(Redirected from Provost (Military Police))Provosts are
military police whose duties are policing within the Armed Forces, as opposed to
Gendarmerie duties in the civilian population. However, many countries use their gendarmerie for provost duties.
As with all official terms, some countries have specific official terminology which differs from the exact linguistic meaning. In some countries, official terminolgy only uses "military police" to indicate provost units (e.g. in the
USA) or even provost units only in the Army, not the Navy or Air Force (e.g. the
UK). In the UK, "provost" is officially used predominantly to refer to military prison services.
Australia
In the
Australian Army, the
Royal Australian Corps of Military Police also performs the role of a secondary communications network in the front battle zone.
Austria
The military police of the
Austrian ''
Bundesheer'' is called the ''Militärstreife'' ("Military Patrol").
Belgium
The
Belgian Army's
Military Police Group (''Groupe Police Militaire'' in French, ''Groep Militaire Politie'' in Dutch) performs military police duties on behalf of all four components of the Belgian military. The group is headed by a
lieutenant-colonel and numbers 188 members in five MP companies.
Military police duties in
Belgium have always included enforcement of military discipline, managing road traffic and wartime handling of prisoners of war. In 2003, duties relating to refugees and deserters in wartime were transferred from the then disbanded ''
Gendarmerie Nationale'' to the MPs. Members of the former 4 and 6 MP Companies were folded into the new MP Group, along with some Gendarmes previously assigned MP-related duties.
Belgian MPs are identified by black armbands with the letters MP in white block letters, worn on the left arm.
Brazil
Brazil has two types of military police.
Each state in Brazil has a ''
Polícia Militar'' (PM). These are uniformed gendarmerie forces in charge of patrolling and preventing crime and consist in the principal police forces of the state. They are structured in the same way as the military forces and, up to the early 1960s, some states' military police were even equipped with tanks and artillery. The civil police (''polícia civil'') is in charge of criminal investigation.
Each of the
Brazilian Armed Forces also has its own military police force: ''Polícia do Exército'' (PE) in the
Army, ''Polícia da Marinha'' (SP) in the
Navy, and ''Polícia da Aeronaútica'' (PA) in the
Air Force.
Canada
Canadian Forces military police functions are currently carried out by the
Military Police Branch. The
Canadian Forces National Investigation Service handles investigations.
Canadian Forces Provost Marshal is the head of the military police in Canada.
Prior to the amalgamation of Canada's Army, Navy and Air Force into the Canadian Armed Forces in 1968, separate service branches had performed military police functions independently: the
Canadian Provost Corps and the
Royal Canadian Air Force Police.
The roles of the military police in Canada are separated into two main groups. The first group is Garrison Operations, which includes activities such as investigations and patrols. The second group is operational support in combat operations, such as POW convoy escorts, VIP's close protection, and route reconnaissances. The main tasks for the reserve companies are the Operational tasks, while the regular force concentrates their training on the "Garrison" tasks.
The Canadian Military police all wear a red beret regardless of their attachment to the land, sea or air command. They also wear a brassard on the left arms with bilingual writing: MILITARY POLICE MILITAIRE.
China, Republic of
Unlike military police in many other countries, the
Republic of China Military Police (中華民國憲兵; pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínguó Xiànbīng) are a separate branch of the ROC Armed Forces. The ROCMP are responsible for enforcing military law, maintaining military discipline, providing backup for the civilian police force or serving as combat troops during times of emergency, providing security for certain government buildings, including the Presidential Building in Taipei City, as well as performing counter-terrorism and VIP protection operations. The ROCMP are also charged with the defense of the capital
Taipei.
Finland
Finnish military police
The ''
Sotilaspoliisi'' ("Soldier Police") are the military police of the
Finnish Defence Forces. They are nicknamed "''Koirat''" ("The Dogs") within the FDF. Their emblem is a black armband on the left shoulder with the letters 'SP' in white. SPs have no power over civilians except inside military zones and installations. However, SP's can be used as temporary manpower when the regular police are undermanned. For example during the 2005 Helsinki athletics championships military police conscripts were placed all along the running tracks through the city to prevent the large numbers of spectators from obstructing the runners. In these cases they are given a limited amount of power over civilians, as the regular police needed the extra support to handle the large influx of tourists. As military police conscripts are trained with basic police techniques they are suitable for usage in instances such as these in Finland.
