
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
Screening may refer to:
* Screening cultures, a type a medical test that is done to find an infection
* Screening (economics), a strategy of combating adverse selection (includes sorting resumes to select employees)
* Screening (environmental), a ...
, 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
Prisoner of war Detentions.
* A section of the military responsible for policing the areas of responsibility of the
armed forces
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
(referred to as
provosts) 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 (most
gendarmerie
Wrong info! -->
A gendarmerie () is a military force with law enforcement duties among the civilian population. The term ''gendarme'' () is derived from the medieval French expression ', which translates to " men-at-arms" (literally, ...
s, such as the
French Gendarmerie or the
Spanish Guardia Civil
The Civil Guard ( es, Guardia Civil, link=no; ) is the oldest law enforcement agency in Spain and is one of two national police forces. As a national gendarmerie force, it is military in nature and is responsible for civil policing under the au ...
)
* A section of the military solely responsible for policing the civilian population (such as the
Romanian Gendarmerie
The ''Jandarmeria Română'' () is the national Gendarmerie force of Romania, tasked with high-risk and specialized law enforcement duties. It is one of the two main police forces in Romania (the other being the Romanian Police - a civilian for ...
or the
Chilean Carabineros)
* The preventive police forces of each
Brazilian state (''
Polícia Militar''), responsible for policing the civilian population, which are reserve forces of the
Brazilian Army and can be pressed into federal service during times of war
The status of military police is usually prominently displayed on the
helmet, with an
armband,
brassard, or arm or shoulder flash. Military police personnel may also wear a more traditional
police badge, usually on the front of their uniform; They may also wear other accoutrements exclusive to military police personnel.
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 similar to a
Gendarmerie
Wrong info! -->
A gendarmerie () is a military force with law enforcement duties among the civilian population. The term ''gendarme'' () is derived from the medieval French expression ', which translates to " men-at-arms" (literally, ...
. However, and despite their name, these corps are not branches of the brazilian armed forces, instead, they are auxiliary forces, alongside to the Military Firefighters Corps, of the Brazilian Army.
Traditional
Provost duties are held by different corps within each branch of the
Brazilian Armed Forces
The Brazilian Armed Forces ( pt, Forças Armadas Brasileiras, ) are the unified military forces of the Federative Republic of Brazil. Consisting of three service branches, it comprises the Brazilian Army (including the Brazilian Army Aviatio ...
:
Army Police () for the
Army, Navy Police () for the
Navy, and Air Force Police () for the
Air Force.
Canada

The
Canadian Forces Military Police (CF MP) contribute to the effectiveness and readiness of the
Canadian Forces (CF) and the
Department of National Defence Department of Defence or Department of Defense may refer to:
Current departments of defence
* Department of Defence (Australia)
* Department of National Defence (Canada)
* Department of Defence (Ireland)
* Department of National Defense (Philipp ...
(DND) through the provision of professional police, security and operational support services worldwide.
CFMP are classified as
peace officers in the ''
Criminal Code'',
[Military Police and Reports on Persons in Custody]
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 The Code of Service Discipline (CSD) is the basis of the Canadian Forces military justice system. The CSD is designed to assist military commanders in maintaining discipline, efficiency, and morale within the Canadian Forces (CF). It is found in Pa ...
(CSD), regardless of position or rank, under the ''
National Defence Act
The ''National Defence Act'' (NDA; ; ''LDN'') is an Act of the Parliament of Canada, which is the primary enabling legislation for organizing and funding the military of Canada. The Act created the Department of National Defence, which merged th ...
''. 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
The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC; french: Service correctionnel du Canada), also known as Correctional Service Canada or Corrections Canada, is the Canadian federal government agency responsible for the incarceration and rehabilitation o ...
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 are dealt with in the same manner as any civilian policing agency. If MPs deem that a crime has been committed on or in relation to DND property or assets, they have the power to arrest and charge persons, military or civilian, 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 (GPTR).
Colombia

In Colombia, MPs (Policía Militar in Spanish) 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
The Colombian Naval Infantry, also referred to as Colombian Marines ( es, Infantería de Marina Colombiana), is the marine force of the Colombian National Armada. The 53,123-member Colombian Marine Infantry is organized into a single division wit ...
. MP units also provide
military bands and
drum and bugle corps for ceremonial events. The Air Force also has a military police force (Policía Militar Aérea) that is in charge of protecting and enforcing law inside
Colombian Air Force bases.
United States
Each branch of the
United States Armed Forces (except the
US Space Force) maintains its own police force. The
U.S. Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, multi ...
, 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 United States Coast Guard Police (CGPD) are law enforcement units stationed at certain shore facilities of the United States Coast Guard.
Uniform
Officers wear a modified Operational Dress Uniform (ODU) with "CGPD" collar devices in ...
. 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.
The following is a list of military police forces:
*
Military Police Corps/
Office of the Provost Marshal General—
United States Army
*
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 ...
's Office (base law enforcement) and Law Enforcement Battalions (combat support or "field MPs") —
United States Marine Corps
*
Masters-at-Arms or MAs are
enlisted
Enlisted may refer to:
* Enlisted rank
An enlisted rank (also known as an enlisted grade or enlisted rate) is, in some armed services, any rank below that of a commissioned officer. The term can be inclusive of non-commissioned officers or ...
Sailors of the
U.S. Navy, designated as Naval Security Force (NSF), primarily responsible for law enforcement and force protection. NSF personnel are led by Naval commissioned officers from the
Limited Duty Officer (LDO) and
Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) communities, who are also designated as NSF. Additionally, a host installation's Security Force (both overseas and in the Continental United States) are augmented by Sailors on Temporary Assignment of Duty (TEMADD) from their parent units, as part of the Auxiliary Security Force (ASF).
Shore Patrol personnel are Sailors from U.S. naval vessels visiting foreign ports (and some domestic ports) assigned to the Shore Patrol Party or Beach Guard, responsible for the good order and discipline of Sailors from the visiting ship(s) 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 (SOFA) or Rules of Engagement (ROE). 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 (formerly known as Military Police, Air Police and Security Police)—
United States Air Force
Each service also maintains uniformed civilian police departments. They are referred to as
Department of Defense Police
United States Department of Defense Police (or DoD Police) are the uniformed civilian police officers of the United States Department of Defense, various branches of the United States Armed Forces (such as the Department of the Navy), or specific ...
(DoD Police). These police fall under each directorate they work for within the
United States Department of Defense, for example: DoD Army or DoD Navy Police. The
Department of the Air Force Police
The United States Department of the Air Force Police (DAF Police) are the civilian uniformed police service of the United States Department of the Air Force, responsible for the force protection of assets and all aspects of law enforcement on U ...
operate under the Air Provost Marshal. The police officers' duties are similar to those of local civilian police officers. They enforce the
Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) and
federal
Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to:
Politics
General
*Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies
*Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...
laws, along with
state laws if the
state legislature
A state legislature is a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system.
Two federations literally use the term "state legislature":
* The legislative branches of each of the fifty state governments of the United Sta ...
of whatever state that federal
peace officer is in gives them the authority to enforce state law or classifies them as a peace officer under state law, and the regulations of their particular installation.
Felony level criminal investigations in the United States Armed Forces are carried out by separate agencies:
*
Army Criminal Investigation Command (CiD)—Army (general felony crimes)
*
Army Counterintelligence (CI)—Army (national security crimes)
*
Marine Corps Criminal Investigation Division (CID)—Marine Corps
*
Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS)—Navy and Marine Corps
*
Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI)—Air Force
*
Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS)—Coast Guard
The
Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) is a civilian agency that answers directly to the DOD as well as the
Pentagon Force Protection Agency
The Pentagon Force Protection Agency (PFPA) is a federal law enforcement agency within the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) charged with protecting and safeguarding the occupants, visitors, and infrastructure of The Pentagon, the Mark Center Bui ...
(PFPA).
The
United States Constabulary was a gendarmerie force used to secure and patrol the
American Zone of West Germany immediately after
World War II.
=Combat roles of the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Marine Corps Military Police
=
MP's in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps, in addition to their roles as enforcers of law and order on military installations, fulfill a number of combat roles as well. Military Police in Afghanistan and Iraq have been widely employed for such duties as convoy security, mounted and dismounted patrols, maritime expeditionary warfare,
Military Working Dog
Dogs in warfare have a very long history starting in ancient times. From being trained in combat, to their use as scouts, sentries, messengers, mercy dogs, and trackers, their uses have been varied and some continue to exist in modern military ...
operations, security details for senior officers, and detainee handling.
Army MPs, Navy MAs, Navy Sailors who possess the Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) Code 2008 and 9575, Navy Sailors who have completed the Individual Augmentee (IA) training for Detention Operations, and Air Force Security Forces have been widely used as
prison guards in detainee facilities, whereas Marine Corps MPs focus on securing and processing detainees before passing them on to Army holding facilities.
=Limitation of authority and jurisdiction
=
U.S. Army Military Police Soldiers and U.S. Air Force Security Forces Airmen are members of the armed forces and are not necessarily prohibited from exercising
domestic law enforcement powers under the
Posse Comitatus Act (PCA), a federal law passed in 1878. MPs may enforce civilian laws including United States Code and state law assimilated through the United States Code such as misdemeanors and traffic law with felonies being enforced through either United States Code or UCMJ. Much is based upon the suspect’s status as a civilian or service member. When combined, the Posse Comitatus Act and
Insurrection Act place significant limits on presidential power to use the military in a law enforcement capacity with the exception of military police forces. With regard to reporting crime to federal courts, military police are officially designated as “federal law enforcement officers”. The PCA directly applies only to the Army and Air Force, without mentioning the Navy and Marine Corps. The Navy and Marine Corps are also not limited from enforcing domestic laws in accordance with DoD policy and regulations.
The military forces that are explicitly exempt from the act and have expanded law enforcement missions are the
United States Coast Guard, as its mission includes maritime law enforcement duties;
United States Space Force, which has authority to conduct law enforcement regarding space-related activities; and Army and Air
National Guard units while under state authority. Army and Air National Guard troops are not exempt from Posse Comitatus while they are serving under federal Title 10 orders
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.
Egypt

