The United States Army Military Police Corps (USAMPC) is the uniformed

law enforcement Law enforcement is the activity of some members of the government or other social institutions who act in an organized manner to enforce the law by investigating, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing people who violate the rules and norms gove ...

branch of the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

. Investigations are conducted by Military Police investigators under the Provost Marshal General's Office or

special agent In the United States, a special agent is an official title used to refer to certain investigators or detectives of federal, military, tribal, or state agencies who primarily serve in criminal investigatory positions. Additionally, some special ...

s of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID). United States Army Military Police units have combat zone responsibilities in addition to their law enforcement duties. These responsibilities include mounted and dismounted patrols, response force operations, area damage control,

route reconnaissance Route Reconnaissance is the investigation of the operational environment in reconnaissance operations of routes for military use, including methods of reconnoitering and classifying them for other troops. In a k during ll the primary purpose of co ...

cordon and search Cordon and search is a military tactic to cordon off an area and search the premises for weapons or insurgents. It is one of the basic counterinsurgency operations. Two types of cordon and search operations are cordon and knock

Mission

The United States Army's Military Police provide an important function in the full spectrum of Army operations as a member of the Maneuver, Fires, and Effects division. The Military Police Corps provides expertise in policing, detainment, and stability operations in order to enhance security and enable mobility. Military Police are actively utilized in direct combat and during peacetime. ; Disciplines The Military Police tasks can be separated into three disciplines and one integrated function: # Security and mobility support operations # Police operations # Detention operations # Police intelligence operations (integrated function across all disciplines) ; Career The Military Police Corps has six career paths within the Army, one for commissioned officers, one for warrant officers, and four for enlisted soldiers: Currently 31 series, formerly the 95 series, and before that, 1677. * 31A - Military Police Officer * 311A - Criminal Investigations Warrant Officer; * 31B (formerly coded as 95B) - Military Police * 31D (formerly coded as 95D) - Criminal Investigations Special Agent * 31E (formerly coded as 95C) - Internment/Resettlement Specialist * 31K - Military Police Working Dog Handler Reserve Sgt

A Criminal Investigations Warrant Officer investigates felony crimes and can be tasked to DoD operations in areas like counter-narcotics and

HUMINT Human intelligence (HUMINT, pronounced ) is intelligence-gathering by means of human sources and interpersonal communication. It is distinct from more technical intelligence-gathering disciplines, such as signals intelligence (SIGINT), imager ...

. An Internment/Resettlement Specialist works in the confinement and correctional facilities of the United States Military. Work includes maintaining physical security and supervision of facilities, but specialists are also responsible for offering counseling services to those within the facility.

History

The Military Police Corps is one of the youngest branches of the

. It was officially established on 26 September 1941, although it has an irregular history dating back to 1776.

Military Police in the Revolutionary War

The Military Police Corps traces its lineage and history back to the

American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...

. General

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

requested that the staff position of

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 (Modern French ). While a provost marshal is now usually a senior c ...

be created to deal with disciplinary issues. In January 1776, William Maroney was appointed as the first Provost Marshal of the Continental Army. The Provost Marshals relied on soldiers temporarily drawn from other units, and had difficulty enforcing discipline. On 20 May 1778, Congress established the Provost Corps, which General Washington referred to as the "Marechaussee." This name was from the

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

: "''

maréchaussée The were corps of soldiers in the armies of France initially put in charge of military policing and justice during the Middle Ages, and later extended to civilian responsibilities. They gradually coalesced into a police force with jurisdictio ...

''," from the

Old French Old French (, , ; ) was the language spoken in most of the northern half of France approximately between the late 8th German-speaking officer from Pennsylvania, was appointed as the first commander of the Marechaussee on 1 June 1778. Under the new organization, the Provost Marshal was responsible for soldiers under custody and for punishments, while the Marechaussee was tasked with the enforcement of order within the Continental Army. The Marechaussee Corps would be formed exclusively as a police organization, and was organized and equipped as light dragoons, utilizing their speed to aid in troop movements and moving prisoners from the battlefield. The Marechaussee protected the Army's rear and flanks during troop movements, searched for stragglers, guarded river crossings, and engaged in combat when needed, as in the Battle of Springfield. The Provost Corps was disbanded in November 1783.

