Military police
Military police are law enforcement agencies connected with, or part of, the military of a state. In wartime operations, the military police may support the main fighting force with force protection, convoy security, screening, rear reconnaissance, logistic traffic management, counterinsurgency, and detainee handling.
In different countries it may refer to:
- A section of military forces assigned to police, or garrison, occupied territories, usually during a war.
- A section of military forces assigned to policing prisoners of war detentions.
- A section of the military responsible for policing the areas of responsibility of the armed forces against all criminal activity by military or civilian personnel
- A section of the military responsible for policing in both the armed forces and in the civilian population
- A section of the military solely responsible for policing the civilian population
Naval police personnel are sometimes called "masters-at-arms" and/or "shore patrol". Law enforcement personnel of an air force are sometimes called "air police", "security police" or "security forces".
Military police forces by country
Americas
Brazil
"Military police" is a law enforcement agency which follows the Brazilian military rules, responsible for preventative policing of the civilian population. Each state has its own Military Police department, each one is a Gendarmerie. However, and despite their name, these corps are not branches of the Brazilian armed forces, instead, they are auxiliary forces and Brazilian army reserves, alongside also the Military Fire Brigades.Traditional Provost duties are held by different corps within each branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces: Army Police for the Army, Navy Police, part of Brazilian Marines, for the Navy, and Air Force Police for the Air Force.
Canada
The Canadian Forces Military Police contribute to the effectiveness and readiness of the Canadian Forces and the Department of National Defence through the provision of professional police, security and operational support services worldwide.CFMP are classified as peace officers in the Criminal Code, which gives them the same powers as civilian law enforcement personnel to enforce acts of Parliament on or in relation to DND property or assets. They have the power to arrest anyone who is subject to the Code of Service Discipline, regardless of position or rank, under the National Defence Act. MPs have the power to arrest and charge non-CSD-bound civilians only in cases where a crime is committed on or in relation to DND property or assets, or at the request of the minister of public safety, commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada or commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Although MP jurisdiction is only on DND property, any civilian accessing these areas falls under MP jurisdiction and is dealt with in the same manner as by any civilian policing agency. If MPs deem that a person, military or civilian, has committed a crime on or in relation to DND property or assets, they have the power to arrest and charge that person under the Criminal Code. The purpose of the CFMP is not to replace a civilian police officer, but rather to support the Canadian Forces through security and policing services. MPs also have the power to enforce the provincial highway traffic acts on all military bases in Canada pursuant to the Government Property Traffic Regulations.
Colombia
In Colombia, MPs are very common. They can be seen guarding closed roads, museums, embassies, government buildings and airports. In the National Army of Colombia they are assigned to the 37 Military Police Battalions, wearing green uniforms with the military police helmet. A Naval Police battalion is in service in the Colombian Marine Infantry. MP units also provide military bands and drum and bugle corps for ceremonial events. The Air Force also has a military police force that is in charge of protecting and enforcing law inside Colombian Air Force bases.United States
Each branch of the United States Armed Forces maintains its own police force. The U.S. Coast Guard, which in itself is a law enforcement agency, uses a mixture of enlisted rates and ranks qualified as law enforcement officers to patrol, investigate crimes, and enforce laws and regulations on large bases and training centers through the United States Coast Guard Police. The Coast Guard also uses the Coast Guard Investigative Service, a mixture of civilian, enlisted, reservists, and officers who are qualified and duly sworn federal law enforcement officers separate from the normal Coast Guard chain of command. CGIS primarily investigates and charges those in its own population with serious crimes, such as rape, assault or forgery, that fall under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.File:Army mil-2007-12-06-023950.jpg|right|thumb|Military Police soldier with an MP brassard bearing the shoulder sleeve insignia of the 89th MP Brigade
The following is a list of military police forces:
- Military Police Corps/Office of the Provost Marshal General—United States Army
- Provost Marshal Office and law enforcement battalions —United States Marine Corps
- Masters-at-Arms are enlisted sailors of the U.S. Navy, designated as Naval Security Force, primarily responsible for law enforcement and force protection. NSF personnel are led by naval commissioned officers from the limited duty officer and chief warrant officer communities, who are also designated as NSF. Additionally, a host installation's security force are augmented by sailors on temporary assignment of duty from their parent units, as part of the Auxiliary Security Force. Shore patrol personnel are sailors from U.S. naval vessels visiting foreign ports assigned to the shore patrol party or beach guard, responsible for the good order and discipline of sailors from the visiting ship on liberty. Sailors assigned to the shore patrol party or beach guard detachment do not include sailors assigned to the ship's security force, both performing different duties while visiting that country, because of the status of force agreement or rules of engagement. Prior to the 1970s, master-at-arms and shore patrol were used synonymously to refer to sailors assigned to perform law enforcement and shore patrol duties.