France
The
''Gendarmerie Nationale'' acts as both the provost military police and one of the two national police forces of
France. The ''
Gendarmerie Navale'' (also called the ''Gendarmerie Maritime'') polices the
Navy (and also acts as a
coast guard and
water police force) and the ''
Gendarmerie de l'Air'' polices the
Air Force; both are branches of the ''Gendarmerie Nationale''.
Germany
During World War Two,
Germany had numerous military police units. The primary units were the ''
Feldgendarmerie'', which comprised members of the ''Gendarmerie''. Other units included the Army Patrol Service (''Heerestreifendienst''), the Train Station Guards (''Bahnhofwache''), and the ''
Feldjägerkorps''.
The ''
Feldjäger'' are the current military police of the
German ''
Bundeswehr''. The term ''Feldjäger'' ("field rifleman" or "field hunter") has a long tradition and dates back to the mid-17th century. They are especially notorious for hunting down deserting conscripts. Their motto is ''Suum Cuique'' ("To each his own", derived from
Cicero, ''De Finibus, Bonorum et Malorum'', ''liber V'', 67: "''(...) ut fortitudo in laboribus periculisque cernatur, (...), iustitia in'' suo cuique ''tribuendo.''").
Greece
The military police of the
Hellenic Army is called the ''Stratonomia'' .
India
The
Corps of Military Police (CMP) is the military police of the
Indian Army. In addition, the CMP is trained to handle prisoners of war and to regulate traffic, as well as to handle basic telecommunication equipment such as telephone exchanges. They can be identified by their red berets, white lanyards and belts, and they also wear a black
brassard with the letters "MP" imprinted in red.
Internal policing duties in a regiment (or a station) are handled by the
Regimental Police, who are soldiers of the unit who are assigned to policing tasks for a short period of time. They are essentially used to regulate traffic, and can be identified by a black brassard with the letters "RP" embossed in gold or white.
The
Indian Air Force is policed by the
Indian Air Force Police. They can be identified by their white peaked caps, white lanyards and belts (with a pistol holster). They also wear a black brassard with the letters "IAFP" imprinted in red.
The
Indian Navy has the
Navy Police, and they can be identified by a black brassard with the letters "NP" in gold, with the state emblem placed in between the N and the P.
Israel
The
''Heyl HaMishtara HaTzva'it'' ("Military Police Force") is the military police of the
Israel Defense Forces. It also helps monitor prisons, both those containing Israeli soldiers and
Palestinian detainees.
Italy
The ''
Carabinieri'' is a gendarmerie force which acts as both the military police and one of the three national police forces in
Italy. The ''
Guardia di Finanza'' also has some military police duties.
Japan
During
World War II, the ''
Kempeitai'' were the military police of the
Imperial Japanese Army and the ''
Tokeitai'' were the military police of the
Imperial Japanese Navy. They also performed
intelligence and
secret police functions and were active in
Japan and its occupied territories.
The
Japan Self-Defense Forces maintain military police units.
Malaysia
The ''
Kor Polis Tentera DiRaja'' (Royal Military Police Corps) performs military police duties in the
Malaysian Army. Apart from enforcing discipline and conduct of members of the Army, the Corps oversees security of designated Army installations, performs escort and ceremonial duties, and assists civil law enforcement authorities. The ''Kor Polis Tentera'' is also tasked with crime prevention and investigating criminal activities on Army property or by military personnel.
With its roots in the British
Royal Military Police, members of the ''Kor Polis Tentera DiRaja'' also wear the distinctive red peaked cap, white lanyard and belt, as well as a black
brassard with the letters "PT" imprinted.
Netherlands
In the
Netherlands, the function of military police is performed by the ''
Koninklijke Marechaussee'' ("Royal Constabulary"), a separate branch of the
military independent of the
Army,
Navy and
Air Force. Besides performing military duties, the ''Marechaussee'' is also a gendarmerie force.