Civil War

In 1863, the Office of the Provost Marshal General was established and oversaw the

Veteran Reserve Corps The Veteran Reserve Corps (originally the Invalid Corps) was a military reserve organization created within the Union Army during the American Civil War to allow partially disabled or otherwise infirm soldiers (or former soldiers) to perform li ...

(VRC). In the

US Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), which was formed in 1861 by states that had seceded f ...

, the VRC maintained law and order at garrison areas, while other provost guard units served on the front lines. After the war, the Office of the Provost Marshal General was discontinued as the Union Army disbanded.

Spanish–American War

During the

Moro Rebellion The Moro Rebellion (1902–1913) was an armed conflict between the Moro people and the United States military during the Philippine–American War. The rebellion occurred after the conclusion of the conflict between the United States and Fir ...

following the

Spanish–American War The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...

, the United States founded the

Philippine Constabulary The Philippine Constabulary (PC; , ''HPP''; ) was a gendarmerie-type military police force of the Philippines from 1901 to 1991, and the predecessor to the Philippine National Police. It was created by the Insular Government, American occupat ...

. Training began in 1902, and Brigadier General

Harry Hill Bandholtz Harry Hill Bandholtz (December 18, 1864 – May 7, 1925) was a United States Army career officer who served for more than a decade in the Philippines. He was a Major general (United States), major general during World War I, and the US represent ...

was appointed as chief of the Constabulary in 1907.

World War I

The complexity of warfare during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

required a corps of specially-trained soldiers to handle massive numbers of prisoners of war and control the movement of troops and supplies in the zones of operation. The Military Police Training Department was established 9 September 1918 at Caserne Changarnier in

Autun Autun () is a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Saône-et-Loire Departments of France, department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Regions of France, region of central-eastern France. It was founded during the Principate era of the e ...

, France. Following the war, Brigadier General

, who had served as Provost Marshal of the

American Expeditionary Forces The American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) was a formation of the United States Armed Forces on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during World War I, composed mostly of units from the United States Army, U.S. Army. The AEF was establis ...

, proposed the establishment of a permanent Military Police Corps. Although Congress failed to act upon this recommendation, it allowed for the permanent organization of Army military police units in the

National Defense Act The National Defense Act of 1916, , was a United States federal law that updated the Militia Act of 1903, which related to the organization of the military, particularly the National Guard. The principal change of the act was to supersede provis ...

Amendment of 1920. In 1917, CPL Charles W. Baltimore, a black MP soldier stationed at

Camp Logan Camp Logan was a World War I–era army training camp in Houston, Texas, named after U.S. Senator and Civil War General John A. Logan. The site of the camp is now primarily occupied by Memorial Park where it borders the Crestwood neighborh ...

in Texas, inquired into the beating of a black soldier by Houston police and was himself beaten and arrested afterwards. The racial tension which followed led to the Houston Riot, which killed four soldiers and sixteen civilians, and 60 black soldiers were executed or sentenced to life in prison.

World War II

During

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

, Military Police schools were established at

Camp Gordon Fort Gordon, formerly known as Fort Eisenhower and Camp Gordon, is a United States Army installation established southwest of Augusta, Georgia in October 1941. It is the current home of the United States Army Signal Corps, United States Army Cy ...

Fort Benjamin Harrison Fort Benjamin Harrison was a U.S. Army post located in suburban Lawrence Township, Marion County, Indiana, northeast of Indianapolis, between 1906 and 1991. It is named for the 23rd United States president, Benjamin Harrison. History In 190 ...

, with the Military Police Replacement Center established at Fort Custer. MPs also trained for port security at

Fort McHenry Fort McHenry is a historical American Coastal defense and fortification, coastal bastion fort, pentagonal bastion fort on Locust Point, Baltimore, Locust Point, now a neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland. It is best known for its role in the War ...

. Military Police soldiers moved traffic along the

Burma Road The Burma Road () was a road linking Burma (now known as Myanmar) with southwest China. Its terminals were Lashio, Burma, in the south and Kunming, China, the capital of Yunnan province in the north. It was built in 1937–1938 while Burm ...

, supported amphibious operations on

Normandy Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy. Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...

beachheads, and managed enemy prisoners of war from

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

to the South Pacific. When the

Red Ball Express The Red Ball Express was an American truck convoy system that supplied World War II allies, Allied forces moving through Europe after breaking out from the D-Day beaches in Normandy in the summer of 1944. To expedite cargo shipments to the fro ...