The
Egyptian Army maintains a
Military Police Corps consisting of 24 battalions, divided into 12 Inland MP battalions (222nd, 224th, 226th, 228th, 230th, 232nd, 234th, 236th, 238th, 240th, 242nd, 244th) and 12 Field MP battalions (221st, 223rd, 225th, 227th, 229th, 231st, 233rd, 235th, 237th, 239th, 241st, 243rd).
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 (NACMP). 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
Cambodia
The
Gendarmerie
Wrong info! -->
A gendarmerie () is a military force with law enforcement duties among the civilian population. The term ''gendarme'' () is derived from the medieval French expression ', which translates to " men-at-arms" (literally, ...
, 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
Phnom Penh (; km, ភ្នំពេញ, ) is the capital and most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since the French protectorate of Cambodia and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its economic, indus ...
. 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
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is the principal military force of the People's Republic of China and the armed wing of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The PLA consists of five service branches: the Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, ...
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
)
, abbreviation = PAP ("People's Armed Police") CAPF ("Chinese Armed Police Force"), formerly abbreviated''Wujing'' ( zh , s = 武警 , p = Wǔjǐng , l = Armed Police , labels = no ), or WJ as on vehicle license plates
, patch ...
, 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
(1) Maintaining military discipline.
(2) Maintaining order in the operation of military vehicles and traffic safety.
(3) To investigate and deal with impersonation of military personnel, military vehicles and military units in accordance with the prescribed authority
(4) To safeguard the image of the army and the legitimate rights and interests of soldiers out in the field
(5) 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 (i.e. not including crimes against military duties), 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 (including active duty military personnel, civilian cadres, military civilian personnel, non-active duty public service personnel, military employees, retired personnel managed by the military, and The investigation, prosecution, trial, and execution of penalties for military personnel (including active duty military personnel, civilian cadres, military civilian personnel, non-active duty public employees, military employees, retired personnel managed by the military, and reserve personnel and other personnel performing military tasks) 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.
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
Regimental police or regimental provost (RP) are soldiers responsible for regimental discipline enforcement and unit custody in the British Army, other Commonwealth armies and some armed forces structured in the British tradition. They belong to ...
, 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
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its complement of personnel and aircraft assets ranks third amongst the air forces of the world. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial w ...
is policed by the
Indian Air Force Police
Indian or Indians may refer to:
Peoples South Asia
* Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor
** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country
* South Asia ...
. They can be identified by their white peaked caps, white lanyards and belts (with a pistol holster). They used to wear a black brassard with the letters "IAF(P)" imprinted in red, until 2013. Now
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its complement of personnel and aircraft assets ranks third amongst the air forces of the world. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial w ...
Provost and Security officers and IAF(P) wear an arm badge.
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.
Indonesia

In
Indonesia, the institution which solely has the responsibility and
authority
In the fields of sociology and political science, authority is the legitimate power of a person or group over other people. In a civil state, ''authority'' is practiced in ways such a judicial branch or an executive branch of government.''The N ...
concerning the maintenance of discipline and
law enforcement towards members of the
Indonesian National Armed Forces
, founded = as the ('People's Security Forces')
, current_form =
, disbanded =
, branches =
, headquarters = Cilangkap, Jakarta
, website =
, commander-in-chief = Joko Widodo
, ...
(TNI) is the
Military Police Command (
Indonesian
Indonesian is anything of, from, or related to Indonesia, an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. It may refer to:
* Indonesians, citizens of Indonesia
** Native Indonesians, diverse groups of local inhabitants of the archipelago
** Indonesian ...
: ''Pusat Polisi Militer TNI'' abbreviated "Puspom TNI"), an institution directly under the auspices of the Indonesian National Armed Forces Headquarters ("Mabes TNI") which heads the three Military Police corps which are the:
*
Indonesian Army Military Police Command; (Puspomad)
*
Indonesian Navy Military Police Command
Indonesian is anything of, from, or related to Indonesia, an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. It may refer to:
* Indonesians, citizens of Indonesia
** Native Indonesians, diverse groups of local inhabitants of the archipelago
** Indonesian ...
; (Puspomal)
*
Indonesian Air Force Military Police Command
Indonesian is anything of, from, or related to Indonesia, an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. It may refer to:
* Indonesians, citizens of Indonesia
** Native Indonesians, diverse groups of local inhabitants of the archipelago
** Indonesian ...
(Puspomau)
They are authorised to enforce military law and conduct
crime investigation
Forensic science, also known as criminalistics, is the application of science to criminal and civil laws, mainly—on the criminal side—during criminal investigation, as governed by the legal standards of admissible evidence and crimina ...
s involving active members of the TNI. Other than conducting law enforcement, MPs which are attached to the
Paspampres
The Presidential Security Force of Indonesia ( id, Pasukan Pengamanan Presiden abbreviated "Paspampres") is one of the Central Executive Agencies () of the Indonesian National Armed Forces responsible for proximate security and escort towards the ...
also conduct
escort and
Honour guard duties for the
head of state, high-ranking military officials, and
VVIP
A very important person or personage (VIP or V.I.P.) is a person who is accorded special privileges due to their high social status, influence or importance. The term was not common until sometime after World War 2 by RAF pilots.
Examples incl ...
s. The Military police are also responsible in supervising
prisoners of war
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held Captivity, captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610.
Belligerents hold priso ...
(POWs), controlling military prisoners, arresting
deserters
Desertion is the abandonment of a military duty or post without permission (a pass, liberty or leave) and is done with the intention of not returning. This contrasts with unauthorized absence (UA) or absence without leave (AWOL ), which ar ...
, managing military traffic, issuing military driving licenses and conduct joint
law enforcement operations with the
civilian police
The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and th ...
such as implementing
traffic checkpoints and
crime investigation
Forensic science, also known as criminalistics, is the application of science to criminal and civil laws, mainly—on the criminal side—during criminal investigation, as governed by the legal standards of admissible evidence and crimina ...
to take action towards military personnel caught red-handed in violations.
In Indonesia, the Military Police does not have authority towards
civilians as it is the realm of the
Indonesian National Police
''
, mottotranslated = (Serving the Nation)
, formed =
, preceding1 =
, dissolved =
, superseding =
, employees = 440,000 (2020)
, volunteers =
, budget =
, nongovernment ...
(Polri), and in the other hand, the
civilian Police
The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and th ...
does not have authority to arrest active members of the military, except accompanied by the Military police. If a member of the armed forces is caught red-handed by the civilian police, then the violator will be sent to the nearest Military Police or the Military police would be contacted in order to conduct further legal processes.
The
Army,
Navy, and
Air force have their own Military Police unit which focuses on their own branches, but any Military policemen from either branch can take action towards military members from a different branch if caught red-handed, then the violator will be sent to the Military police of their branch. The Military Police in Indonesia are known locally as ''Polisi Militer'' sometimes shortened "PM" or "POM".
The
uniforms worn by the Military police varies for the tri-services. The Army Military Police wear
dark green, the Navy Military Police wear
blue-gray
Livid is a medium bluish-gray color. This color name comes from the Latin color term ''lividus'' meaning "'a dull leaden-blue color', and also used to describe the color of contused flesh, leading to the English expression 'black and blue'". ...
and the Air Force Military Police wear
light blue. The
beret of all of the three Military police corps in Indonesia is the same which is
blue, dragged to the left (except those attached to the
Paspampres
The Presidential Security Force of Indonesia ( id, Pasukan Pengamanan Presiden abbreviated "Paspampres") is one of the Central Executive Agencies () of the Indonesian National Armed Forces responsible for proximate security and escort towards the ...
who wears light blue berets). When wearing camouflage uniform, MPs are identifiable by their white
aiguillettes and
brassard worn on their upper left sleeve imprinted the word "PM".
Iran
The
Central Provost of Islamic Republic of Iran Army is the police service of the
Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces
The Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces, are the combined military forces of Iran, comprising the Islamic Republic of Iran Army (''Arteš''), the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (''Sepâh'') and the Law Enforcement Force (Police).
Iran ...
. It has authority within all branches of the
Islamic Republic of Iran Army and has seniority over the designated provosts of the "Sea Police" of the
Islamic Republic of Iran Navy
, ''Daryādelān''"Seahearts"
, patron =
, motto = fa, راه ما، راه حسین است, ''Rāh-e ma, rāh-e hoseyn ast''"''Our Path, Is Hussain's Path''"
, colors =
, ...
and the "Air Police" of the
. Separately, the
maintains police authority over the land, air, and sea branches of the
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the
Basij
The Basij ( fa, بسيج, lit. "The Mobilization"), Niru-ye Moghāvemat-e Basij ( fa, نیروی مقاومت بسیج, "Resistance Mobilization Force"), full name Sâzmân-e Basij-e Mostaz'afin ( fa, سازمان بسیج مستضعفین, "The ...
militia.
Israel

