The Royal Air Force Police (RAFP) is the service police branch of the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...

, headed by the provost marshal of the Royal Air Force. Its headquarters are at RAF Honington, and it deploys throughout the world to support RAF and UK defence missions.

History

The RAF Police was formed on 1 April 1918, when the RAF was formed by the merger of the

Royal Flying Corps The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the air arm of the British Army before and during the First World War until it merged with the Royal Naval Air Service on 1 April 1918 to form the Royal Air Force. During the early part of the war, the RFC sup ...

and the

Royal Naval Air Service The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was the air arm of the Royal Navy, under the direction of the Admiralty (United Kingdom), Admiralty's Air Department, and existed formally from 1 July 1914 to 1 April 1918, when it was merged with the British ...

. By the end of

World War A world war is an international War, conflict that involves most or all of the world's major powers. Conventionally, the term is reserved for two major international conflicts that occurred during the first half of the 20th century, World War I ...

II there were 500 officers and 20,000 NCOs in the RAF Police. In January 1947, the RAF Provost Branch became a Specialist Branch within the RAF. In December 1950,

George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until Death and state funeral of George VI, his death in 1952 ...

approved the badge and motto ''Fiat Justitia''. By 2009, the RAF Police had served in 66 countries around the globe.

Uniform and insignia

RAF Police

non-commissioned officer A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is an enlisted rank, enlisted leader, petty officer, or in some cases warrant officer, who does not hold a Commission (document), commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority b ...

s and

warrant officer Warrant officer (WO) is a Military rank, rank or category of ranks in the armed forces of many countries. Depending on the country, service, or historical context, warrant officers are sometimes classified as the most junior of the commissioned ...

s are noticeable by their white-topped caps (giving rise to their nickname of "Snowdrops"), which they have worn since 1945, and by black and red flashes worn below their rank slides. RAF Police

commissioned officers An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service. Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer (NCO), or a warrant officer. However, absent c ...

wear the standard peaked cap of all RAF officers, with the red and black flashes. In dress uniform, all RAF Police wear a red and black

brassard A brassard or armlet is an armband or piece of cloth or other material worn around the upper arm; the term typically refers to an item of uniform worn as part of military uniform or by police or other uniformed persons. Unit, role, rank b ...

on the left arm, reflecting the flashes worn with normal working dress. In tactical dress, RAF Police personnel wear red "MP" badges, the internationally recognised symbol for

military police Military police (MP) are law enforcement agencies connected with, or part of, the military of a state. Not to be confused with civilian police, who are legally part of the civilian populace. In wartime operations, the military police may supp ...

The oath

Role

The RAF Police are responsible for the policing and security of all service personnel, much like their Royal Navy and British Army counterparts. Provision of policing, counter-intelligence and specialist security support to the RAF includes: * Front line, Response and Law Enforcement duties * Criminal and security investigation * Serious and Complex Criminal Investigations – a DSCU responsibility since December 2022 * Aircraft protection and security *Covert Operations * Counter Intelligence Operations * Cyber and

information security Information security is the practice of protecting information by mitigating information risks. It is part of information risk management. It typically involves preventing or reducing the probability of unauthorized or inappropriate access to data ...

* Military working dogs * Force protection (on deployed operations) * Close protection of VIPs In addition to policing, the RAF Police has security investigators tasked with the investigation of non-criminal conduct offences involving security threats. The

Special Investigation Branch Special Investigation Branch (SIB) was the name given to the detective branches of all three British military police arms: the Royal Navy Police, Royal Military Police and Royal Air Force Police. It was most closely associated with the Royal ...

has been disbanded and replaced with the tri-service Defence Serious Crime Unit. Counter Intelligence Operations Squadron investigate security breaches and support the RAF through the gathering of intelligence and protective security based activities. These specialist capabilities are supported by forensic and intelligence units. Members of all wings are used for operations overseas, deploying as individuals, with the aircraft they support, or as a formed unit drawn together under the Tactical Police Squadrons. Members of the RAF Police may also specialise in

close protection A bodyguard (or close protection officer/operative) is a type of security guard, government law enforcement officer, or servicemember who protects an important person or group of people, such as high-ranking public officials, wealthy business ...