- United States Air Force Security Forces —United States Air Force and United States Space Force
Africa
Algeria
The Algerian People's National Armed Forces has maintained military police units since its founding upon Algerian independence in 1962. The task of the Algerian military police is to maintain law and order within units and hunt down conscripts trying to flee military service, protect and secure military installations, and organize and move large combat units. In the 1990s, three military police battalions were established as combat units, and they have taken part in combat operations.Botswana
The Botswana Defence Force maintains provosts to enforce order within the ranks who are authorized to carry out arrests and to order other service personnel to arrest someone. Soldiers and officers suspected of committing offenses may be arrested by military personnel of superior rank. An officer may be arrested by another officer of superior rank, while soldiers may be arrested by any officer, warrant officer, or non-commissioned officer.Arab Republic of Egypt
The Egyptian Army maintains a Military Police Corps consisting of 24 battalions, divided into 12 Inland MP battalions and 12 Field MP battalions.Kenya
The Kenya Army maintains a Military Police Corps which consists of two battalions and the School of Military Police.Morocco
The Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie, a part of the Royal Moroccan Army, is directly subordinate to the Ministry of Interior. It is divided into 22 Regional Gendarmeries, a Mobile Gendarmerie, Air Gendarmerie, and Maritime Gendarmerie.Nigeria
The Nigerian Army maintains a military police force, the Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police. It is responsible for protecting installations, guarding important personnel as well as military convoys and prisoners, and investigating crimes. Nigerian military police personnel are divided into three fields, and all MPs are required to specialize in at least one: criminal investigations, general policing duties, and K9 handling.Asia
Kingdom of Cambodia
The Gendarmerie, or "Military Police", known as the Royal Gendarmerie of Cambodia is a paramilitary unit with about 7,000 soldiers deployed in all provinces. It is headquartered in Phnom Penh. The unit's chain of command is through the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces High Command.The Royal Gendarmerie of Cambodia is deployed in every province and cities to keep the law and order. Military police in Cambodia play an important role in Cambodia society, keeping law and order in cities along with the National Police.
China
The 1954 PRC Constitution stipulates that the President of the People's Republic of China unifies the national armed forces, and the 1982 PRC Constitution stipulates that the Central Military Commission leads the national armed forces, in addition to the CPC's insistence on the absolute leadership of the Party over the military, so the Chinese People's Liberation Army does not have a military police in the traditional sense. The armed forces, including the various military branches of the PLA and the Chinese People's Armed Police, have their own police pickets units. According to the "Chinese People's Liberation Army Police Regulations", Article 7 stipulates that the "military affairs department of the commanding authority shall be responsible for the management of police operations in the region" in units above the regimental level, and shall dispatch and lead the police pickets to perform police duties in accordance with Article 27. Article 4 of the Police Regulation provides that:
The main tasks of policing are
Maintaining military discipline.
Maintaining order in the operation of military vehicles and traffic safety.
To investigate and deal with impersonation of military personnel, military vehicles and military units in accordance with the prescribed authority
To safeguard the image of the army and the legitimate rights and interests of soldiers out in the field
To carry out temporary guard duty.
It can be seen that the duty of the police picket detachment only involves the military personnel, military vehicles military discipline and other issues; while the legal sense of criminal law enforcement or public security administrative law enforcement authority, but belongs to the military procuratorate or military defense department. Cases of counterfeit military personnel, counterfeit military vehicles and counterfeit military units investigated and dealt with in police picketing are transferred to the jurisdiction of local judicial organs. Jurisprudence holds that in general criminal cases, military status does not constitute a special subject. According to Article 4 of the Regulations on Handling Mutual Involvement of Military and Local Criminal Cases implemented by the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of State Security, the Ministry of Justice and the General Political Department of the PLA on August 1, 2009, the principle of personal jurisdiction is adopted for military personnel are under the jurisdiction and execution of military defense departments, military procuratorates, military courts, military prisons, etc.; the investigation, prosecution, trial, and execution of penalties for local personnel are under the jurisdiction of local judicial organs. Included in the Chinese People's Armed Police Force sequence of public security border defense, public security fire, public security guard forces on active duty, in accordance with local personnel to determine the jurisdiction. Special Case: The military police unit established by the Chinese People's Liberation Army in Hong Kong is the same as the police picket detachment in terms of carrying out its tasks.
In January 2016, the Political and Legal Committee of the Central Military Commission was established as part of the deepening reform of the national defense and military forces. The Bureau of Security of the General Political Department of the Chinese People's Liberation Army was subsequently changed to the Bureau of Security of the Political and Legal Committee of the Central Military Commission, which will assume the functions of investigation, public prosecution and trial of military-related violations with the Military Procuratorate of the Chinese People's Liberation Army and the Military Court of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, respectively.