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The Royal Air Force Police (RAFP) is the service police branch of the
Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
, headed by the
provost marshal Provost marshal is a title given to a person in charge of a group of Military Police (MP). The title originated with an older term for MPs, '' provosts'', from the Old French ''prévost'' (Modern French ''prévôt''). While a provost marshal i ...
of the Royal Air Force. Its headquarters are at RAF Honington and it deploys throughout the world to support RAF and UK defence missions.


History

The RAFP was formed on 1 April 1918, when the RAF was formed by the merger of the
Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...
and the
Royal Naval Air Service The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was the air arm of the Royal Navy, under the direction of the Admiralty's Air Department, and existed formally from 1 July 1914 to 1 April 1918, when it was merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps t ...
. By the end of
World War A world war is an international conflict which involves all or most of the world's major powers. Conventionally, the term is reserved for two major international conflicts that occurred during the first half of the 20th century, World WarI (1914 ...
II there were 500 officers and 20,000 NCOs in the RAFP. In January 1947, the RAF Provost Branch became a Specialist Branch within the RAF. In December 1950,
George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of I ...
approved the badge and motto ''Fiat Justitia''. By 2009, the RAFP had served in 66 countries around the globe.


Uniform and insignia

RAFP
non-commissioned officers A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who has not pursued a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. (Non-officers, which includes most or all enli ...
and warrant officers are noticeable by their white-topped caps (giving rise to their nickname of "Snowdrops"), which they have worn since 1945, and by black and red flashes worn below their rank slides. RAFP
commissioned officers An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service. Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer, or a warrant officer. However, absent context ...
wear the standard peaked cap of all RAF officers, with the red and black flashes. In dress uniform, all RAFP wear a red and black
brassard A brassard or armlet is an armband or piece of cloth or other material worn around the upper arm; the term typically refers to an item of uniform worn as part of military uniform or by police or other uniformed persons. Unit, role, rank b ...
on the left arm, reflecting the flashes worn with normal working dress. In tactical dress, RAFP personnel wear red "MP"
badges A badge is a device or accessory, often containing the insignia of an organization, which is presented or displayed to indicate some feat of service, a special accomplishment, a symbol of authority granted by taking an oath (e.g., police and fi ...
, the internationally recognised symbol for
military police Military police (MP) 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 rec ...
.


The oath


Role

The RAFP are responsible for the policing and security of all service personnel, much like their Royal Navy and British Army counterparts. Provision of policing, counter-intelligence and specialist security support to the RAF includes: * Front line, Response and General Policing duties (Law Enforcement) * Criminal and security investigations * Serious and Complex Criminal Investigations * Aircraft protection and security *Covert Operations * Counter Intelligence operations to identify and counter threats from
terrorism Terrorism, in its broadest sense, is the use of criminal violence to provoke a state of terror or fear, mostly with the intention to achieve political or religious aims. The term is used in this regard primarily to refer to intentional violen ...
,
espionage Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information ( intelligence) from non-disclosed sources or divulging of the same without the permission of the holder of the information for a tang ...
,
subversion Subversion () refers to a process by which the values and principles of a system in place are contradicted or reversed in an attempt to transform the established social order and its structures of power, authority, hierarchy, and social norms ...
,
sabotage Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening a polity, effort, or organization through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. One who engages in sabotage is a ''saboteur''. Saboteurs typically try to conceal their identitie ...
and Organised Crime. * Cyber and information security * Military working dogs * Force protection (on deployed operations) * Close protection of VIPs * Close support of other UK military units In addition to general policing, the RAFP has specialist security and criminal investigators tasked with the investigation of more serious and complex crime and security threats. The Special Investigation Branch investigate serious and complex crimes within the Defence community, up to and including murder. Counter Intelligence Operations Squadron investigate serious security breaches and support the RAF through the gathering of intelligence and protective security based activities. These specialist capabilities are supported by forensic and intelligence units. Members of all wings are used for operations overseas, deploying as individuals, with the aircraft they support, or as a formed unit drawn together under the Tactical Police Squadrons. Members of the RAFP may also specialise in close protection duties, ensuring the safety of VIPs and other dignitaries in hostile environments. The RAFP are the only branch of the Service Police who operate police dogs within the UK military. They manage all RAF military working dogs, with detachments at many RAF stations. RAFP dogs and their handlers support overseas operations. Recently, this has included
Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
and
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is borde ...
, in both patrol and specialist search roles. The RAFP is subject to inspection by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, in the same way as the UK's civilian police forces.


