Ministry of Defence Police


The Ministry of Defence Police is a civilian special police force which is part of the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence. The MDP's primary responsibilities are to provide armed security and counter terrorism services to designated high-risk areas, as well as uniformed policing and limited investigative services to Ministry of Defence property, personnel, and installations throughout the United Kingdom. The MDP are not military police. Service personnel often refer to the MDP by the nickname "MOD plod".
The force was formed in 1971 by the merger of three separate service constabularies: the Air Force Department Constabulary, the Army Department Constabulary, and the Admiralty Constabulary. The force, which consists of two divisions, is headquartered at RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire.
The MDP underwent a significant restructuring as part of the coalition government's post-2010 austerity measures, and the Strategic Defence and Security Review. Its budget was cut from £361million to £180million and it was to lose 20% of its manpower and up to 50% of its stations by 2016.
, the force had a workforce of around 2,549 police officers and 227 police staff based at numerous defence and infrastructure locations across the United Kingdom. The MDP has the second highest number of officers trained as authorised firearms officers of any police force, after the Metropolitan Police Service, who as of March 2019, had 2,623 AFOs.
In 2016, MDP officers made 61 arrests. Comparatively, in the year ending March 2017, a territorial police force with similar numbers of officers, Sussex Police, made 17,506 arrests.

History

The Ministry of Defence Police was formed in 1971 by the merger of three civil constabularies, the Air Force Department Constabulary, the Army Department Constabulary, and the Admiralty Constabulary.
These earlier constabularies were formed as a result of the Special Constables Act 1923, although their histories can be traced back much further as watchmen. Their powers came from different legislative sources. In 1984, the House of Commons Defence Select Committee recognised the difficulties under which the Ministry of Defence Police were operating; the committee's recommendations led to the passing of the Ministry of Defence Police Act 1987.
During the period 20042013 the MDP was part of the wider Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency together with the civilian uniformed Ministry of Defence Guard Service. As a result of cuts made to the UK defence budget, arising from the Strategic Defence and Security Review of 2010, the MDPGA was disbanded on 1 April 2013. The MDP returned to standalone police force status. The MGS was cut heavily and became part of the new Defence Infrastructure Organisation.

Function

The Ministry of Defence's requirement of the MDP is expressed in six core capabilities:
  1. Armed nuclear security
  2. Territorial policing and security
  3. Intelligence gathering and analysis to support the efficient and effective deployment of MDP resources
  4. The prevention, investigation and detection of fraud and corruption, and the theft of or criminal damage to key defence equipment and assets.
  5. To provide specialist civil policing support to defence and other international policing commitments, in support of UK government policy.
  6. To maintain specialist policing capabilities that can be deployed at short notice as part of the response to unforeseen requirements at defence establishments in the UK.

    Deployment and locations

The MDP is currently deployed at approximately 36 defence locations around the United Kingdom. These include—but are no longer limited to—military establishments, defence housing estates, military training areas, the royal dockyards, and the Atomic Weapons Establishment. Since January 2008, the MDP has also taken on the role of providing armed security at four gas terminals in the UK, part of the critical national infrastructure. In February 2015, the MDP deployed officers to GCHQ Cheltenham on a full-time basis; this was in response to the 2014 increase to the UK threat level from international terrorism.

Jurisdiction

MDP officers are attested as constables in one of the three jurisdictions of the United Kingdom: England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, but can exercise their powers in matters relating to the Ministry of Defence Estate throughout the United Kingdom, and additionally in the circumstances described below. MDP officers' natural geographic jurisdiction relates to MOD property and land as set out in section 2 of the Ministry of Defence Police Act 1987, which was amended by the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001. MDP officers also have police jurisdiction in relation to certain persons connected with the MOD, crime related to the MOD and the escorting of the movement of MOD property anywhere in the United Kingdom.
MDP officers are able to take on the powers of constables of territorial police forces, or other special police forces, such as British Transport Police, in certain situations. This is known as 'extended jurisdiction' and use of these powers is set out in the Ministry of Defence Police Act. Protocols are in place which govern the relationships between the MOD Police and local forces under these circumstances.

