A "high volume of applications" has lead to the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) to suspend its recruitment process for new firearms officers.
The MDP had launched a recruitment campaign in April.
An advertisement for the recruitment drive on Facebook attracted more than 18,000 comments and has been shared 45,000 times.
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Now the MDP has suspended the drive due to its overwhelming popularity.
A statement said: "Further to the success of our recent Facebook campaign, and the high volume of applications received since its publication, we are temporarily pausing the receipt of applications.
"Applications received by the resourcing team after June 2 2017 will not be processed and will be destroyed.
"Once the force is in a position to resume receipt of applications, this message will be updated and access to the application form will be reinstated; the status of our campaign will be updated on Facebook in due course.
"Thank you for your interest in joining the MDP and your patience during this pause."
To become a police firearms officer you have to be aged 18 or over and have GCSEs in English language and maths at grade C or above, or complete competency-based questions on the application form.
Recruits are paid £21,751 per year, rising to £36,101 within six years, subject to performance.
There is a six-month vetting process for successful applicants, including fitness and drug/alcohol tests plus firearms assessment.
There follows 17 weeks of residential basic training.
For more information, visit www.mod.police.uk/apply .
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