 FITs were first formed in the early 1990s , as part of the Public Order Intelligence Unit ( <unk> ) , a section of the Public Order Branch of the Metropolitan Police . They initially targeted football fans , hunt <unk> and political protesters ( since at least 1996 ) , using cameras , <unk> and audio recorders to conduct overt surveillance of the public . The police officers wear full uniform , and are intended to be a highly visible presence . Their uniform is sometimes different from normal police officers in that the upper half of their yellow fluorescent jackets is blue . Civilian photographers are also employed by the police to work alongside FITs . According to Scotland Yard , the aim of FIT teams at protests is to record evidence of protesters in case disorder occurs later on at a protest . 