duties, ensuring the safety of VIPs and other dignitaries in hostile environments. The RAF Police are the only branch of the Service Police who operate police dogs within the UK military. They manage all RAF military working dogs, with detachments at some RAF stations. RAF Police dogs and their handlers support overseas operations. Recently, this has included Iraq and Afghanistan, in both patrol and specialist search roles. The RAF Police is subject to inspection by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, in the same way as the UK's civilian police forces.

Organisation

Office of the Provost Marshal (OPM) is the HQ of the Provost Marshal, who holds the rank of

group captain Group captain (Gp Capt or G/C) is a senior officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many Commonwealth of Nations, countries that have historical British influence. Group cap ...

. A component of the RAF's Global Enablement Organisation and now re-rolled as the Air Security Force (ASF), the RAF Police is organised into capability wings that operate both within the UK and overseas. The Provost Marshal also holds the title Commander of the Air Security Force. Detachments of RAF Police can be found at some RAF stations. Usually, the detachment consists of a

Flight Flight or flying is the motion (physics), motion of an Physical object, object through an atmosphere, or through the vacuum of Outer space, space, without contacting any planetary surface. This can be achieved by generating aerodynamic lift ass ...

, commanded by either a

Flying Officer Flying officer (Fg Offr or F/O) is a junior officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. Flying officer is immediately ...

or a Flight Lieutenant; a Flight Sergeant or

Sergeant Sergeant (Sgt) is a Military rank, rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage f ...

usually functions as the senior

of the flight. RAF Police Flights are responsible to and directed by a RAF Police Squadron. Squadron HQs are based at the larger RAF stations and provide remote oversight of the Police Flights at the units within their respective area of responsibility. Squadron HQs are themselves responsible to, and directed by, the Deputy Provost Marshal of the RAF Police, who is a

wing commander Wing commander (Wg Cdr or W/C) is a senior officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. Wing commander is immediately se ...

. RAF Police personnel are not responsible to, or under the direct command of, the Commanding Officer (Station Commander) of the station at which they are situated; all service police on RAF Police wings remain under the command of the Provost Marshal (RAF). Their authority to act as service police stems directly from the

Armed Forces Act 2006 The Armed Forces Act 2006 (c. 52) is an Act of Parliament (UK), act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It came into force on 31 October 2009. It replaces the three separate Service Discipline Acts (the Army Act 1955 (3 & 4 Eliz. 2. c. 18), ...

. Service police are able to issue lawful commands to any service person, regardless of their rank or trade. The RAF Police also provides the RAF's Counter-intelligence & Protective Security (CI & PS) role, similar to that carried out by the Intelligence Corps and elements of the

Royal Signals The Royal Corps of Signals (often simply known as the Royal Signals – abbreviated to R SIGNALS) is one of the combat support arms of the British Army. Signals units are among the first into action, providing the battlefield communications an ...

of the

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

. IT Security is a further specialisation within the protective security field, and personnel trained to this level are expected to perform all PS and IT Security related tasks. Over 400 RAF Police personnel are seconded to roles within Strategic Command, providing Counter Intelligence and Protective Security capabilities to UK and overseas operations. No Law Enforcement capability is maintained on StratCom.