(a supply route stemming from Normandy to the front lines) was established in August 1944, MP performed route reconnaissance and security to keep the trucks and supplies flowing. This was the

793rd Military Police Battalion The 793rd Military Police Battalion was a battalion-sized unit in the United States Army stationed at Fort Richardson, Alaska. The battalion was responsible for all Regular Army Military Police units and operations in Germany and eventually in ...

's (deactivated in 2014) first mission in theater and commemorated this in their coat of arms and unit insignia; which consists of a field of green, a yellow road, and two red disks symbolizing the famed route. Thanks to the actions of First Lieutenant John Hyde and his detachment of MP, The Corps was heralded for gallantry at

Remagen Remagen () is a town in Germany in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, in the district of Ahrweiler (district), Ahrweiler. It is about a one-hour drive from Cologne, just south of Bonn, the former West Germany, West German seat of government. It i ...

, as a fighting force in numerous combat actions and as peacekeepers at war's end. In 1944, the Army again saw the need for a unit to investigate crime involving soldiers in Europe. The

United States Army Criminal Investigation Division The United States Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID or DACID), previously known as the United States Army Criminal Investigation Command (USACIDC), is the primary federal law enforcement agency of the United States Depa ...

was established as a branch of the

General's Office and has continued investigative activity since. After the war ended, cavalry units in Germany were utilized to form the

United States Constabulary The United States Constabulary was a United States Army military gendarmerie force. From 1946 to 1952, in the aftermath of World War II, it acted as an occupation and security force in the Allied Occupation Zones in Germany, U.S. Occupation Zone ...

, a police-like patrol organization. It was disbanded in the 1950s. In 1949, the newly formed Defense Department was in the process of reorganizing the Army and plans were developed to disband the Military Police Corps. But when Congress passed the Army Reorganization Act in May 1950, the Corps survived, remaining a separate branch of the Army.

Korean War and Vietnam War

When North Korea invaded South Korea in June 1950, there were some MP units stationed in Korea. One of those was the 55th Military Police Company, which had been assigned to Camp Ascom in December 1948. Most of those military police units that arrived during the early months of the war came from Japan, where they were serving as occupation forces following World War II. While the majority of MP companies came from outside Korea, most of the battalions of the Korean War were formed on the peninsula During the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

, Military Police kept supply routes open. Subsequently, Military Police monitored the exchange of prisoners and patrolled the demilitarized zone. Military Police, adapting to a different style of warfare in

Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...

, earned status as a combat support arm, partially as a result of combat success during the

Tet Offensive The Tet Offensive was a major escalation and one of the largest military campaigns of the Vietnam War. The Viet Cong (VC) and North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) launched a surprise attack on 30 January 1968 against the forces of ...

Current role

During

Operation Just Cause Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...

Operation Desert Shield , combatant2 = , commander1 = , commander2 = , strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems , page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...

and Storm, the Military Police provided area security, conducted battlefield circulation control, and exercised custody over thousands of prisoners. Since 1991, the Military Police have assisted with interventions in Somalia,

Haiti Haiti, officially the Republic of Haiti, is a country on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and south of the Bahamas. It occupies the western three-eighths of the island, which it shares with the Dominican ...

and

Bosnia Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...

. Military Police maintained order in war-torn

Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...

, as well as keeping the peace in

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...

. During the 2003 invasion of Iraq, MPs were used extensively to maintain control over the large numbers of detainees being held by coalition forces, as well as helping to conduct raids, convoy security and regular patrols. MPs were the main force responsible in rebuilding and training the Iraqi Police. Ever since the invasion, military police have been one of the most heavily engaged military occupational specialty in the Iraqi theater. In the United States, MPs often provided disaster relief and internal security, while still fulfilling their fundamental function of maintaining discipline and security within the Army.