The word ''Marechaussee'' seems to derive from the old French name ''Marecheaux'' given to an ancient court of justice in Paris called the "Tribunal of Constables and Marshals of France". These constables and marshals were to become members of the Gendarmerie which served as a model for the police forces of both Belgium and the Netherlands. The term ''Marechaussee'' was also used for the US Army's military police during the
American Revolution.
New Zealand
In the
New Zealand Army, the
Corps of Royal New Zealand Military Police only recruits internally, with applications only being accepted from personnel who have served for at least two years. MPs may be either career soldiers or from the
Territorial Army (part-time soldiers).
The
Royal New Zealand Air Force recruits directly for
Air Security Guards, who carry out military police functions and are responsible for providing security as well as ground defence training and drill/ceremonial training for other RNZAF Staff.
The
Royal New Zealand Navy, like the Army, does not recruit directly into their "police" branch. Instead, personnel of a certain rank and time-in-service may apply for the Master-At-Arms trade. Security of shore bases is the responsibility of
New Zealand Defence Force civilian security personnel.
At all NZDF facilities, civilian staff are used to augment military police manpower, particularly for relatively simple tasks like ID checking and security patrols. This allows the MPs to concentrate on the more complex and specialised tasks within their areas of responsibility, such as criminal investigation. Many former servicemen and women find employment as Civil Security Guards at NZDF establishments and this helps keep their expertise in-house.
Norway
In
Norway, military police are service members of the
Norwegian Army,
Royal Norwegian Navy or
Royal Norwegian Air Force. Since about 2002, all are trained at
Sessvollmoen Camp. MPs in the Army are assigned to the Military Police Battalion, located at Bardufoss,
Troms county. The current
battalion commander is Lieutenant Colonel Vidar Gade. The battalion consists of approximately 50 officers and NCOs, and 150 privates and corporals. Norwegian MPs first go through a six-month selection/educational period, before being assigned to the battalion or to regimental duties with other units for the remainder of their twelve-month service. Norwegian MPs do not have authority over civilians, except on military installations or under
martial law. They do have authority over military personnel anywhere, including when such personnel are off duty.
The
''Heimevernet'' ("Home Guard") also has MPs in its ranks. Usually each District (regiment) has one or two platoons, consisting exclusively of former regular or conscript military police personnel.
Norwegian MPs wear a red beret and a red lanyard around the left shoulder extending to the left front pocket. Only personnel currently serving as MPs are allowed to wear this. When on official duty, they also wear the MP armband, which is black with "MP" in red letters. It was previously worn on the right shoulder, but is now worn on the left shoulder, following
NATO practice. They can also wear white webbing, or a number of items for special duties, like high visibility vests for traffic duty etc.
Army canine units are also assigned to the MP battalion, but the personnel in such units are not necessarily MPs. Such personnel do not hold military police authority, and do not wear the MP insignia.
MPs have no power over civilians except inside military installations. More serious cases, like narcotics, are handed over to civilian police for investigation.
Portugal
In
Portugal, each branch of the armed forces has its own military police force. The
Portuguese Navy has the ''Polícia Naval'' (Naval Police), the
Portuguese Army has the ''Polícia do Exército'' (Army Police), and the
Portuguese Air Force has the ''Polícia Aérea'' (Air Police). The Air Police is an Arm of its own inside the Air Force, but the Army Police is only a speciality of the
Cavalry Arm and the Naval Police is a speciality of the
Marines Arm. The Navy also has a civil police force, the ''Polícia dos Estabelecimentos da Marinha'' (Navy Facilities Police), with the responsibility of guarding the Lisbon Naval Base and some other naval facilities.
Sri Lanka
Each of the
Sri Lankan Armed Forces has its own military police/Provost branch. The
Sri Lanka Army is policed by the
Sri Lanka Corps of Military Police and by
Regimental Police, who belong to each individual
regiments or
corps.