Organisation

Office of the Provost Marshal (OPM) is the HQ of the
Provost Marshal Provost marshal is a title given to a person in charge of a group of Military Police (MP). The title originated with an older term for MPs, '' provosts'', from the Old French ''prévost'' (Modern French ''prévôt''). While a provost marshal i ...
, who holds the rank of
group captain Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force, where it originated, as well as the air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. It is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank i ...
. A component of the RAF's Force Protection Force, the RAFP is organised into three functional
wings A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is expre ...
that operate both within the UK and internationally. No 8 Force Protection Wing covers the north of the UK, and incorporates No 4, No 5 & No 6 RAF Police Squadrons and The Queens Colour Squadron, RAF Regt. No 4 Force Protection Wing covers the south of the UK and supports Operations in Northern Ireland. This Wing incorporates No 1 Tactical Police Squadron (TPS) (formerly the
Tactical Provost Wing The Tactical Police Squadron (TPS) is a group of around 150 regular and 50 reservist ( RAuxAF) Royal Air Force Police with its headquarters at RAF Honington in Suffolk, England. The reservists comprise No 3 (Royal Auxiliary Air Force) Police ...
) which forms the RAF Police's deployable capability; their primary role is to conduct Force Protection providing specialist security expertise to deployed operations. No 7 RAF Police Squadron and No 2 Squadron RAF Regt. No 3 Specialist Police Wing (SPW) provides deployable support to RAF and MOD operations worldwide, including Counter Intelligence Squadron, Special Investigation Branch, named as SIB(North) and SIB(South) and all RAF Police Reserves, 3 Tactical Police Squadron and 603 (City of Edinburgh) Royal Auxiliary Air Force Squadron. 3 SPW moved to RAF Honington in 2015 to provide a single hub for RAF Force Protection. Detachments of RAFP can be found at most RAF stations. Usually, the detachment consists of a
Flight Flight or flying is the process by which an object moves through a space without contacting any planetary surface, either within an atmosphere (i.e. air flight or aviation) or through the vacuum of outer space (i.e. spaceflight). This can be a ...
, commanded by either a Flying Officer or a
Flight Lieutenant Flight lieutenant is a junior Officer (armed forces)#Commissioned officers, commissioned rank in air forces that use the Royal Air Force (RAF) RAF officer ranks, system of ranks, especially in Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries. I ...
; either a Flight Sergeant or
Sergeant Sergeant ( abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other ...
usually functions as the senior
non-commissioned officer A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who has not pursued a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. (Non-officers, which includes most or all enli ...
of the flight. RAF Police Flights are responsible to and directed by a RAFP Squadron. Squadron HQs are based at the larger RAF stations and provide remote oversight of the Police Flights at the units within their respective area of responsibility. Squadron HQs are themselves responsible to, and directed by, the Deputy Provost Marshal of the RAFP, who is a Wing Commander. RAFP personnel are not responsible to, or under the direct command of, the Commanding Officer (Station Commander) of the station at which they are situated; all service police on RAFP Wings remain under the command of the Provost Marshal (RAF). Their authority to act as service police stems directly from the
Armed Forces Act 2006 The Armed Forces Act 2006 (c 52) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It came into force on 31 October 2006. It replaces the three separate Service Discipline Acts (the Army Act 1955, the Air Force Act 1955 and the Naval Discip ...
. Service police are able to issue lawful commands to any service person, regardless of their rank or trade. The RAF Police also provides the RAF's Counter-intelligence & Protective Security (CI) & (PS) role, similar to that carried out by the Intelligence Corps and elements of the Royal Signals of the
British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurkha ...
. IT Security (ITSy) is a further specialisation within the protective security field and personnel trained to this level are expected to perform all PS and ITSy related tasks. Over 400 RAF Police personnel are seconded to roles within Strategic Command providing Law Enforcement, Counter Intelligence and Protective Security capabilities to UK and overseas operations.