Women in the Military Police Corps

Women in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps were assigned Military Police duties as early as 1941. By 1943, soldiers in the

Women's Army Corps The Women's Army Corps (WAC; ) was the women's branch of the United States Army. It was created as an auxiliary unit, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC), on 15 May 1942, and converted to an active duty status in the Army of the United S ...

were trained as Military Police in order to police female soldiers, although they had jurisdiction over all soldiers, including males. Women have since served in the Military Police Corps, which has given the regiment some distinction. (In the 1953 Film '' Off Limits'',

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, entertainer and producer with a career that spanned nearly 80 years and achievements in vaudeville, network radio, television, and USO Tours. He appeared ...

plays a character who joins the Military Police so he can train with women.) Females were officially accepted into the Military Police Corps in 1975. As the Women's Auxiliary Corps was disbanded the Military Police stood up to accept and train women alongside their male counterparts. Female MPs have crossed many gender barriers in the United States Armed Forces. * In the 1983

Invasion of Grenada The United States and a Caribbean Peace Force, coalition of Caribbean countries invaded the small island nation of Grenada, north of Venezuela, at dawn on 25 October 1983. Codenamed Operation Urgent Fury by the U.S. military, it resulted in m ...

, 4 female MPs from the 118th Military Police Company (Airborne) were deployed to Grenada. Conflicting views of

women in combat Women in combat refers to female military personnel assigned to combat positions. The role of women in the military has varied across the world’s major countries throughout history with several views for and against women in combat. Over time ...

caused them to be ordered back to the United States, only to be ordered back to Grenada days later. * In the 1989

United States invasion of Panama The United States invaded Panama in mid-December 1989 during the presidency of George H. W. Bush. The purpose of the invasion was to depose the '' de facto'' ruler of Panama, General Manuel Noriega, who was wanted by U.S. authorities for rack ...

, CPT Linda Bray led the 988th Military Police Company in an assault against Panamanian Defense Forces, and is considered the first woman to lead U.S. troops in combat. CPT Bray was awarded the

Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fift ...

for

Valor Valor, valour, or valorous may mean: * Courage, a similar meaning * Virtue ethics, roughly "courage in defense of a noble cause" Entertainment * Valor Kand, a member of the band Christian Death * ''Valor'' (TV series), an American drama series ...

. *

Tulsi Gabbard Tulsi Gabbard (; born April 12, 1981) is an American politician and military officer serving as the director of National Intelligence, director of national intelligence (DNI) since 2025. She has held the rank of Lieutenant colonel (United Stat ...

became the first female to graduate Alabama Military Academy as the OCS distinguished honor graduate in March 2007, and one of the first women combat veterans to serve in United States Congress. * In 2010, Brigadier General Colleen L. McGuire became the first woman to hold the office of Provost Marshal General of the Army. * In 2015, CPT Kristen Griest, a military police

commissioned officer 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 ...

, became one of the first two women to successfully complete U.S. Army Ranger School. *SFC Jeanne Balcombe and PFC Tekoa Lurray Brown became the first two female Military Police soldiers killed in the line of duty (both in 1999) to be added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC (Balcombe: Panel 60-E: 21 Brown: panel 61-E: 21) * On 27 May 2021, Command Sergeant Major Veronica Knapp, a Military Police soldier, became the first female CSM of a United States Army Division when she assumed the leadership role with the 101st Airborne Division. * SGT

Leigh Ann Hester Leigh Ann Hester (born January 12, 1982) is a United States Army National Guard soldier. While assigned to the 617th Military Police Company, a Kentucky Army National Guard unit out of Richmond, Kentucky, Hester received the Silver Star for he ...

, an NCO with the Kentucky National Guard’s 617th Military Police Company, became the first woman to earn the Silver Star since WWII for combat valor through her actions on 20th March 2005, in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. In 2008, 25% of the MP Corps were women. The mixed-gender MP Corps is valued in the wars in

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

and

, where cultural taboos may prevent male soldiers from interacting with women.

Modern U.S. Army Military Police

Uniforms

In the U.S. Army, a simple patch with the legend "MP" worn on the left arm distinguishes a military-police soldier wearing the

Army Combat Uniform The Army Combat Uniform (ACU) is the current combat uniform worn by the United States Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Space Force and some elements of the U.S. Coast Guard. Within the Air Force and Space Force, it is referred to as the OCP ( Op ...

(ACU). This patch is attached to the uniform by a

hook and loop fastener Hook-and-loop fasteners, commonly known as Velcro (a Generic trademark, genericized trademark), hook-and-pile fasteners or touch fasteners are versatile fastening devices that allow two surfaces to be repeatedly attached and detached with ease ...