The
Military Police Corps (''Kheil HaMishtara HaTzva'it''), ''Mem Tzadeh'' for short, is the military police/
provost of the
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; he, צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the Israel, State of Israel. It consists of three servic ...
. It is responsible for investigating crimes committed by soldiers, traffic enforcement among military traffic, arresting soldiers suspected of criminal offenses, assisting officers in enforcing discipline, locating deserters, guarding military prisons, and helping man checkpoints. In times of emergency,
enemy detainees are held and sorted by the military police. It is a brigade-sized force commanded by a Brigadier General.
The corps has very little civilian jurisdiction and for that reason works in conjunction with the
Israel Police when civilians are involved. The
Israel Border Police, a branch of the civilian police force, is Israel's
gendarmerie
Wrong info! -->
A gendarmerie () is a military force with law enforcement duties among the civilian population. The term ''gendarme'' () is derived from the medieval French expression ', which translates to " men-at-arms" (literally, ...
equivalent.
The civilian police and military police share a computer database. Suspects apprehended by the civilian police on a civilian charge and wearing civilian clothes turning out to be a deserting or AWOL soldier are turned over to the Military Police.
Japan

During
World War II, the ''
Kenpeitai
The , also known as Kempeitai, was the military police arm of the Imperial Japanese Army from 1881 to 1945 that also served as a secret police force. In addition, in Japanese-occupied territories, the Kenpeitai arrested or killed those suspecte ...
'' were the military police of the
Imperial Japanese Army and the ''
Tokkeitai'' were the military police of the
Imperial Japanese Navy. They also performed
intelligence and
secret police functions and were active in
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
and its occupied territories.
Today's
Japan Self-Defense Forces
The Japan Self-Defense Forces ( ja, 自衛隊, Jieitai; abbreviated JSDF), also informally known as the Japanese Armed Forces, are the unified ''de facto''Since Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution outlaws the formation of armed forces, the ...
maintain military police units called the Keimutai (), with its personnel called Keimukan ().
Kazakhstan
The
Military Police in
Kazakhstan refers to law enforcement bodies in the
Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The military police is under the joint jurisdiction of the
Ministry of Defense, the
Ministry of Internal Affairs and the
National Security Committee, all of which manage the activities of the military police.
Mongolia

The
Mongolian Armed Forces
The Mongolian Armed Forces ( mn, Монгол Улсын Зэвсэгт Хүчин; ''Mongol: ulsyn zevsegt hüchin'') is the collective name for the Mongolian military and the joint forces that comprise it. It is tasked with protecting the inde ...
maintain two law enforcement units. The
Internal Troops of Mongolia is a paramilitary gendarmerie unit that performs special guard and reserve duties. Among other duties, it guards government installations and serves as a riot police force. The
032 Military Unit
The 032 Separate Commandant's Battalion named after Colonel General Jamsrangijn Jondon, known simply as the 032 Military Unit () is a military unit of the Armed Forces of Mongolia. The unit takes part in the peacetime protection of the capital, ...
engages in law enforcement as well as organizing daily activities and military supplies and services.
Malaysia

The ''
Kor Polis Tentera DiRaja
The ( en, Royal Military Police Corps) is the military police branch of the Malaysian Army. Referred to as the "Redcaps" like their British counterpart or, more popularly, known as "MPs", the keep discipline within the Army ranks and ensure s ...
'' (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. PT stands for "Polis Tentera", the Malay words for "Military Police". Military police on traffic duty wear armbands sporting the letters "MP" in red.
Pakistan
Since the establishment and inception of the
Pakistan Armed Forces, they have maintained their own military police. The Pakistan Army received its share of Muslim personnel from the former Royal Indian Military Police, forming the Pakistan Army Military Police or "MP". Later, the
Pakistan Navy
ur, ہمارے لیے اللّٰہ کافی ہے اور وہ بہترین کارساز ہے۔ English language, English: Allah is Sufficient for us - and what an excellent (reliable) Trustee (of affairs) is He!(''Quran, Qur'an, Al Imran, 3:173' ...
established the "naval police" with its centre commissioned at "PNS Nighaban", and the Pakistan Air Force later established the PAF Police to maintain order.
The
Pakistan Navy
ur, ہمارے لیے اللّٰہ کافی ہے اور وہ بہترین کارساز ہے۔ English language, English: Allah is Sufficient for us - and what an excellent (reliable) Trustee (of affairs) is He!(''Quran, Qur'an, Al Imran, 3:173' ...
's Naval Police can be identified by their red armbands with the letters "NP" written in white. They are headquartered at
PNS Qasim in Karachi.
The
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army (, ) is the Army, land service branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The roots of its modern existence trace back to the British Indian Army that ceased to exist following the partition of India, Partition of British India, wh ...
's military police is known as the
Pakistan Army Corps of Military Police. They can be identified by their red armbands, white cross belts and white
combat helmet
A combat helmet or battle helmet is a type of helmet. It is a piece of personal armor designed specifically to protect the head during combat. Modern combat helmets are mainly designed to protect from shrapnel and fragments, offer some protec ...
s with the letters "MP", written in white.
The
Pakistan Air Force established its own military police, known as the "Pakistan Air Force Police" commonly referred to as Provost. The PAF Police can be identified by their red armlets, white cross belts and white combat helmets with "PAF Police" written in red.
The MP, NP and the PAF Police do not exercise any jurisdiction over civilians, nor can the civil courts interfere in the operations of the Military Police. In some cases, the Military Police Corps have worked with civilian police agencies if civilians are involved.
Philippines
The
Armed Forces of the Philippines currently maintains its own military police distinct from the nation's
civilian force
Civilians under international humanitarian law are "persons who are not members of the armed forces" and they are not "combatants if they carry arms openly and respect the laws and customs of war". It is slightly different from a non-combatant, ...
, reporting to the
Chief of Staff
The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supporti ...
through the service commanding generals.
The American-established (now defunct)
Philippine Constabulary (PC) was also known as the ''Military Police Command''. Pursuant to Republic Act 6975 (the DILG Reorganization Act of 1991), the PC and the
Integrated National Police
The Integrated National Police (INP) (Filipino: ''Pinagsamang Pulisyáng Pambansà'', ''PPP''; Spanish:''Policía Nacional Conjunto'', ''PNC'') was the municipal police force for the cities and large towns of the Republic of the Philippines. One ...
merged to form the civilian
Philippine National Police
The Philippine National Police ( fil, Pambansang Pulisya ng Pilipinas, acronymed as PNP) is the armed national police force in the Philippines. Its national headquarters is located at Camp Crame in Bagong Lipunan ng Crame, Quezon City. Current ...
, and was placed under the
Department of the Interior and Local Government.
Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Arabian military police are a small subset of the national police and are charged mainly with keeping peace in areas with high levels of aggression and tension. They wear red berets and camouflaged uniform.
Sri Lanka

Each branch of the
Sri Lankan Armed Forces
The Sri Lanka Armed Forces is the overall unified military of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka encompassing the Sri Lanka Army, the Sri Lanka Navy, and the Sri Lanka Air Force; they are governed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Th ...
has its own military police/Provost section. The
Sri Lanka Army is policed by the
Sri Lanka Corps of Military Police
The Sri Lanka Corps of Military Police (SLCMP) is the branch of the Sri Lanka Army responsible for the policing of service personnel and providing a military police presence on service property, operations and exercises. It is made up of three re ...
and by
Regimental Police
Regimental police or regimental provost (RP) are soldiers responsible for regimental discipline enforcement and unit custody in the British Army, other Commonwealth armies and some armed forces structured in the British tradition. They belong to ...
, 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 honor 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
The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) ( si, ශ්රි ලංකා ගුවන් හමුදාව, Śrī Laṃkā guwan hamudāva; ta, இலங்கை விமானப்படை, Ilaṅkai vimāṉappaṭai) is the air arm and the yo ...
is policed by the
Air Force Police
The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for ...
(AFP).
Singapore
In
Singapore, the
Singapore Armed Forces Military Police Command serves as the law enforcement agency of the
Singapore Armed Forces. The Command is headed by a colonel, otherwise also known as the Provost Marshal. Its sub-units included the Military Police Enforcement Unit (including Special Investigations Branch and ceremonial and drill components), the Detention Barracks (DB), The 1st Provost Bn, MP Training School and the
Security Support Forces (including Military working Dog Wing, Close Protection and Security Ops Unit). The command also collaborates closely with the
Singapore Police Force in terms of policing work duties, investigations, etc.
South Korea

The
Republic of Korea Armed Forces
The Republic of Korea Armed Forces (), also known as the ROK Armed Forces, are the armed forces of South Korea. The ROK Armed Forces is one of the largest and most powerful standing armed forces in the world with a reported personnel strength of ...
maintains a series of separate military police commands for the
Army,
Navy,
Air Force, and
Marine Corps. ROK Army MPs also function as border guards at the
Korean Demilitarized Zone.
Taiwan
The ROCMP is 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 historical sites (such as the
Cihu Mausoleum) and certain government buildings, including the
Presidential Office Building Presidential Office Building may refer to:
* Presidential Office Building (Kyiv)
*Presidential Office Building (Republic of China)
* Presidential Office Building, Tirana
*Presidential Palace (Nanjing)
The Presidential Palace () in Nanjing, Jiangs ...
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.
Thailand

