TWO MAJOR DIVISIONS MAKE UP THE METROPOLITAN POLICE FORCE WHICH SERVES OVER 7 MILLION PEOPLE IN AN AREA OF 786 SQUARE MILES: THE UNIFORM BRANCH, WHICH PREVENTS CRIME AND PROTECTS LIFE AND PROPERTY; AND THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT, (CID) WHICH DETECTS MORE SERIOUS CRIMES AND BRINGS OFFENDERS TO JUSTICE. CID BRANCHES INCLUDE: THE CENTRAL OFFICE, WITH SQUADS OPERATING IN THE AREAS OF MURDER, PASSPORTS, FORGED CURRENCY AND HIJACKING, ARTS AND ANTIQUES, AND SERIOUS CRIMES; THE FINGERPRINT BRANCH, WITH AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM FOR THE STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL OF OVER 2 MILLION FINGERPRINTS; THE CRIMINAL RECORD OFFICE WHICH STORES OVER 3 MILLION RECORDS, HALF OF THEM ON MICROFILM; THE FLYING SQUAD, FOUNDED AFTER WORLD WAR 1, TO DEAL WITH PARTICULAR OUTBREAKS OF CRIME; AND THE ANTITERRORIST BRANCH, FORMED IN 1972 AS THE BOMB SQUAD, TO COMBAT THE INCREASED USE OF EXPLOSIVES, PARTICULARLY BY POLITICAL GROUPS. OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENTS INCLUDE COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND MOUNTED BRANCHES, POLICE DOG SECTION, THE RIVER POLICE, AND AIRPORT DIVISIONS. THE 700 WOMEN IN THE FORCE ARE ADDITIONALLY TRAINED IN THE HANDLING OF WOMEN, CHILDREN, AND YOUNG PEOPLE. (AOP)