(i.e.

Velcro Velcro IP Holdings LLC, trading as Velcro Companies and commonly referred to as Velcro (pronounced ), is a British privately held company, founded by Swiss electrical engineer George de Mestral in the 1950s. It is the original manufacturer of ho ...

). For both garrison law-enforcement duty as well as for tactical field work, the patch is a subdued brown with black lettering. U.S. military police used to be distinguished by a

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 ...

worn on the left arm when on duty in previous uniform versions such as the

Battle Dress Uniform The Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) is a camouflaged combat uniform that was used by the United States Armed Forces as their standard combat uniform from the early 1980s to the mid-2000s. Since then, it has been replaced or supplanted in every bra ...

. The brassard was black with white lettering for garrison law-enforcement duty and could include extra designations such as "Customs MP" or "K-9 MP" (for dog handlers). Tactical brassards were green with black lettering for temperate climates and sand with light brown lettering for desert duty. When wearing a Class A or B uniform, they are authorized to wear combat boots instead of regulation low-cut shoes. However, like Airborne soldiers who may only wear the boots while on jump status, MPs may only wear these boots with Class A or B uniforms when performing law enforcement duties. During World War II, the emblems used were a wide white band around the helmet or a white helmet liner or a white

peaked cap A peaked cap, peaked hat, service cap, barracks cover, or combination cap is a form of headgear worn by the armed forces of many nations, as well as many uniformed civilian organisations such as law enforcement agencies and fire departments. It d ...

, a white webbing

Sam Browne belt The Sam Browne belt is a leather Belt (clothing), belt with a supporting strap that passes over the right shoulder, worn by military and police officers. It is named after Sir Sam Browne, Samuel J. Browne (1824–1901), the British Indian Army G ...

, white gloves, and white

gaiters Gaiters are garments worn over the shoe and bottom of the pant or trouser leg and used primarily as personal protective equipment, in particular against snakebite. They are also commonly used to keep the bottom of the pant-leg dry when hiking ...

, atop the standard olive drab uniform. From this clothing, the nickname they were given by the British civilians at the time was "snowdrops." An MP armband was also worn on the left arm, usually black or dark blue with white letters.

Weapons

The standard personal semi automatic side arm of the United States Army military police, was for many decades the venerable .45 ACP Colt 1911. In 1985 a new service pistol, the

9mm This is a list of firearm cartridges that have bullets in the to caliber In guns, particularly firearms, but not #As a measurement of length, artillery, where a different definition may apply, caliber (or calibre; sometimes abbreviate ...

Beretta M9 The Beretta M9, officially the Pistol, Semiautomatic, 9mm, M9, is the designation for the Beretta 92FS semi-automatic pistol used by the United States Armed Forces. The M9 was adopted by the United States military as their service pistol in 1 ...

was used by uniformed MP personnel. In 2019, the US Army announced that the

SIG Sauer M17 The SIG Sauer M17 and M18 are service pistols derived from the SIG Sauer P320 in use with the United States Armed Forces. Design When the requirements were formulated for a new handgun for the U.S. Army, one of the tenets of the proposal was ...

and M18 would become the main handgun for MPs. Also used are the 5.56

M4 carbine The M4 carbine (officially Carbine, Caliber 5.56 mm, M4) is a 5.56×45mm NATO assault rifle developed in the United States during the 1980s. It is a shortened version of the M16A2 assault rifle. The M4 is extensively used by the US mi ...

, the 40mm

M320 Grenade Launcher Module M320 Grenade Launcher Module (GLM) is the U.S. military's designation for a new single-shot List of 40 mm grenades, 40 mm grenade launcher system to replace the M203 grenade launcher, M203 for the U.S. Army, while other services initially kept ...

, the M2 .50cal Machine Gun, the

M249 Squad Automatic Weapon The M249 SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon), formally the Light Machine Gun, 5.56 mm, M249, is the United States Armed Forces adaptation of the Belgian FN Minimi, a light machine gun manufactured by FN Herstal (FN). The M249 SAW is manufactured in th ...