In
Thailand, each branch of the armed forces has its own military police force. The Royal Thai Navy has the ''สารวัตรทหารเรือ'' (Naval Military Police), the
Royal Thai Army has the ''สารวัตรทหาร'' (Army Military Police), and the Royal Thai Air Force has the ''สารวัตรทหารอากาศ'' (Air Force Military Police).
The duties of the Air Military Police Department (''กรมทหารสารวัตรทหารอากาศ'') are peacekeeping, security, regulating traffic discipline within Air Force installations and housing areas, apprehending deserters, escorting VIPs and investigating crimes under the authority of the Military Court. These investigations include prisoners of war, enemy aliens, refugees and displaced officers within the Air Force and designated areas. It is under supervision of the Commander of the Air Military Police Department.
There is one active Air MP Battalion called the Battalion of Military Air Police (''กองพันทหารสารวัตรทหารอากาศ''). The Air Military Police Department is one unit under the supervision of the Office of Don Muang RTAF Base Commander (''สำนักงานผู้บังคับทหารอากาศดอนเมือง'').
* Office of Don Muang RTAF Base Commander (''สำนักงานผู้บังคับทหารอากาศดอนเมือง'')
* Air Military Police Department(''กรมทหารสารวัตรทหารอากาศ'')
* Battalion of Military Air Police (''กองพันทหารสารวัตรทหารอากาศ'')
Vietnam
In Vietnam, the 144th Brigade of Military Provost (''Kiểm soát Quân sự'') is under the command of the
General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army. The provosts are responsible for guarding and protecting the Presidential Palace, government offices and army offices. They are also responsible for supervising military laws on soldiers and officers. Even though the 144th Brigade is the highest level division in the Military Provost force of Vietnam, there seems to be no unified command for the Military Provost under the General Staff, the Ministry of Defense or another General Department within the Ministry. There are several known Military Provost units such as the 31st Military Provost Battalion of Ho Chi Minh city Military Command, the said 144th Brigade, and the 103rd Military Provost Battalion of the Hanoi Capital Military Command. Besides the Provost units, there are also the military investigative agencies that function similarly to the Provosts, such as the Criminal Investigation Bureau and the Investigative Security Agency within the Defense Ministry.
Europe
Armenia
The
Military Police ( hy, Ռազմական ոստիկանություն; Rrazmakan vostikanut’yun) of
Armenia fall under the command of the
Ministry of Defence
{{unsourced, date=February 2021
A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...
. The Military Police was established in May 1992, by order of the Minister of Defense. The Military Police is considered a division that is separate from the Ministry of Defense. It had no special status until 2007, when a law to define the Military Police status was adopted. Its status is defined in the RA Law on Military Police. According to the law, the Military Police is responsible for the following:
*Investigation of military crimes in the armed forces that were committed on the territory of military units or by conscripts in military service;
*Deterrence, prevention and stoppage of crimes being planned or committed by military servicemen;
*Protection of property that belongs to the authorized body;
*Proper exploitation and safe operation of vehicles that belong to the armed forces.
The Military Police Bylaws were approved by the
Government of Armenia on 25 December 2008.
Austria

The Austrian Military Police (German: ''Militärpolizei'') of the
Austrian Armed Forces (''Bundesheer'') is located in Vienna and consists of the following elements
* Military Police HQ
* Fundamentals Division
* Training Division
* Signal Platoon
* Close Protection
* 3 MP Companies
* MP Militia
The Military Police has three locations in Austria. The Military Police Command and one MP Co. are located in Vienna. One MP Co. is in
Graz
Graz (; sl, Gradec) is the capital city of the Austrian state of Styria and second-largest city in Austria after Vienna. As of 1 January 2021, it had a population of 331,562 (294,236 of whom had principal-residence status). In 2018, the popul ...
and one in
Salzburg.
The Military Police is tasked with law enforcement and the protection of the forces, military events and Armed Forces property. The increasing number of international operations in which Austrian soldiers participate and new threat scenarios hugely expand the spectrum of tasks. In addition to its traditional domestic tasks, the Military Police now also fulfill tasks in international operations. In Austria the Military Police is only tasked with internal Armed Forces matters. Abroad, they are tasked with extensive assignments. It closes the security gap between a conflict that has ended and a functioning society. A large number of experienced specialists and modern equipment are required to meet these demanding tasks.

National tasks include:
* Check routines and security checks
* Security duty
* Traffic control
* Close Protection
* Force Protection
* Law enforcement
* Inquiries