The Military Police force carries out the following missions:
★ Maintenance of order and discipline: Consists of monitoring, maintaining and, if necessary, re-establishing discipline and military order. This also involves controlling stragglers and refugees in times of war and guarding and escorting prisoners of war.
★ Security missions: Prevents and deters any threat to or attack against the personnel and property of the armed forces. MPs also provide VIP motorcycle escorts and honour guards, perform close protection missions, and escort classified documents and money transports.
The
Sri Lanka Navy is policed by the
Provost Branch. The
Sri Lanka Air Force is policed by the
Air Force Police (Sri Lanka) (AFP).
Singapore
In
Singapore, the
Singapore Armed Forces Military Police Command serves as the military police unit of the
Singapore Armed Forces, and supports the
Singapore Police Force by way of collaborations, such as in the co-location of dog-training facilities for policing duties.
The Unit is sub-divided into the Active Provost Company (including the ceremonial and drill squad), the Zone Provost Company (responsible for apprehending
AWOL personnel) , the Detention Barracks, The Special Investigations Branch, the Security Branch, the Military Security Department, and the Dog Wing.
Thailand
In
Thailand, each branch of the armed forces has its own military police force. The Royal Thai Navy has the ''สารวัตรทหารเรือ'' (Naval Militay Police) , the
Royal Thai Army has the ''สารวัตรทหาร'' (Army Military Police), and the Royal Thai Air force has the ''สารวัตรทหารอากาศ'' (Air Force Military Police).
Turkey
In
Turkey, the Military Police (''Askeri İnzibat'') is a very small force that handles military security and military crimes.
The larger
Turkish Gendarmerie (''Jandarma Genel Komutanlığı''), one of the five branches of the
Turkish Armed Forces, is responsible for maintaining law and order in rural areas which do not fall under the jurisdiction of regular police forces.
United Kingdom
Each of the
British Armed Forces has its own military police branch. The
British Army is policed by the
Royal Military Police (RMP) (often known as "
Redcaps") and by
Regimental Police, who belong to each individual
regiments or
corps. The
Royal Air Force is policed by the
Royal Air Force Police (RAFP). The
Royal Navy is policed by the
Regulating Branch, the members of which are known as Regulators (or
Master-at-Arms if a
Chief Petty Officer or
Warrant Officer). The
Royal Marines also have a
platoon-sized Police Troop, the
Royal Marines Police.
Each of the four agencies has its own
Special Investigation Branch (SIB) to undertake investigation of more serious crime and plain-clothes investigations. All British military police are classed as Service Police and conform to the Service Police Codes of Practice. The British military prison at
Colchester is operated by the
Military Provost Staff Corps, an all-senior NCO corps which only recruits from serving personnel.
The
Ministry of Defence Police is a civilian police force which also operates on
Ministry of Defence property and has full police powers over civilians as well as service personnel.
United States
The
Military Police Corps maintains discipline and enforces the law in the
United States Army. The
Marine Corps version is referred to as the Provost Marshal's Office, while personnel assigned to the
Master-at-Arms branch fill the same role in the
United States Navy, (aided by temporary members of the
Shore Patrol). The
United States Air Force is policed by the
Air Force Security Forces, formerly called the Security Police.
Each service also maintains uniformed civilian police departments. They are referred to as either
Department of Defense (DOD) Force Protection (formerly known as
Pentagon Police), Department of Defense Police, Department of Defense Guard,
Department of the Army (DA) Police, or Department of the Army Guard. The police officers' peacetime duties are the same as those of civilian police officers, namely to enforce the laws of the U.S. Military in the form of the
Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), and the regulations of their particular installation. The civilian guards' duties are normally restricted to protection of priority resources.
Criminal investigation in the
United States Armed Forces is carried out by separate agencies: The
Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) (a civilian agency), the
Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI), the Army
Criminal Investigation Division (CID) of the Army, the
Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), and the Marine Corps
Military Police Investigations (MPI). The
Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) is a civilian agency that answers directly to the DOD.
The
United States Constabulary was a gendarmerie force used to secure and patrol the
American Zone of
West Germany immediately after
World War II.
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