(SAW) or M240B, and the

Mossberg 500 The Mossberg 500 is a series of pump-action shotguns manufactured by O.F. Mossberg & Sons. The 500 series comprises widely varying models of hammerless repeaters, all of which share the same basic receiver and action, but differ in bore size, ...

shotgun A shotgun (also known as a scattergun, peppergun, or historically as a fowling piece) is a long gun, long-barreled firearm designed to shoot a straight-walled cartridge (firearms), cartridge known as a shotshell, which discharges numerous small ...

M26 Modular Accessory Shotgun System The M26-MASS (Modular Accessory Shotgun System) is a shotgun configured as an underbarrel ancillary weapon attachment mounted onto the handguard of a service rifle, usually the M16/ M4 family of the United States Armed Forces, essentially makin ...

. MP team leaders are typically assigned an M4 with an M320 attached, drivers are assigned an M249 and gunners are assigned an M4 in addition to any other crew-served weapons they are responsible for. Crew-served or vehicle-based weapons used by MP fireteams include the

M2 Browning machine gun The M2 machine gun or Browning .50-caliber machine gun (informally, "Ma Deuce") is a heavy machine gun that was designed near the end of World War I by John Browning. While similar to Browning's M1919 Browning machine gun, which was chamber ...

, M240B, and

Mk 19 grenade launcher The Mk 19 grenade launcher (pronounced Mark 19) is an American 40 mm belt-fed automatic grenade launcher that was first developed during the Vietnam War. Overview The Mk 19 is a belt-fed, blowback-operated, air-cooled, crew-ser ...

. MP teams often carry one or two

AT4 The AT4 is a Swedish unguided, man-portable, disposable, Shoulder-fired missile, shoulder-fired recoilless Anti-tank warfare, anti-tank weapon manufactured by Saab Bofors Dynamics (formerly FFV Ordnance; later, Bofors Anti-Armour Systems). ...

anti-tank weapons, as well. Military Police also utilize the use of PEDD (Patrol Explosive Detection Dogs) and SSD (Specialized Search Dogs) K9 Military Working Dogs.

Units

Military Police are considered maneuver support, and MP units may be organized at many different levels, based on the size of the unit it is meant to support. An Army

Corps Corps (; plural ''corps'' ; from French , from the Latin "body") is a term used for several different kinds of organization. A military innovation by Napoleon I, the formation was formally introduced March 1, 1800, when Napoleon ordered Gener ...

may contain one MP brigade, which is responsible for training and supplying subordinate Military Police units. When MP units are deployed, their parent unit may maintain administrative control (ADCON) while relinquishing tactical control (TACON) to the deployed unit being supported.

Military Police Investigations

Investigations are conducted by Military Police Investigators or Special Agents with the

(USACID), commonly referred to as CID. The Military Police Investigations (MPI) office is responsible for the investigation of all misdemeanor and several felony crimes including aggravated assault, housebreaking, and larcenies under a thousand dollars committed within an area of military jurisdiction or violations of military law committed by military personnel anywhere (Title 10 Section 805, UCMJ Article 5). MPI Investigators (31B ASI V5) are MPs who attend the Military Police Investigations course at the Military Police School, located at

Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri Fort Leonard Wood is a U.S. Army training installation located in the Missouri Ozarks. The main gate is located on the southern boundary of the city of St. Robert. The post was created in December 1940 and named in honor of General Leonard Woo ...

. Army CID is the Department of the Army’s criminal investigative organization, reporting directly to the Under Secretary of the Army. CID Special Agents investigate felony crimes, regardless of the incident location, which have an Army nexus.

Special Reaction Teams

The United States Army has proponency via FM 19-10 for the special reaction team mission for the Army Military Police

Navy A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...

Coast Guard A coast guard or coastguard is a Maritime Security Regimes, maritime security organization of a particular country. The term embraces wide range of responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with cust ...

Air Force An air force in the broadest sense is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army aviati ...

Marine Corps Marines (or naval infantry) are military personnel generally trained to operate on both land and sea, with a particular focus on amphibious warfare. Historically, the main tasks undertaken by marines have included raiding ashore (often in supp ...

that responds to the highest-risk situations within a

military base A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. A military base always provides accommodations for ...

or compound. The SRT units in the

United States Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD, or DOD) is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government charged with coordinating and superv ...

are equivalents of civilian

police department The police are a constituted body of people empowered by a state with the aim of enforcing the law and protecting the public order as well as the public itself. This commonly includes ensuring the safety, health, and possessions of citize ...