International tasks include:
* Taking down traffic accidents
* Crime scene investigation
* Fingerprinting and photographing
* Interrogations
* Searches/investigations/support in interventions
* Detention of dangerous criminals
* Crowd and riot control
* Operation of detention facilities
* Interventions (Special weapons and tactics – SWAT)
* Close Protection
* Defence against terrorism
Belarus
The military commandants of the
Armed Forces of Belarus
The Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus (, ) consist of the Ground Forces and the Air Force and Air Defence Forces, all under the command of the Republic of Belarus Ministry of Defence. Being a landlocked country, Belarus has no navy.
In 20 ...
are regional administrations responsible for military police on a unit's territory. Units are assigned to a specific commandant based on their location. There are 6 military commandants in the Belarusian Armed Forces.
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
colonel and has 188 members in five MP detachments. Until 1995, the Belgian
Rijkswacht/Gendarmerie was, besides its civilian policing tasks, responsible for the nation's Military Police duties.
The Military Police Group staff is located in the Queen Elizabeth Barracks in the
Brussels suburb of Evere. Alpha Detachment located at Evere covers the province of Flemish Brabant and the capital, Brussels. Bravo Detachment covers the Walloon Brabant,
Hainaut Province
Hainaut (, also , , ; nl, Henegouwen ; wa, Hinnot; pcd, Hénau), historically also known as Heynowes in English, is a province of Wallonia and Belgium.
To its south lies the French department of Nord, while within Belgium it borders (clock ...
and
Namur Province areas and is located at
Nivelles. Charlie Detachment located at
Marche-en-Famenne covers the
Liège Province
Liège (; wa, Lîdje ; nl, Luik ; german: Lüttich ) is the easternmost province of the Wallonia region of Belgium.
Liège Province is the only Belgian province that has borders with three countries. It borders (clockwise from the north) the Du ...
and
Belgian Luxembourg
Luxembourg (french: Luxembourg ; nl, Luxemburg ; german: Luxemburg ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; wa, Lussimbork), also called Belgian Luxembourg, is the southernmost province of Wallonia and of Belgium. It borders on the country of Luxembourg to the ea ...
areas. Delta Detachment covers the
Limbourg and
Antwerp Province areas and is located at
Leopoldsburg. Echo Detachment located at Lombardsijde covers Western and Eastern
Flanders.
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.
* Traffic regulation: Includes traffic monitoring and regulation to ensure the flow of military movements in accordance with plans. This includes route reconnaissance and marking, convoy and oversize vehicle escort and river crossing control. Traffic accident investigations is also a part of the job.
* Security missions: Prevents and deters any threat to or attack against the personnel and property of the armed forces. The Military Police force protects, for example, the Palace of the Nation and the Parliaments and Councils of the Regions and the Communities, headquarters and classified conferences. MPs also provide VIP motorcycle escorts and honour guards, perform close protection missions, and escort classified documents and money transports.
The Belgian Military Police has also taken part in multinational peacekeeping missions such as Afghanistan, Kosovo and the Congo. The
Federal Police's Military Crime Division (DJMM) performs all investigations involving the armed forces.
In 2003, duties relating to refugees and deserters in wartime were transferred from the then disbanded Gendarmerie to the MPs. Members of the former 4 and 6 MP Companies were merged 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.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Shortly after the formation of the
Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Oružane snage Bosne i Hercegovine, OSBiH, Оружане снаге Босне и Херцеговине, ОСБИХ) is the official military force of Bosnia and Herz ...
in 2005, an intentional strategy was made to limit in law and multi-ethnic, crime violation in the armed forces, so to speak, the Military Police, which was formed later on and approved by the
Ministry of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Ministry of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, Ministarstvo odbrane Bosne i Hercegovine / Министарство одбране Босне и Херцеговине) is the governmental department in charge of the Armed Forces of Bosn ...
.
Bulgaria
The first documents reflecting the establishment of interior order bodies in Bulgaria are: Instruction on Establishment of Initial Military Police Governorship, dated 3 July 1877, Instruction on the Rights and Duties of the Constituted Local Police Guards, dated 19 July 1877, and Temporary Regulations on Constituting Police Voluntary Sentries and Armed Guards, dated 8 August 1877.
According to the Instruction on Military Police Governorship in the free Bulgarian lands and regions with army presence, the Military Police enforced the law and order in the rear of the army, suspended possible clashes among members of different religious communities and observed for the proper implementation of commanders instructions.
Irrespective of the military police presence in the rear of the army and troops, newly- appointed civil administrative authorities (governors) were given the right to organize mounted and infantry sentries and armed local guards.
Temporary Regulations on Gendarmerie Structure were promulgated after
Prince Alexander I had suspended the
Constitution of Turnovo in 1881. The gendarmerie became government guard with military organization and was tasked with maintenance of public law and order, law enforcement, and implementation of police rules issued by the authorities. The new structure was based on French and Austrian experience.
Gendarmerie Corps Chief, subordinate to the Military Minister, was empowered to act as a liaison point between the military administration and the other ministries and institutions as well as to take independent decisions on any issues within his competence. Gendarmerie units' chiefs were independent of the provincial military chiefs and were empowered to issue orders to them.
Drafting of bodies for security and interior order was based on the necessity of mastering and integrating this activity under the Military Ministry. With Decree of the Prince No. 73/ 3 July 1882, the Gendarmerie Corps was converted into the Dragoon Corps. The intention of the military minister was to be set up a cavalry unit authorized to carry out police duties as well. Of interest is Ministerial Order No. 193/ 1882 which tasked the Dragoon Corps with specific tasks on the
Ruschuk-
Varna
Varna may refer to:
Places Europe
*Varna, Bulgaria, a city in Bulgaria
**Varna Province
**Varna Municipality
** Gulf of Varna
**Lake Varna
**Varna Necropolis
*Vahrn, or Varna, a municipality in Italy
*Varniai, a city in Lithuania
* Varna (Šaba ...
railway. Then existing Military Police Railway Command was disbanded on 1 October 1882.
The names used in the documents mentioned above, "military police governorship" and "military police command", connote the meaning and sense of the specific activities of these bodies and prove that military police history dates back to the very beginning of the Third Bulgarian State.
In 1883 started a process of purposeful legislative regulation on the activity of the police forces for public order and security and their gradual differentiation from the Military Ministry. Prince Alexander I tasked Prime Minister
Dragan Tsankov with the establishment of a new police structure in Bulgaria. Its activity was to be legally based upon the Regulations on Police Guards, adopted in 1883.
In compliance with the Decree of His Highness No. 756/ 17 September 1883, the Dragoon Corps was disbanded on 1 October 1883. Its property, clothing, armament and ammunition were to be given to the Ministry of the Interior.
In the Act on the Armed Forces Regulation in the Bulgarian Principality, adopted by the Sixth Regular National Assembly on 3 December 1891, envisaged establishment of six semi-companies in stages. Each of them was to be added to a division and to be set military police tasks in wartime. Such units were not actually formed but this fact shows the political will for their creation in case of eventual military activities.
Tasks and strength of the MPs were precisely defined in the eve of the 1912
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars refers to a series of two conflicts that took place in the Balkan States in 1912 and 1913. In the First Balkan War, the four Balkan States of Greece, Serbia, Montenegro and Bulgaria declared war upon the Ottoman Empire and defe ...
with the
Ottoman Empire. A Military Police infantry platoon of 60 with an officer in charge and a mounted platoon of 50 were added to any division. The Military Police patrolled in the troops' areas and in the rear, maintaining the order and discipline.
While Bulgaria was getting ready for the war, the Strategic Command assessed the need of military police presence in the army. In 1915 a military police sector of six squadrons was founded under the Staff of the acting army. In the same year was issued Instruction on the Officer Qualities and Posts in the Military Police Troops. The document reads their goals: to maintain order and law in the troops' areas and in the rear, to enforce laws, ordinances, regulations, and orders of senior commanders and chiefs. The Military Police were tasked with guarding staffs, transport, warehouses and other army installations. They were also empowered to implement specific tasks – crime investigation, protection of civilians against despoiling and abusing, fight against marauders, supervision and control over the civilians following the army and especially the unreliable and/ or espionage suspected individuals. MPs convoyed, secured refugees, prisoners-of-war, military posts and mail, collected and stored weapons left behind by its own or enemy troops, horses and other objects, checked on the regularity of troops at the railway stations.
With Ministerial Order No.160/ 20 December 1916 was promulgated Instruction on Military Police Service within First Infantry Division of Sofia. It empowered the Military Police to apprehend, subject to search, and detain any suspected individuals as well as individuals without proper documents no matter whether they were civilian or military.
In 1923 the Act on Military Police Replenishment was adopted due to the necessity of organizational and structural building of the Military Police. The criteria for personnel selection were too high for that time and met the high standards and specific requirements for performing military police duties.
In 1940 the
Ministry of War issued Recommendations on the Military Police Service. Military police units were tasked with maintenance of order, morale, and discipline in the army. The Recommendations also listed a lot of measures for securing staffs, communications and messages in the rear. In the last chapter, it was emphasized that the Recommendations were valid in wartime and were to be executed on maneuvers and under martial law declared in peacetime.
The Military Police Group was set up under the Chief Army Command on 20 February 1941, shortly before Bulgaria entered
World War II. Military Police School for Initial and Further Personnel Training was founded in
Sofia in 1942.
The Military Police Group was transformed into the Securing Group in compliance of the Order of the Military Ministry, dated 2 September 1944. In January 1945 this Military Securing Group was disbanded and a special group for implementation of specific tasks in the army was formed. In 1946 it became regiment. In 1947 under Ordinance No. 523 of 8 April the Regiment was disbanded under the Paris Peace Treaty clauses.
In 1991 the Ministry of Defense tasked the General Staff with the planning of the Military Police organization and structure in order to re-establish the service. A few months later, on 5 November 1991 the Ministerial Council issued Decree No. 217 which proclaimed the establishment of the Military Police – based on regional principle, part of the Bulgarian Army, and to meet the needs of the Armed Forces, troops, ministries, administrations, and Civil Defense of the Republic of Bulgaria.
The Military Police units are specialized bodies under the Minister of Defense for the purposes of law enforcement, prevention and disclosure of crimes and other violations, maintenance of army order and discipline within garrisons, control over army transport and protection of legal interests and rights of the Bulgarian Army personnel.
The Military Police, due to the required specific knowledge, experience and skills, had become professional ten years earlier before the Bulgarian Army abolished conscription. The Military Police gradually turns into a modern
NATO-modelled formation.
With Order of the Minister of Defense No. OX-0082/ 29 January 1998 the Military Police Administration – GS was transferred from its immediate subordination to the Chief of the General Staff of the Bulgarian Army to subordination to the Minister of Defense.
On 2 December 1999 with Ministerial Order No. 985 was founded the Security Service – Military Police and Military Counterintelligence under the Minister of Defense. It was the successor to the then existing administrations MPs and MCI.
On 1 April 2008, as a result of reformation of the national security system, the Military Counterintelligence passed to the newly founded State Agency National Security. The Security Service – Military Police and Military Counterintelligence was transformed into the Military Police Service under the Minister of Defense.
The fifth of November has been announced the Military Police Service Celebration Day with Order of the Minister of Defense No. OX-708/ 10 October 2008.
The current chief of the Bulgarian Military Police Service is Brigadier General Borislav Sertov.
Croatia

The
Croatian Military Police ( hr, Vojna policija) is a part of the
Croatian Armed Forces (). The Croatian Military Police was formed on 27 August 1991, shortly after the
National Guard Corps () – now the
Croatian Army – was formed.
Parts of Croatian Military Police are:
* NSVP – Military Police Education center "Bojnik Alfred Hill"
* 66th Military Police Battalion
* 67th Military Police Battalion
* 68th Military Police Battalion
* 69th Military Police Company
* 70th Military Police Company
* 71st Military Police Battalion
* 72nd Military Police Battalion
* 73rd Military Police Battalion (HRM (Croatian Navy))
* 74th Military Police Company (HRZ (Croatian Air Force))
* 75th Military Police Battalion
Czech Republic

The (
Czech ''vojenská policie'') was set up on 21 January 1991. Within the provisions of the Czechoslovak Law No. 124/1992 Dig. regarding the Military Police, they are responsible for police protection of armed forces, military facilities, military material and other state property controlled by the Ministry of Defence. The Military Police are a professional force. Since 1 January 1993, Czechoslovak Military Police Corps were divided to Czech and Slovak separate Military Police Corps.
The Military Police are headed by a Chief, who directly reports to the Minister of Defence.
As of 1 July 2003, the Military Police officers are equipped with accessories black in colour, including their distinctive feature – the black beret.
The structure is based on the territorial principle. The Military Police subordinated headquarters are located in Prague, Tábor, and Olomouc.
Military police officers are assigned directly to military units, and they form also part of military contingents of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic in foreign deployments.
Foreign Deployments:
The military police officers serve within contingents of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic on foreign operations on the territory of Iraq and on the Balkans, and as of March 2007 its Special Operation Group (SOG) also in southern Afghanistan in the Helmand Province.
Military Police of the Czech republic also contain
active reserveunits. Members of the active reserve have a civilian profession but several times a year participate in training or other MP activities.
Denmark

