Special Branch (Metropolitan Police)

For other similarly named police units in Commonwealth territories, see Special Branch.
Special Branch detectives on an undercover operation at the London Docks, 1911.

Special Branch was a unit in the Metropolitan Police in London, formed as a counter-terrorism unit in 1883 and merged with another unit to form Counter Terrorism Command (SO15) in 2006. It maintained contact with the Security Service (MI5) and had responsibility for, among other things, personal protection of (non-royal) VIPs and performing the role of examining officer at designated ports and airports, as prescribed by the Terrorism Act 2000.