SRT units and Special Response Teams, and receive their training at the Military Police Corps School at

Fort Leonard Wood Fort Leonard Wood is a United States Army, U.S. Army training installation located in the Missouri The Ozarks, Ozarks. The main gate is located on the southern boundary of the city of St. Robert, Missouri, St. Robert. The post was created in De ...

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

."Advanced Military Police Courses"
www.wood.army.mil

Heraldic items

Branch insignia

# Two crossed gold color flintlock pistols inch in height. # The insignia was approved in 1922. # The M1805 pistol, sometimes referred to as the Harper's Ferry Pistol (

Harper's Ferry Model 1805 The Harper's Ferry Model 1805 U.S. martial flintlock pistol manufactured at the Harpers Ferry Armory in Virginia (now West Virginia) was the first pistol manufactured by an American national Armory (military), armory. It was the standard handgun o ...

;!made at the Harper's Ferry Arsenal), was selected since it was the first American military pistol and remained the Army model for many years. The parts of this weapon were standardized and inter-changeable, thereby marking an advance in arms production.

Branch plaque

* The plaque design has the branch insignia, letters, and rim in gold. The background is green.

Regimental insignia

# A gold color metal and enamel device 1 3/16 inches in height consisting of a shield blazoned as follows: Vert, a fasces palewise, axe Or and rods Proper (brown), thereover in fess a balance and in saltire overall a key with bow in sinister base and a sword with hilt in dexter base all of the second. # The shield is enclosed at bottom and sides by a gold scroll of three folds inscribed ''ASSIST PROTECT DEFEND'' in green letters and surmounted at the top by two crossed gold pistols. # The regimental insignia was approved on 3 July 1986.

Regimental coat of arms

* Description # The coat of arms appears on the breast of a displayed eagle on the regimental flag. # The coat of arms is: Vert, a fasces palewise, axe Or and rods Proper (brown); thereover in fess a balance and in saltire overall a key with bow in sinister base and a sword with hilt in dexter base all of the second. # The crest (On a wreath of the colors Or and Vert a pair of crossed pistols of the first) is displayed above the eagle's head. # The background color of the flag is green and the fringe is yellow. The coat of arms was approved on 2 May 1986. * Symbolism # Green and gold are the colors associated with the Military Police Corps. # The

fasces A fasces ( ; ; a , from the Latin word , meaning 'bundle'; ) is a bound bundle of wooden rods, often but not always including an axe (occasionally two axes) with its blade emerging. The fasces is an Italian symbol that had its origin in the Etrus ...

is an ancient symbol of authority related to a Roman magistrate. # The balance is symbolic of equal justice under law and the key signifies security. # The sword represents the military. # The crossed pistols are the symbol of the Military Police Corps mission: to uphold the law and to keep order. # The motto ASSIST, PROTECT, DEFEND reflects the mission.

Branch colors

* Green piped with gold. # The color yellow piped with green was assigned to the Military Police by Army Regulation 600-35 dated 20 April 1922. # With the establishment of gold for the Armor and the use of green for the insignia on the Armor flag, the colors for the Military Police were reversed. # The current colors, green piped with gold, were assigned by Army Regulation 600-60-1 dated 26 October 1951.

In popular culture

* The novels by

Lee Child James Dover Grant (born 29 October 1954), primarily known by his pen name Lee Child, is a British author who writes Thriller (genre), thriller novels, and is best known for his ''Jack Reacher (book series), Jack Reacher'' novel series. The boo ...

tell the story of

Jack Reacher Jack Reacher is the protagonist of a series of crime thriller novels by British author Lee Child, a 2012 film adaptation, its 2016 sequel, and a television series on Amazon Prime Video. In the stories, Jack Reacher was a major in the U.S. ...

, a former U.S. Army military police major who commanded CID special agents. * The ''

GI Joe ''G.I. Joe'' is an American media franchise and a line of action figures owned and produced by the toy company Hasbro. The initial product offering represented four of the branches of the United States Armed Forces, U.S. armed forces with the Act ...