2021 New Operating Model

The RAF Police is to reform in 2021–2022. These reforms will see Wing Headquarters align with individual RAF groups, and the squadrons align with individual operational forces (e.g. Lightning Force, ISTAR Force, etc) within their respective groups.


Recent operations

In Afghanistan, as part of the RAF's Force Protection Wing, the RAFP provided security for
Camp Bastion Camp Shorabak (formerly Camp Bastion) is a former British Army airbase, located northwest of the city of Lashkargah in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The camp was situated in a remote desert area, far from population centres. The camp was built ...
along with external support to frontline troops. On 12 May 2012, Cpl Brent McCarthy – an RAF Policeman stationed at RAF Brize Norton – was shot and killed while on duty in Helmand Province. RAF Police, along with other units, took part in the Mobility Guardian exercise in 2017.


Training

Ground Trades within the Royal Air Force start their service career at
RAF Halton Royal Air Force Halton, or more simply RAF Halton, is one of the largest Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom. It is located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire. The site has been in use since the First World W ...
where they undergo Basic training. Once this is successfully completed, recruit intakes are dispersed to the various Ground Trades Training Schools. Potential RAFP recruits are trained at the Defence School of Policing and Guarding at
Southwick Park Southwick Priory or Our Lady at Southwick () was a priory of Augustinian canons founded in Portchester Castle on Portsmouth Harbour and later transferred north to Southwick, Hampshire, England. It ceased at the Dissolution of the Monasteries ...
, Hampshire, along with the Royal Navy Police and the
Royal Military Police The Royal Military Police (RMP) is the corps of the British Army responsible for the policing of army service personnel, and for providing a military police presence both in the UK and while service personnel are deployed overseas on operations ...
. In order to conduct some of the wider specialist roles, particularly involving the investigation of more serious and complex crime and security investigations, extensive further post-graduation training is provided outside of DSPG to all RAFP specialists by Home Department Police Forces and Training providers. Most of the training requirements of a Home Department Police Force in terms of Detective training and Covert Operations are delivered to specialist RAFP elements. During the 1950s, training was carried out at
RAF Netheravon The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) ...
in Wiltshire, and in the 1960s at
RAF Debden Royal Air Force Debden or more simply RAF Debden is a former Royal Air Force station located southeast of Saffron Walden and approximately north of the village of Debden in North Essex, England History The airfield was opened in April 1937 ...
near
Saffron Walden Saffron Walden is a market town in the Uttlesford district of Essex, England, north of Bishop's Stortford, south of Cambridge and north of London. It retains a rural appearance and some buildings of the medieval period. The population was 15, ...
. Until the mid-1990s, trade training took place at
RAF Newton Royal Air Force station Newton or more simply RAF Newton is a former Royal Air Force station located east of Nottingham, Nottinghamshire and south west of Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire, England. It was used briefly as a bomber base for s ...
in
Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated Notts.) is a landlocked county in the East Midlands region of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. The trad ...
, before moving to RAF Halton in
Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (), abbreviated Bucks, is a ceremonial county in South East England that borders Greater London to the south-east, Berkshire to the south, Oxfordshire to the west, Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-e ...
. In 2004, all UK service police training was consolidated at Southwick Park.


See also

* Service Police * Service Police Crime Bureau *
Royal Military Police The Royal Military Police (RMP) is the corps of the British Army responsible for the policing of army service personnel, and for providing a military police presence both in the UK and while service personnel are deployed overseas on operations ...
* Royal Navy Police * Royal Marines Police * Special Investigation Branch *
Ministry of Defence Police The Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) 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 hig ...


References


External links

* {{UK private and military police forces Military units and formations established in 1918
RAF Police The Royal Air Force Police (RAFP) is the service police branch of the Royal Air Force, headed by the provost marshal of the Royal Air Force. Its headquarters are at RAF Honington and it deploys throughout the world to support RAF and UK defen ...
Military police agencies of the United Kingdom Air force police agencies