In Denmark the military police (Danish: ''militærpoliti'') services are carried out as independent units under each branch. In the
army all military police tasks are done as an integral part of the ''
Trænregimentet
The Logistic Regiment ( da, Trænregimentet) is the military logistics regiment of the Royal Danish Army, responsible for army supply and emergency medical personnel. It is based in Aalborg.
History
Regimental origins can be traced back to 186 ...
'',
whereas the
navy military police is an independent unit under command and control of the commanding officer of the
Danish Frogman Corps
and the
air force, as a part of the force protection squadron (''Squadron 660'') of the air force ''Combat Support Wing''.
Unlike the two other branches, the navy military police also handles installation guard duties (which is carried out by regular soldiers in the army and by an installation protection unit under ''Squadron 660'' in the air force) of naval installations as well as certain military installations in the Danish capital region, such as the
Danish Defence Command and the
Ministry of Defence
{{unsourced, date=February 2021
A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...
.
MP personnel typically wear either branch-specific display dress uniforms with white shoulder markings with the text ''MP'' or the branch-common daily
combat uniform
A combat uniform, also called field uniform, battledress or military fatigues, is a casual wear, casual type of uniform used by military, police, firefighter, fire and other public uniformed services for everyday fieldwork and combat duty purpo ...
, with a red
beret. In the air force the MP-shoulder markings is typically replaced with markings saying either ''VAGT'' or ''GUARD'', but for international missions they also use the ''MP''-markings.
MP personnel generally do not have legal authority over civilians in non-military areas but only over military personnel and on military installations (also publicly accessible places like
Holmen Naval Base in
Copenhagen). On some occasions MP personnel can support civilian police in certain tasks, but will only have slightly more legal authority than civilians—similar to the police home guard.
In the army military police are almost without exception
NCOs or
officers, whereas the navy and air force rely mainly of
Danish ranks OR-1 to OR-3.
Furthermore, the
home guard has a police branch, which supports both the civilian
Danish police
The Police of Denmark ( da, Politiet, fo, Løgreglan, kl, Politiit) is the Danish National Police force, and the interior part of the Danish security forces (the Danish military being the exterior) in the Kingdom ( The Danish Realm: Denma ...
and the military police.
Typical MP jobs are:
* Installation/perimeter guard
* Personnel protection
* Traffic control
* Courier services
* Prisoner transport
Estonia
The ''
Sõjaväepolitsei'' are the Military Police of the Estonian Defence Force
The Estonian MP organization was created in 1994 and is today divided into tactical (patrol) and investigative units. Additionally, conscript-based reserve MP platoons are trained in Guard Battalion every year. MP tasks include investigation of serious disciplinary cases and some armed service-related crimes, supervision of military discipline within the Forces, military traffic control and various security tasks. Within conflict/crises areas (Afghanistan) the MP may provide close protection of the Estonian national representative and other visiting VIPs. When on regular patrol assignment, Estonian MPs wear a black brassard on their right shoulder, with the letters ''SP'' in silver, and are usually equipped with an HK USP 9 mm pistol, spare magazines, radio, handcuffs, pepper spray and an expandable police baton.
Finland

The ' are the military police of the
Finnish Defence Forces. The Finnish MPs wear a black brassard on the left shoulder with the letters 'SP' in white. A military policeman is usually armed with a 9 mm pistol, a baton, pepper spray and handcuffs on their belt. The military police includes both career and conscript personnel, and is primarily used to guard military installations and supervise military traffic. All military police personnel are trained with basic police techniques and usually receive training for
fighting in urban areas. In wartime, the tasks are more extensive and include protection of key personnel and targets, especially against enemy special forces, and surveillance, control, pursuit, arrest and destruction missions. For training, almost all brigades have military police companies. The companies are part of and subordinate to the brigade.
The military police has jurisdiction over military personnel, military areas, installations and exercise areas. However, a military police patrol may stop a crime that it witnesses in process in a civilian area. Additionally, if a military police unit is near to a serious crime taking place, such as a robbery or an assault, and the civilian police are delayed, a military police unit that is near to the scene can offer to handle the situation until the civilian police arrive. As with some other Finnish Defence Forces units, the military police can be used to provide assistance to the civilian police when they are undermanned or lack special resources. In such case, the military police may take measures deemed necessary by the civilian police. For example, during the 2005 Helsinki World Athletic Championship Games, military police conscripts and career personnel were placed along the
marathon
The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of , usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair div ...
route to prevent the large numbers of spectators from obstructing the runners.
Before and during
World War II, Finland did not have military police in peacetime, but only temporary ''sotapoliisi'' ("war police"). Ex-police officers were conscripted for police officer duty in the armed forces; usually only the officers had police training. Planning for ''sotapoliisi'' was still unfinished at the break of war, so regular reservists could not be conscripted. Thus personnel had to be recruited without regard to quality; conscripts found unfit for field duty for e.g. health reasons, and even those with previous criminal record were recruited, and the reputation suffered.
For a long time, ''sotapoliisi'' existed only in wartime. However, improvement to this came eventually: the military police school was founded in 1963, and civilian police background was no longer required.
The crimes committed by military personnel are, as a rule, investigated by the military. Minor infractions are usually investigated by the career personnel of the unit, while more serious crimes are investigated by the investigative section of the General Staff of the Finnish Defence Forces. In minor matters, the company commander or their superiors may use disciplinary powers, but more serious cases are deferred to the civilian prosecutor who will take the case to the district court.
France

The ''
Gendarmerie Nationale Gendarmerie Nationale most commonly refers to:
* Gendarmerie Nationale (France)
* Gendarmerie Nationale (Belgium), merged with Belgian police in 2001
Gendarmerie Nationale may also refer to:
*Gendarmerie Nationale (Algeria)
* Gendarmerie National ...
'' acts as both the military police and one of the two national law enforcement forces of
France.
Provost missions are assumed by local units for the garrisons of the
Ground Army on French soil and by special divisions :
* The 1100 personnel of the ''
Gendarmerie Navale
The Maritime Gendarmerie (french: Gendarmerie maritime) is a component of the French National Gendarmerie under operational control of the chief of staff of the French Navy. It employs 1,157 personnel and operates around thirty patrol boats and h ...
'' (also called the ''
Gendarmerie Maritime
The Maritime Gendarmerie (french: Gendarmerie maritime) is a component of the French National Gendarmerie under operational control of the chief of staff of the French Navy. It employs 1,157 personnel and operates around thirty patrol boats and h ...
'') police the
Navy (and also acts as a
coast guard and
water police
Water police, also called harbor patrols, port police, marine/maritime police, nautical patrols, bay constables, river police, or maritime law enforcement or coastal police are police officers, usually a department of a larger police organizat ...
force). National critical merchant ports are protected by specialized units of the Gendarmerie Navale, the Pelotons de Sécurité Maritime et Portuaire, Naval and Harbor Safety Platoons''.
* The 860 members of the ''Gendarmerie de l'Air'' polices the French Air Force, Air Force fulfills police and security missions in the air bases, and goes on the site of an accident involving military aircraft. This branch is separate from the ''Air Transport Gendarmerie'' (Gendarmerie des Transports Aériens), which is placed under the dual supervision of the Gendarmerie and the direction of civilian aviation and fulfills police and security missions in civilian airfields and airports. They also perform immigration and emigration checks on military flights.
* The 280 personnel of the ''Ordnance Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie de l'Armement)'' fulfill police and security missions in the establishments of the Délégation Générale pour l'Armement (France's defence procurement agency) and ensure VIP close-protection for the head of the DGA and a few other high-rankings.
* The 50 personnel of the ''Gendarmerie de la Sécurité des Armements Nucléaires, Gendarmerie of the Safety of Nuclear Armaments'', backed by 250 members of the ''Mobile Gendarmerie'' monitor all the nuclear armaments of the French Republic.
* The 70 members of the ''Gendarmerie Prévôtale, Provost Gendarerie (Gendarmerie Prévôtale)'' conduct judiciary and disciplinary investigations in foreign garrisons.
The Gendarmerie Navale, Gendarmerie de l'Air, Ordnance Gendarmerie and Provost Gendarmerie are placed under the dual supervision of the Gendarmerie and the relevant military branch. However, for judiciary duties, they are under exclusive command of the relevant court.
In addition to the Gendarmerie, ''Fusiliers Marins, Naval Fusiliers (Fusiliers Marins)'', ''Fusiliers Commandos de l'Air, Fusilier commandos of the Air Force (Fusiliers Commandos de l'Air)'' and dedicated regimental platoons maintain order for their respective branches.
Germany

The ''Feldjäger'' are the military police of the German ''Bundeswehr''. The term ''Feldjäger'' ("field hunter") has a long tradition and dates back to the mid-17th century. 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.''").
The first modern ''Feldjäger'' unit was activated on 6 October 1955 when the bill creating the ''Bundeswehr'' was signed. The ''Feldjäger'' corps serves all component forces of the German Federal Armed Forces (''Bundeswehr'') i.e., German Army, German Navy, German Air Force, ''Zentraler Sanitätsdienst'' (Joint Medical Corps) and ''Streitkräftebasis'' (Joint Support Service). The Military Police Command has its headquarters in Scharnhorst Kaserne in Hanover and is under the operational command of the Kommando Territoriale Aufgaben der Bundeswehr, Bundeswehr's Territorial Tasks Command of the ''Streitkräftebasis''.
The ''Feldjäger'' have three regiments of military police stationed around Germany which are subordinate to the Military Police Command.
Greece

The paramilitary Greek Gendarmerie fulfilled most security and order duties in Greece until
World War II. In 1951, Law 1746/51 established the framework of the Hellenic Army's Greek Military Police ( el, Ελληνική Στρατιωτική Αστυνομία or ΕΣΑ, ''Ellinikí Stratiotikí Astynomía''). The organization—and particularly its Special Interrogative Department, EAT-ESA—became notorious for its brutality during the 1967–1974 Greek military junta of 1967–1974, military junta. Law 276/76 renamed it simply to "Military Police" (Στρατονομία). Corresponding organizations exist also for other two branches of the Greek armed forces: for the Hellenic Air Force (Αερονομία, ''Aeronomia''), founded in 1945 as the Greek Air Force Police (Ελληνική Αεροπορική Αστυνομία, ΕΑΑ), and for the Hellenic Navy (Ναυτονομία, ''Naftonomia'', properly Υπηρεσία Ναυτονομίας or Y.ΝΑ.)
These three forces work together often but are independent from each other. Most of the personnel are draftee soldiers undergoing their regular military service.
Hungary
As part of the Hungarian Defence Forces the Hungarian Military Police (''Katonai Rendészet'') is a military law enforcement organization with duties of protecting selected objects, investigating accidents involving military vehicles, accompanying military delegations and military forces passing through Hungary, traffic control, personal protection of designated military leaders, performing military police duties in international missions, military law enforcement activities in Hungary.
Ireland
The Póilíní Airm, Irish Military Police (colloquially "PA"s, deriving from the official title, ''Póilíní Airm'') are responsible for the prevention and detection of crime in the Irish Defence Forces. Entry to the PA is restricted to serving members of the Defence Forces. All members of the Corps are NCOs, with Officers being transferred in for temporary assignments. Unlike many Military Police Services, they retain responsibility for controlling access to many, but not all, military posts. In addition, they provide a military detachment to the Oireachtas (Houses of Parliament) and have a large ceremonial role. In the past they had a role in training armed elements of the Garda Síochána but in recent times this has decreased. Historically, they were responsible for detaining political prisoners in military prisons (until the handing over of Military Prisons at Cork, Spike Island, Arbour Hill and the Curragh to the Civil Authorities) and in the past occasionally provided firing squads for executions (the last time being the "Emergency" period of 1939–1946).
Italy

The ''Arma dei Carabinieri'' is a gendarmerie force acting as both the military police and one of the four national police forces in Italy. Formed on 13 July 1814, it has been for almost two centuries the senior branch of the Italian Army, until on 5 October 2000 it became a fully independent Service of the Italian military.
With a strength of about 120,000, the Arma dei Carabinieri is a very large organization, including its own air and naval services, but most of its personnel is used for civilian police duties.
The properly Military Police components of the Arma dei Carabinieri are grouped into the "Divisione Unità Mobili Carabinieri" (Carabinieri Mobile Units Division), organized as follows:
2nd Brigade:
* 1st Carabinieri Parachutist Regiment "Tuscania"
* 7th Carabinieri Battalion "Trentino – Alto Adige"
* 13th Carabinieri Battalion "Friuli – Venezia Giulia"
* Gruppo Intervento Speciale.
From these units are drawn most of the elements that form the Carabinieri MP coys, platoons and detachments assigned to all the major Italian Army, Italian Navy, Navy and Italian Air Force, Air Force units, as well as many of the personnel forming the MSU Regiments (Multinational Specialist Units) and the IPUs (Integrated Police Units) serving abroad in support of European Union, NATO and United Nation missions. The Arma dei Carabinieri have gained a very good reputation for the professionalism and organization of their MP units in support of international missions, so much that during the 2004 G8 Sea Island Conference the Carabinieri have been tasked to organize and run the CoESPU (Center of Excellence for Stability Police Units), to centralize the training of multinational MP units for international missions.
The 1st Brigade of the same "Divisione Unità Mobili Carabinieri", organized on 11 Mobile battalions and 1 Cavalry Regiment, does contribute to form the same Military Police components as the 1st Brigade, but is mostly tasked to riot control civilian police duties.
During some
NATO military mission abroad, the Italian carabinieri contributed to military police operations with the Multinational Specialized Unit.
The ''Guardia di Finanza'' acts as a specialized Military Police force when called upon. Its normal duties include being a force acting in border control, customs duties, and police investigations into financial crimes and illegal drug trafficking.
Netherlands
In the Netherlands, the function of military police is performed by the ''Koninklijke Marechaussee'' ("Royal Constabulary"), a separate branch of the Military of the Netherlands, military independent of the Royal Netherlands Army, Army, Royal Netherlands Navy, Navy and Royal Netherlands Air Force, Air Force. Besides performing military duties, the ''Marechaussee'' is also a gendarmerie force.
The word ''marshal, 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 Continental Army's military police during the American Revolution.
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 first battalion commander and Provost Marshal of 6. division Norwegian Army was Maj M Langvik, the current battalion commander is Lieutenant Colonel Jan Henry Norvalls. 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 or in the vicinity of military installations, vehicles or other property or under martial law. They do have authority over military personnel, including in certain circumstances reservists, anywhere, including when such personnel are off duty.
The ''Norwegian Home Guard, 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, or as mounted personnel while performing motorcycle escort for the Royal Family or their official guests, 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 other powers over civilians than ordinary members of the public, except inside, or in the immediate vicinity of military installations. More serious cases, like narcotics, are handed over to civilian police for investigation.
Poland
The Military Gendarmerie (''Żandarmeria Wojskowa'', ŻW) are the MPs for the entire Polish Armed Forces, Polish military, established in the 1990s.
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 ''Army Police (Portugal), 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 unit of the Marine Corps (''Portuguese Marines, Fuzileiros''). A military criminal investigation police, common for the three branches of Armed Forces, also exists, this being the ''Polícia Judiciária Militar'' (Military Judiciary Police), that is under the direct dependency of the Ministry of National Defence (Portugal), Minister of National Defense.
Portugal, also, has a gendarmerie type force, the ''Guarda Nacional Republicana'' (GNR, National Republican Guard), that is a special corps of troops that executes both civil public security missions and military missions. In time of peace, GNR is under operational command of the Minister of Internal Affairs, but in time of war it can be put under the command of the Armed Forces. GNR is not tasked with enforcing the law within the Armed Forces.
Included in the Portuguese Navy organization also exist two special police forces. The first one is the ''Polícia Maritima'' (Maritime Police), that serves as a coast guard and maritime law enforcement agency in the scope of the civil role of the Portuguese Navy as the National Maritime Authority. The other one is the ''Polícia dos Estabelecimentos da Marinha'' (Navy's Establishments Police), a small gendarmerie type agency responsible for guarding the Lisbon Naval Base and some other naval facilities.
Romania
In Romania, the Romanian Military Police (''Poliția Militară'') carries out police duties for the Romanian Armed Forces. It usually handles military security and military crimes and it has national jurisdiction. The Romanian military police is organized in four battalions (two of them are headquartered in Bucharest, one in Iași and one in Târgu Mureș).
The Jandarmeria Română, Romanian Gendarmerie, although a military force with national jurisdiction, is not tasked with enforcing the law within the armed forces (in contrast to the French Gendarmerie, which acts as both military and national police force).
Russia
The Russian Military Police (Военная полиция России) are the MPs for the entire Russian military. They carry out police duties for the Russian Armed Forces.

In April 2012 Chief Military Prosecutor Sergei Fridinsky said Russia's military police will be instituted in two stages: first, the integration of the relevant Defence Ministry services and second, granting the new agency investigative functions. In early February 2014 Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law the Law on Military Police, the State Duma adopted on 24 January and approved by the Federation Council on 29 January. During consideration of the bill in the lower house of the parliament, presidential envoy to the State Duma Garry Minkh explained that military police has already been created and running, but its activities are governed by departmental orders. President's initiative is aimed at strengthening the legal framework of the forces. On 27 March 2015, Russian President approved the Official Charter of the military police of the Russian Federation.
The Military Police have five main functions:
* Maneuver and mobility support operations
* Area security operations
* Law and order operations
* Internment and resettlement operations
* Police intelligence operations
The National Guard of Russia and Federal Security Service has its own military police units.
Serbia
The Military Police ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Војна Полиција, Vojna Policija}) are considered to be among the best qualified and most combat-prepared organizations within the Military of Serbia, Serbian military. Their responsibilities include counterterrorist operations, combating organized crime, close protection, securing hostages and search and rescue.
Specific training is provided for members of special units of the Military Police. Drills for Military Police units, from squad to battalion, are based on their anticipated tactical employment, including training in putting down civil disorder.
The Military Police Directorate of the Serbian General Staff, General Staff of the Serbian Military is responsible for overseeing the units of the Military Police.
Similar units include:
* Military Police Battalion Cobra
* Counter-terrorist Battalion of MP Serbian Special Brigade, Military Police Counter-terrorist Battalion
Spain

Each branch of the Spanish Armed Forces (Army, Navy and Air Force) has its own military police (''Policia Militar'', ''Policia Naval'' and ''Policia Aerea'' respectively). They are only recognized as constabularies with jurisdiction over military installations and military personnel. They have no jurisdiction over civilians (except fragrant crime) off of military installations. They are also in charge of the security of military installations, play a role as bodyguards of generals, admirals and other relevant military personnel, provide security services to military transports and police military personnel abroad.
The Civil Guard (in Spanish ''Guardia Civil'') is the Spanish gendarmerie force. Along with their civilian law enforcement functions, due to their military nature the Civil Guard is also assigned several functions as a Military Police under the Ministry of Defence (Spain), Minister of Defence, the most important of which is Criminal Investigations in military facilities and vessels, other MP functions include traffic and customs enforcement in international missions.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Armed Forces did not have any units technically named 'military police'. Two separate agencies handled military police duties on a day-to-day basis.
The ''Komendantskaya sluzhba'' or "Commandant's Service" of the Soviet Army wore a yellow letter "K" on a red patch on the sleeve to indicate their membership of this service—the "de facto" army police.
A second organisation called the Traffic Guard, Traffic Regulators existed within the Rear Services of the Armed Forces of Russia, Rear Services. Traffic Regulators served to control military highway and motor vehicle traffic. Traffic Regulators also wear a white painted helmet with red stripes to indicate their status and either an armband ar patch with the Cyrillic letter "P" (R).
In the Soviet Navy and (later in the present day Russian Navy) the role of Provost (military police), Naval provosts was primarily filled by personnel from the Naval Infantry (Russia), Naval Infantry.
Sweden
The Swedish military police are part of the Life Guards (Sweden), Life Guards, stationed in Stockholm. There are two MP companies, the 14th and the 15th companies. The 14th MP company serve a so-called GSS/T contract (two years of service over a period of eight years, the remaining time the soldiers can have a civilian job or study) and the 15th MP company serve a so-called GSS/K contract (hired continually for eight years). The Life Guards are also the seat of the Swedish military police unit (''MP-enheten'') which is responsible for the education of new MPs and is in charge of all MP activities in Sweden. Part of 13th security battalion, which is a counter-intelligence battalion, is also part of the Life Guards and has some soldiers who are trained MPs (mostly corporals and sergeants).
Switzerland
In the Swiss Armed Forces, the Military Police is responsible for law enforcement on military property and for all incidents where military personnel or equipment is involved. Unlike, for example, the United States, a military policeman in Switzerland has the same power to arrest any person that has committed an offense he witnessed or if he has reasonable grounds to believe the person has committed a violent offense.
Furthermore, the military police provides protection of Swiss representatives abroad and is in part responsible for the guarding of embassies and foreign VIPs in Switzerland, as well as maintaining personal security for members of the Swiss Federal Council. In addition, the Swiss Explosive Ordnance Disposal Center is a branch of the MP for the disposal of unexploded ordnance and also participates in various demining operations around the world.
The professional MP units comprise 758 officers and are divided into four Regions, each consisting of two companies and additional groups specialised on criminal investigations and training. The professional MP maintains a standing tactical team, capable of interventions in Switzerland and abroad, headquartered in Bern. In addition, there are four militia MP battalions with a head count of roughly 2000 men. Each MP Battalion has one tactical company who can be called to support either the primary MP tactical team or cantonal police teams if needed.
Unlike regular army personnel, professional military policemen wear olive uniforms in order to provide distinct identification. Militia MP wear the regular Swiss Army TAZ 90 camouflage. Moreover, the (both the professional and the militia) MP is equipped uniquely, armed with Glock side arms, MP5, H&K MP5 submachine guns, the Remington 870, Mzgw91 pump-action rifle and the SG550, SG553 assault rifle (compared to the standard issue SIG P220 pistol and SIG 550 assault rifle). Professional MP units drive Police car, patrol cars similar to those of the Cantonal police, civilian police, but also use MOWAG Piranha, Piranha and MOWAG Duro, Duro Armoured personnel carrier, APCs.
Ukraine
The Military Police (Ukraine), Ukrainian Military Police (VSP) is the military police for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Ukrainian Armed Forces
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom the term ''Military Police'' usually refers to the
Royal Military Police. The Royal Military Police is the branch of the Adjutant General's Corps, responsible for policing the British Army (both in the United Kingdom and overseas). The term ''Service Police'' refers to the three separate police organisations for each of the three branches of the UK's Armed Forces:
* The Royal Navy is policed by the Royal Navy Police (RNP), the members of which are traditionally known as Regulators (or Master-at-Arms if a Chief Petty Officer or Warrant Officer).
:The Royal Navy Police also provides Royal Marines specialising as service policemen. Prior to 2009, the Royal Marines Police was an independent organisation.
* The British Army is policed by the
Royal Military Police (RMP).
:In addition to the Royal Military Police, most British Army units have their own Regimental Provost (RP) staff. Sometimes incorrectly referred to as Regimental Police, they do not have any police powers or policing function, but are soldiers responsible for discipline within their own units. They are normally located in the Guardroom.
* The Royal Air Force is policed by the Royal Air Force Police (RAFP). The RAFP provides not only a full Policing function, but they also fulfil a security and counter intelligence function for the RAF and the wider defence community.
In addition, each of the three service police has its own Special Investigation Branch (SIB) to undertake investigation of more serious crime and plain-clothes investigations, and use the joint Service Police Crime Bureau operated by the RNP, RMP and RAFP.
Oceania
Australia
In Australia, ''Service Police'' refers to services policing three different agencies:
*The 1st Military Police Battalion (Australia), 1st Military Police Battalion is the field component of the Military Police and the Domestic Policing Unit is the garrison policing component. 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. Army MP's wear a red shoulder patch with MP in black.
*In the Royal Australian Navy, the Naval Police Coxswain Branch performs dual roles of performing general police duties, investigation of criminal offences and a secondary role of ships' coxswain staff responsible for administration of ships' personnel.
*In the Royal Australian Air Force, the Air Force Police perform the military police role. The Air Force Police organisation falls within Security Forces, therefore their role is largely providing force protection and enforcing military and civilian laws. Air Force Police members wear either a black brassard or patch with white SP meaning Service Police.
The Royal Australian Corps of Military Police train their own working dogs for a more Infantry/combat role.
All major crimes committed by or against personnel of the Australian Defence Force are investigated by the Australian Defence Force Investigative Service.
New Zealand
The Joint Military Police Unit (JMPU) is a tri-service Military Police unit from the Navy, Army, and Air Force.
JMPU comprises military police personnel from the RNZN Naval Police, Royal New Zealand Military Police, and the RNZAF Police. Personnel still maintain their own single service identity but operate under a single
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 ...
and investigate offences against the Armed Forces Discipline Act 1971.
JMPU operates outside of the normal Navy, Army and Air Force command structure. The current
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 ...
is a Group Captain who reports directly to the Vice Chief of the NZDF.

For all serious and complex investigations that are outside the scope of regular Military Police personnel a specialised unit known as the Special Investigations Branch (SIB) handles all high-profile investigations. SIB personnel attend courses with the New Zealand Police Criminal Investigation Branch. SIB have a similar role to the Australian Defence Force Investigative Service (ADFIS). SIB are also seconded to the NZ Police Criminal Investigation Branch, CIB.
JMPU also provide the close protection function for the NZDF. Only personnel from within the unit are able to attend the Tier 1 course and undergo a rigorous selection process. From time to time NZ Police officers from the Diplomatic Protection Squad and the Armed Offenders Squad have been known to also complete the course.
JMPU complete certain NZ Police courses such as Urgent Duty Driving, Disaster Victim Identification, Basic and Intermediate Crash Investigation with the NZ Police Serious Crash Unit, and some personnel have completed the Diplomatic Protection Squad training course.
JMPU are responsible for all detainee handling both in peacetime and in an operational environment such as custody and escort of POWs. Military Police are responsible for maintaining discipline at the Services Correction Establishment (SCE) which is located at Burnham Military Camp. SCE is the NZDF Military Prison and consists of guards who are all serving members of JMPU. The guards are responsible for rehabilitation of service personnel who have been sent to the facility as a result of serious offences committed against the Armed Forces Discipline Act 1971.
JMPU are identifiable by the blue and white "MP" patch they wear on their uniform and the blue beret as head dress, the wearing of the Blue beret differs from many commonwealth military police units as traditionally a red beret is worn.
JMPU wear their respective service dress for each service. During peacetime JMPU wear either a Multicam Camouflage uniform, or blue uniform with a SRBA vest.
Air force police

Air force police or sometimes known as "Air police" refers to certain units that are part of a country's air force that perform
law enforcement duties such as
force protection and air patrols, dealing primarily with the enforcement of aviation law at air force bases. It also indirectly plays a part in ensuring the air sovereignty of a country. It serves similarly to military and Paramilitary police (disambiguation), paramilitary police forces around the world and are commonly set up as a branch of a nation's military police or even a separate institution altogether. In some countries, the Air force police are also responsible for conducting
Provost duties in the scope of a country's air force, such as implementing
crime investigation
Forensic science, also known as criminalistics, is the application of science to criminal and civil laws, mainly—on the criminal side—during criminal investigation, as governed by the legal standards of admissible evidence and crimina ...
and enforcing discipline/order towards members of the Air force.
By country
* Royal Australian Air Force Airfield Defence Guards
* Royal Australian Air Force Security Police
*
Canadian Forces Military Police The Air Force Military Police Group
* Air Gendarmerie
* Indian Air Force Police (India), Indian Air Force Police
* Indonesian Air Force Military Police Command (Puspomau).
Video profile of the Indonesian Air Force Military Police
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* Air Apply Japan Air Self-Defense Force
* Air Force Police, Royal Air Force Regiment
* RNZAF Security Forces
* RNZAF Police
* Pakistan Air Force
* Polícia Aérea
* Military police of the Republic of Korea Air Force
* Sri Lanka Air Force
The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) ( si, ශ්රි ලංකා ගුවන් හමුදාව, Śrī Laṃkā guwan hamudāva; ta, இலங்கை விமானப்படை, Ilaṅkai vimāṉappaṭai) is the air arm and the yo ...
* Turkish Air Force
* Royal Air Force Police
* No. 3 (Royal Auxiliary Air Force) Police Squadron
* United States Air Force Security Forces
* Venezuela Air Force Police
See also
* Police tactical unit
* SWAT, Special Weapons and Tactics
* Riot control
* Military
* Regimental Police
Regimental police or regimental provost (RP) are soldiers responsible for regimental discipline enforcement and unit custody in the British Army, other Commonwealth armies and some armed forces structured in the British tradition. They belong to ...
* Provost (military police)
* Commandant's Service
* Gendarmerie
Wrong info! -->
A gendarmerie () is a military force with law enforcement duties among the civilian population. The term ''gendarme'' () is derived from the medieval French expression ', which translates to " men-at-arms" (literally, ...
References
External links
Hill’s National Guard Advocates Hold News Conference To Protest DOD Bill’s Proposed Decisions On National Guard
{{Authority control
Military police,
Military life
Law enforcement
Combat support occupations
Military law, Police
Law enforcement occupations