'' Characters

Law & Order ''Law & Order'' is an American police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television, launching the ''Law & Order'' franchise. ''Law & Order'' aired its entire ...

are an Army Military Police Officer and K9 team. * The ''

'' character

Chuckles Chuckles are jelly candies coated with a light layer of sugar. They come in five flavors: lime, orange, cherry, lemon, and licorice. Each package of Chuckles contains one piece of each flavor. The candies are made with corn syrup, sugar, mo ...

is an Army CID Special Agent - Criminal Investigator. * The 1992 novel by

Nelson DeMille Nelson Richard DeMille (August 23, 1943 – September 17, 2024) was an American author of Adventure fiction, action adventure and Thriller (genre), suspense novels. His novels include ''Plum Island (novel), Plum Island'', ''The Charm School (nov ...

titled '' The General's Daughter'' tells the story of Army CID Special Agent Paul Brenner. The book was made into a movie of the same name in 1999 starring

John Travolta John Joseph Travolta (born February 18, 1954) is an American actor. He began acting in television before transitioning into a leading man in films. List of awards and nominations received by John Travolta, His accolades include a Primetime Em ...

in the role of Brenner. * The 2003 film ''

Basic Basic or BASIC may refer to: Science and technology * BASIC, a computer programming language * Basic (chemistry), having the properties of a base * Basic access authentication, in HTTP Entertainment * Basic (film), ''Basic'' (film), a 2003 film ...

'' has the character Army Captain Julia Osborne, played by

Connie Nielsen Connie Inge-Lise Nielsen (born 3 July 1965) is a Danish actress. She has starred as Lucilla in the films ''Gladiator'' (2000) and ''Gladiator II'' (2024) and as Queen Hippolyta in the DC Extended Universe. She has also starred in films such as ...

, investigating a murder for CID. *Throughout seasons 4 and 5, of the CBS drama ''

NCIS NCIS or N.C.I.S. may refer to: Law enforcement * National Criminal Intelligence Service, the predecessor to the Serious Organised Crime Agency of the United Kingdom * Naval Criminal Investigative Service, a United States law enforcement and intelli ...

'', Army CID Agent Hollis Mann makes six appearances. She was a Lieutenant Colonel. *

Stana Katic Stana Katić (; born ) is a Canadian actress and producer. She played Kate Beckett on the ABC television romantic crime series ''Castle'' (2009–2016) and FBI Special Agent Emily Byrne in the psychological thriller series '' Absentia'' (2017� ...

played Army CID Special Agent Adrian Lane in one episode of the CBS military drama ''

The Unit ''The Unit'' is an American action-drama television series created by David Mamet that aired on CBS from March 7, 2006, to May 10, 2009, with the total of four seasons and 69 episodes. The series focuses on a top-secret military unit modeled ...

'', in the ninth episode of its third season. * The 2019 thriller novel ''The Deserter'' by

features Army CID Special Agent Scott Brodie as its main character. *

Willem Dafoe William James "Willem" Dafoe ( ; born July 22, 1955) is an American actor. Known for his prolific career portraying diverse roles in both mainstream and arthouse films, he is the recipient of various accolades including a Volpi Cup Award for ...

and

Gregory Hines Gregory Oliver Hines (February 14, 1946 – August 9, 2003) was an American dancer, actor, choreographer, and singer. He is one of the most celebrated tap dancers of all time. As an actor, he is best known for '' Wolfen'' (1981), '' The Cotton C ...

played U.S. Army CID Special Agents in the 1988 mystery thriller film '' Off Limits''. * In the 2017

first-person shooter A first-person shooter (FPS) is a video game genre, video game centered on gun fighting and other weapon-based combat seen from a First person (video games), first-person perspective, with the player experiencing the action directly through t ...

Rising Storm 2: Vietnam, players can wear military police uniform and helmets while playing as U.S Army, if they have Rear Echelon Cosmetic DLC installed. *

The A-Team ''The A-Team'' is an American Action television, action television series that ran on NBC from January 23, 1983, to March 8, 1987, about a fictional team of former United States Army Special Forces who work as mercenaries while on the run from ...

was being chased by the Military Police for most of the series' run.

Explanatory notes

Citations

General and cited references

* *

External links

*
USMC MP School official site

* [http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=34518&archive=true Stars and Stripes Article: Featuring SRT]
SRT Training at Walter Reed
{{Authority control Branches of the United States Army Military units and formations established in 1941 Military police of the United States Army Military police agencies of the United States, United States Army Military Military provosts 1941 establishments in the United States