New operating model, 2021

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

Future Operating Model, 2022

In 2022, HQ AIR instigated a rapid and challenging change program in its operating model for the whole of the RAF. This has seen all single service SIBs amalgamate into a single formation headed by a newly created Provost Marshal (Serious Crime), resulting in the RAF SIB capability being handed to the new Defence Serious Crime Unit. In November 2022, the 1-star (Air Officer (AO) FP) was re-roled into AO Global Enablement (GE), resulting in the disbandment of the FP Force. PM(RAF) is in command of the RAF Police, MPGS and associated civil servants. This new force is known as the Air Security Force (ASF). PM(RAF) also now attracts the title of Commander ASF. Instead of the traditional geographical squadrons, there are now three Police and Security wings and nine capability-facing squadrons. These are: Wings * 1 Police & Sy – People facing * * 2 Police & Sy – Platform facing * * 3 Police & Sy – Air Mobility facing Sqns * * 1 Tactical Police & Sy Sqn * * 2 Counter Intelligence and Security Sqn * * 3 Police (Reserves) & Sy Sqn * * 4 Police & Sy Sqn supporting the Typhoon Force * * 5 Police & Sy Sqn supporting the ISTAR Force * * 6 Police & Sy Sqn supporting the Lightning Force * * 7 Police & Sy Sqn supporting the Air Mobility Force * * 8 Police & Sy Sqn supporting the 22 Gp Training Units * * 9 Police & Sy Sqn supporting Battlespace Management & Space Force.

Recent operations

In Afghanistan, as part of the RAF's Force Protection Wing, the RAF Police provided security for Camp Bastion along with external support to frontline troops, operating within fighting patrols, detainee handling and Weapon Intelligence Specialists. On 12 May 2012, Cpl Brent McCarthy – an RAF Policeman stationed at

RAF Brize Norton Royal Air Force Brize Norton or RAF Brize Norton is the largest List of Royal Air Force stations, station of the Royal Air Force. Situated in Oxfordshire, about west north-west of London, it is close to the village of Brize Norton and the tow ...

– was shot and killed while on duty in

Helmand Province Helmand (Pashto language, Pashto/Dari language, Dari: ; ), also known as Hillmand, in ancient times, as Hermand and Hethumand, is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, in the south of the country. It is the largest province by area, covering ...

. RAF Police, along with other units, took part in the Mobility Guardian exercise in 2017. Between the 14 Aug 21 and 28 Aug 21, RAF Police deployed on Op PITTING alongside 16 Air Assault Brigade. Screening and securing approx 122,000 people evacuating from Afghanistan.

Training

RAF_Police_Military_Working_Dog_Trials_HON-20221108-235-MWD-191

Ground trades personnel within the Royal Air Force start their service career at RAF Halton where they undergo basic training consisting of 10 weeks. Once this is successfully completed, recruit intakes are dispersed to the various Ground Trades Training Schools. Potential RAF Police recruits are trained at the Defence School of Policing and Security at Southwick Park, Hampshire, along with recruits of the Royal Navy Police and the Royal Military Police. In order to conduct some of the wider specialist roles, particularly involving the investigation of more serious and complex crime and security investigations, extensive further post-graduation training is provided outside DSPS to all RAF Police specialists by Home Office police forces and training providers. Most of the training requirements of a Home Office police force in terms of detective training and covert operations are delivered to specialist RAF Police elements. During the 1950s, training was carried out at RAF Netheravon in Wiltshire, and in the 1960s at

RAF Debden Royal Air Force Debden or more simply RAF Debden is a former Royal Air Force List of former Royal Air Force stations, station located southeast of Saffron Walden and approximately north of the village of Debden, Uttlesford, Debden in north Es ...

near

Saffron Walden Saffron Walden is a market town and civil parish in the Uttlesford district of Essex, England, north of Bishop's Stortford, south of Cambridge and north of London. It retains a rural appearance and some buildings of the medieval period. Th ...

. Until the mid-1990s, trade training took place at RAF Newton in

Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated ''Notts.'') is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. The county is bordered by South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. Th ...

, before moving to RAF Halton in

Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (, abbreviated ''Bucks'') is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-east, Hertfordshir ...

. In 2004, all UK service police training was consolidated at Southwick Park.

References

External links

* {{UK private and military police forces Military units and formations of the Royal Air Force Military units and formations established in 1918 Military police agencies of the United Kingdom Air force police agencies