Policing protocols with other forces

Local agreements with territorial police forces are made under the overarching general protocols agreed between the MDP chief constable and other chief constables. These set out the agreed working relationship between the MDP and other police forces; outlining, where necessary, areas of responsibility and accountability. The protocols make provision for consultation and co-operation between the forces, with the aim of delivering the best policing on the ground.

Oversight

Unlike the other special police forces in the United Kingdom, the MDP does not have a police authority to oversee the functions of the force; however, the Ministry of Defence Police Committee, established by the Ministry of Defence Police Act 1987, advises the Secretary of State for Defence on matters concerning the MDP. The committee also has various functions in determining police misconduct and appeals cases.
According to the terms of reference of the MOD Police Committee, the committee is responsible for:
  • providing scrutiny and guidance to ensure that police powers and authority are impartially and lawfully exercised by the chief constable
  • confirming that the MDP is meeting the standards required of a police force
  • confirming that the MDP's exercise of its authority is responsible, proportionate and impartial
  • confirming that MoD's use of the MDP is appropriate in relation to the exercising of policing powers and authority
  • providing scrutiny and guidance on matters of efficiency and effectiveness and on any other matter in relation to the use of policing powers which fall within the responsibility of the MDP
  • considering the MDP's targets, financial performance and risk management arrangements
  • providing advice once a year to the top-line budget holder covering financial performance and risk management for inclusion in the Annual Assurance Report
  • assisting in the appointment of chief officers to the MDP
  • considering all complaints made against MDP chief officers
  • undertaking all responsibilities required of the MDP Conduct and Appeal Regulations
  • submitting an annual report to the Defence Secretary on the MDP's discharge of policing powers, and providing advice to ministers and the department, on matters concerning value for money and efficiencies
  • publishing the operating costs and expenses of the committee each year

    Command structure

The MDP has two land-based functional divisions :
  • Nuclear Division
  • Territorial Division

    Rank insignia

Personnel

, the force strength was around 2,594. According to the 201920 Policing Plan, the MDP has a workforce of around 2,900 police officers and 260 police staff based at numerous defence locations across the United Kingdom.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for new officers are similar to UK territorial police forces; however, because all MDP officers can carry firearms, the eyesight focal acuity standard and basic fitness standard is higher. Entrants must also be British nationals. The MDP recruits nationally and new entrants may be given a posting anywhere in the UK. In practice, most new entrants are initially posted to nuclear division; either at one of the two AWE establishments in South East England or one of the stations in Western Scotland.

Initial training

MDP recruits are trained at the Force Training Centre at MOD Southwick Park on a 12-week fully residential course. The program follows the College of Policing initial learning and development syllabus.

Security clearance

In addition to pre-entry security checks, all MDP officers are required to hold at least UK Government Security Check clearance. All Nuclear Division officers, and about 30% of all other officers, are required to hold Developed Vetting status, which involves an extensive background investigation and formal interviews. DV status clears the officer to UK Top Secret level.
Those officers working with US Forces in the UK are required to hold a US Common Access Card for which the US Government carries out its own security checks on the officer.

Terms and conditions

New entrants perform a two-year probationary period.
, the starting pay for newly recruited MDP constables is £27,123. New recruits are entitled to 22 days leave, which rises to 30 days after 20 years service.
Discipline in the MDP is governed by the Ministry of Defence Police Regulations 2009, which broadly resemble the Police Regulations 2008 that govern territorial police forces. MDP officers retain a full national mobility liability, and can be posted anywhere in the UK at any time. In practice most movement is voluntary, either on promotion or requested moves for personal reasons.
MDP pay follows the same scale as territorial police forces; however, MDP officers are part of the Civil Service Pension Scheme, not the Police Pension Scheme and only contribute 3.5% of their gross salary, compared to territorial police force officers who contribute 11%. To even out this anomaly, MDP officers pay is abated. This is known as the MDP Net Pay Deduction.
The MDP operates a random and 'with cause', alcohol and drugs screening policy. An annual fitness test for all AFOs is to be introduced.
MDP officers are eligible for the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme.