The Myanmar Police Force (), formerly the People's Police Force (), is the law enforcement agency of

Myanmar Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and has ...

. It was established in 1964 as an independent department under the

Ministry of Home Affairs An interior ministry or ministry of the interior (also called ministry of home affairs or ministry of internal affairs) is a government department that is responsible for domestic policy, public security and law enforcement. In some states, the i ...

History

The Police Force in Myanmar have an extensive history; the police force also includes local police and regional police in different jurisdictions.

British rule in Myanmar

The primary police force in British Burma was the Burma Police. In addition, there was a paramilitary Burma Military Police, the Railway Police, and the Rangoon Town Police. From roughly 1891, most executive positions within the Burma Police were filled by members of the Indian Imperial Police cadre. In 1872 the third mayor of Mergui District, Sir Ashly Din (1870–1875) assigned the first police officer to be stationed at Maliwan, a village 24 miles north of current Victoria Point. Perhaps the most famous policeman in Burma from this period is the author

George Orwell Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950) was an English novelist, poet, essayist, journalist, and critic who wrote under the pen name of George Orwell. His work is characterised by lucid prose, social criticism, opposition to a ...

, who in 1922 joined the Indian Imperial Police in

Burma Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and ha ...

. Another famous colonial policeman in Burma was Hector Hugh Munro, known as

Saki Hector Hugh Munro (18 December 1870 – 14 November 1916), popularly known by his pen name Saki and also frequently as H. H. Munro, was a British writer whose witty, mischievous and sometimes macabre stories satirise Edwardian society and ...

Post-independence (1948–present)

On 16 March 1988 following the killing of two students during the pro-democracy demonstrations,

student A student is a person enrolled in a school or other educational institution, or more generally, a person who takes a special interest in a subject. In the United Kingdom and most The Commonwealth, commonwealth countries, a "student" attends ...

s marching on Prome Road were confronted near

Inya Lake Inya Lake (, ''ʔīnyā kǎn'' ; formerly, Lake Victoria) is the largest lake in Yangon, Burma (Myanmar), a popular recreational area for Yangonites, and a famous location for romance in popular culture. Located 6 miles (10 km) north of ...

by the security force riot police and many beaten to death or drowned. Despite controversies and corruption accusations, the Burmese police and the Home Affairs Ministry play an important role in the country, solving numerous crimes. Myanmar_Border_Guard_Police_Observing_the_Bangladesh_Border

Myanmar_Border_Guard_Police_Observing_the_Bangladesh_Border

The national police are made up of several smaller entities, including * Myanmar Railways Police * Intelligence division

Organisation

The current Director General of Myanmar Police Force is Major General Zin Min Htet with its headquarters in

Naypyidaw Naypyidaw (), officially Romanization of Burmese, romanized as Nay Pyi Taw (NPT), is the capital city, capital and third-largest city of Myanmar. The city is located at the centre of the Naypyidaw Union Territory. It is unusual among Myanmar's ...

. Its command structure is based on established civil jurisdictions. Under the command of police headquarters, state and region police forces have been established in respective territories of states and divisions with headquarters in their capital cities.

State and division police forces

There are 14 state and divisional police forces and three additional state/division police forces commanded by police brigadiers or colonels. Their jurisdictions are divided according to the Civil Administration. The states and divisions, additional states have the same status. Each state and divisional police force consist of four components. * Office of the Commander of the State and Divisional Police Force * Office of the Commander of the District Police Force * Office of the Commander of the Township Police Force * Police Stations In previous time, the

district A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municip ...

police forces are classified into two classes depending on the area, population and development, namely A and B Class. Commanders of the A Class District Police Forces are police lieutenant colonels, and B Classes are police

major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

s, but there is no classification and all districts assigned with lieutenant colonel. Commanders of township police forces are police

s, and police station officers are police

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

Special Departments

There are four Special Departments, in which the first ten departments are headed by the police brigadier generals and the remaining two are by police

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

s. * Security Police Force * Border Guard Police Force * Special Intelligence Department (Special Branch) * Criminal Investigation Department (CID) * Railways Police Department * Anti-human Trafficking Police Force * Maritime Police force * Aviation Police Force * Drug Enforcement Division * Financial Investigation force * Myanmar Traffic Police * Tourist Security Police Force * Oil Field Security Police Force * Forestry Security Police Force * Highway Police Force * Municipal Police Department

Training Centres

There are three main Training Centers, one Central Training Institute of Myanmar Police Force and Three Police Training Depots. The State and Divisional Police Forces have their own training centres for refresher courses and Junior Leader ( NCO) Courses. Bachelor's degree holders from Distance Learning University were disqualified from sitting the SIP exam. Thus vast numbers of Bachelor holding police personal were concerned for their future.

No. 1 Police Training Depot

The No.1 Police Training Depot is commanded by a Police Lieutenant Colonel and undertakes:

No. 2 Police Training Depot

The No.2 Police Training Depot is also commanded by a Police Lieutenant Colonel, and undertakes only Basic Training Course for Constables, which normally takes around 6 months to complete.

Taung Lay Lone Police Training Depot

The Taung Lay Lone Police Training Depot is commanded by a Police Lieutenant Colonel and undertakes:

Combat Police Battalions (SWAT)

There are sixteen Police

Battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of up to one thousand soldiers. A battalion is commanded by a lieutenant colonel and subdivided into several Company (military unit), companies, each typically commanded by a Major (rank), ...

s to carry out general security duties under the command of Battalion Control Command. The

Commandant Commandant ( or ; ) is a title often given to the officer in charge of a military (or other uniformed service) training establishment or academy. This usage is common in English-speaking nations. In some countries it may be a military or police ...

s are Police Lieutenant Colonels. As the populace of the cities including Yangon and Mandalay have been increased day after day, problems on social, economy and politics are risen up that could lead to emergence of civil unrest and sabotage. It is necessary to prevent from destruction and harassment, VIP and project factories and workshops, security of

diplomat A diplomat (from ; romanization, romanized ''diploma'') is a person appointed by a state (polity), state, International organization, intergovernmental, or Non-governmental organization, nongovernmental institution to conduct diplomacy with one ...

s and their embassies. Seven of these Police Battalions are situated in the

Yangon Yangon, formerly romanized as Rangoon, is the capital of the Yangon Region and the largest city of Myanmar. Yangon was the List of capitals of Myanmar, capital of Myanmar until 2005 and served as such until 2006, when the State Peace and Dev ...

Divisional areas and two in Mandalay and three in Arakan, one in

Sagaing Sagaing (, ) is a town in the Sagaing Region of Myanmar. It is located on the Irrawaddy River, to the south-west of Mandalay on the opposite bank of the river. Sagaing, with its numerous Buddhist monasteries, is an important religious and ...

, one in

Mon State Mon State (, ; ) is an administrative division of Myanmar. It lies between Kayin State to the east, the Andaman Sea to the west, Bago Region to the north and Tanintharyi Region to the south, also having a short border with Thailand's Kanchanabu ...

, one in Pegu, one in Prome. These specially-trained and combat capable battalions are formed with personnel from former Riot Security Police, better known as "Lon Htein" Units. Each battalion consists of 500+ personnel and these battalions are supported by two support battalions, which include signal and medical units. These battalions structure are similar to that of Army's

Light Infantry Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often fought ...

s and they are subordinate to their respective Regional Military Commands. * 1st Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Hlawga) * 2nd Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Maungtaw) * 3rd Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Shwemyayar) * 4th Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Shwesaryan) * 5th Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Hmawbi) * 6th Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Shwepyitha) * 7th Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Kyauktan) * 8th Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Mingaladon) * 9th Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Hlaingthaya) * 10th Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Pyay/Prome) * 11th Combat Police Battalion * 12th Combat Police Battalion * 14th Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Pa Lake, Mandalay) * 15th Combat Police Battalion * 16th Combat Police Battalion

Anti-Narcotic Task Forces

26 special anti-narcotic task forces have been established under the direction of the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control.

Equipment

Small arms

Myanmar Police Force uses a wide range of weapons and ammunitions, ranging from

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

vintage weapons to modern sophisticated ones. Most of the weapons are either seized from ethnic militias and criminals or are locally-produced copies of the G3 and other weapons phased out by the army.

Non-Lethal Weapons

Taser Taser (stylized in all caps) is a line of handheld conducted energy devices (CED) sold by Axon Enterprise (formerly Taser International). The device fires two small barbed darts intended to puncture the skin and remain attached to the targe ...

Pepper Spray Pepper spray, oleoresin capsicum spray, OC spray, capsaicin spray, mace, or capsicum spray is a Tear gas, lachrymator (tear gas) product containing as its active ingredient the chemical compound capsaicin, which irritates the eyes with burning ...

cans *

Pepper-spray projectile A pepper-spray projectile, also called a pepper-spray ball, pepper-ball, pepper bomb, or pepper-spray pellet, is a Frangibility, frangible projectile containing a powdered chemical that irritates the eyes and nose in a manner similar to pepper sp ...

gun * Pepperball *

Rubber Rubber, also called India rubber, latex, Amazonian rubber, ''caucho'', or ''caoutchouc'', as initially produced, consists of polymers of the organic compound isoprene, with minor impurities of other organic compounds. Types of polyisoprene ...

beanbag A bean bag (also beanbag) is a sealed bag containing dried beans, Polyvinyl chloride, PVC pellets, expanded polystyrene, or expanded polypropylene. The bags are commonly used for throwing games, but they have various other applications. Games * ...

, &

plastic bullet Plastic bullet can refer to: * Plastic baton round: a large, blunt, low-velocity projectile fired from a specialized gun, intended as a less-lethal weapon for riot control and an alternative to rubber bullets. * Plastic bullet: a conventionall ...

* Baton *

Riot shield A riot shield is a lightweight protection device, typically deployed by riot police and some military unit during protest, though also utilized by protestors. Riot shields are typically long enough to cover an average-sized person from the top of ...

* M84 stun grenade *

Tear gas Tear gas, also known as a lachrymatory agent or lachrymator (), sometimes colloquially known as "mace" after the Mace (spray), early commercial self-defense spray, is a chemical weapon that stimulates the nerves of the lacrimal gland in the ey ...

* M6/M7 series chemical grenade * Sting grenade

Automobiles

Cars and Trucks

* Chevrolet Suburban (confiscated item), * Range Rover donated by Foreign Organisations for Anti-drugs Enforcement, * Mercedes Benz C-Class sedan (confiscated item), * Toyota Dyna paddy wagon (Private-owned vehicles are commonly called volunteer patrol cars), * Toyota closed double cab (confiscated item, used by escort team, patrol), * Mitsubishi double cab (confiscated item, used by Police Col, Yangon), * Mitsubishi pickup (confiscated item, used by Township Police Station, Yangon), * Mitsubishi pickup (confiscated item, used by Police Lt Col, Yangon), *

Toyota pickup The , stylised as HiLux and historically as Hi-Lux, is a series of pickup trucks produced and marketed by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota. The majority of these vehicles are sold as a pickup truck or cab chassis, although they coul ...

(confiscated item, used by Township Police Station, Yangon), * FAW pickup, * Honda Saloon, Patrol car, *

Jeep Jeep is an American automobile brand, now owned by multi-national corporation Stellantis. Jeep has been part of Chrysler since 1987, when Chrysler acquired the Jeep brand, along with other assets, from its previous owner, American Motors Co ...

, Used by police station, * Mazda B pick-up, Used by police station, *

Toyota Celica The is an automobile produced by Toyota from 1970 until 2006. The Celica name derives from the Latin word ''wikt:coelicus, coelica'' meaning ''heavenly'' or ''celestial''. In Japan, the Celica was exclusive to ''Toyota Corolla Store'' Car deale ...

, used as a police lead vehicle and as a high-speed police car to arrest sport cars, * Nissan Fairlady Z, used as a police lead vehicle and as a high-speed police car to arrest sport cars.

Armoured vehicles

Coastal Patrol Craft

River Patrol Boat

Rank structure and insignia

Commissioned officers

Enlisted ranks

References

Citations

Sources

Books

Journal articles

* * {{authority control Law of Myanmar Law enforcement in Myanmar Military of Myanmar 1964 establishments in Burma