now divided directly into five Districts, each headed by a Chief Inspector. These were formerly grouped into two Areas, North and South, each headed by a Chief Superintendent.