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Royal Military Police

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Arms of the British Army
Combat Arms
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Combat Services

The Royal Military Police (RMP) is the corps of the British Army responsible for the policing of service personnel and providing a military police presence on service property, operations and exercises.[1] Its members are generally known as Redcaps because they wear red-topped peaked caps or red berets. Their stable belt was red until 1992, when they were federated into the Adjutant General's Corps and started wearing the blue and red belt adopted by the AGC. Now the RMP has reverted to the wearing of a new version of the original red belt as approved by the Army Dress Committee. Unlike other military police around the world, they no longer continue to wear white webbing with barrack dress or white gaiters and have now adopted the wearing of similar equipment to Home Office Police forces by wearing black "belt kit". The regimental march of the RMP is the "The Watchtower" or "Hoch Heidecksburg!" originally a German Army marching tune from 1912 by Rudolf Herzer.

Role

Principal duties of the RMP:

RMP personnel are not sworn in as constables (apart from some overseas postings, The Falklands for example) and only have police powers whilst dealing with military personnel, dependents or overseas contractors sponsored by the Army. RMP personnel do not have to be on Ministry of Defence land to exercise their authority. They also have police powers over the personnel of the other two services: the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. The Royal Navy Police and RAF Police also have reciprocal police powers over Army personnel.

Evolution of military policing

During the Cold War the approach of NATO was to provide military police support to national forces by[3]:

  • Traffic control
  • Military security
  • Law and order

Post Cold War this has now evolved into:

  • Mobility support
  • Security
  • Policing
  • Detention

Police duties

Royal Military Police

During peacetime the RMP is responsible for policing the Army at home in the UK and abroad.

As well as providing mobile and foot patrols in garrison/major unit areas, some RMP NCOs are allocated roles working on Service Family Accommodation (SFA) estates, such as Community Liaison Officer and Crime Reduction Officer. Part of this role involves visiting schools in the SFA catchment area where the school children come from service families. In the UK this work is often done in conjunction with counterparts from the Ministry of Defence Police. The RMP does not and never has guarded gates at Army barracks, nor should it be confused with Regimental Police.

In garrison areas, the RMP often patrol local towns on Friday and Saturday nights at venues where service personnel are likely to frequent. This often means good co-operation with the local civil police force so an appropriate public order response can be given when required.

Exercises and operations

RMP Para Provost DZ Flash (16 Air Assault Brigade)

A lot of the skills an RMP NCO uses in policing the military community are also transferable when on exercise or operations.

The wartime role of the RMP is not just to provide support in rear areas. RMP detachments are often in the vanguard of any advance by British military formations. During Operation Granby, RMP personnel followed Royal Engineers combat units from the form up points to mark out safe routes through minefields.

As soon as the first combat troops begin to advance, the RMP guides and marshals other combat and support units toward the front of the advance. As the forward units advance, the RMP sets up traffic posts so they are able to maintain major supply routes.

Other wartime roles for the RMP are:

  • Prisoner handling
  • Maintenance of law and discipline
  • Investigating crime
  • War crime investigations

History

The post of Provost Marshal has existed since William of Cassingham was appointed by Henry III on 28 May 1241 (the original title was Sergeant of the Peace). Wellington asked for a Provost Marshal to be appointed to hang looters and by the end of the Peninsular War the Provost Marshal controlled 24 Assistant Provost Marshals. Until a uniform was approved, members of the Staff Corps of Cavalry were identified by a red scarf tied around the right shoulder of their original uniform, which while some consider this to have been the origin of the famous 'Red Cap' of the Royal Military Police and its forebears, it was certainly the most likely precursor of the 'MP' armband (and now the Tactical Recognition Flash), which identifies the modern Military Policeman or Policewoman.

Although disbanded in 1814 at the end of the Peninsular War, following Napoleon's defeat at the battle of Waterloo the Duke of Wellington re-formed the Staff Corps of Cavalry to police the occupying British Army in France. Later, in the Crimean War, a Mounted Staff Corps of almost 100 troopers from the Police Constabulary of Ireland, with some recruited from the Metropolitan Police, was established to prevent the theft of supplies and to maintain discipline in camps. This 'Corps' was disbanded with the cessation of hostilities. The Provost Marshal has always had men detached to assist him, an arrangement formalised by the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsular War; but only since 1877 has there actually existed a regular corps of military police. In that year, the Military Mounted Police (MMP) was formed, followed by the Military Foot Police (MFP) in 1885. The Military Mounted Police first engaged in combat in 1882 at the Battle of Tel el-Kebir.[4] Although technically two independent corps, these two effectively functioned as a single organisation. In 1926 they were fully amalgamated to form the Corps of Military Police (CMP). In recognition of their service in the Second World War, they became the Corps of Royal Military Police (RMP) on 28 November 1946 under Army Order 167.

On 6 April 1992 the RMP lost its status as an independent corps and, together with the Military Provost Staff Corps, became the Provost Branch of the Adjutant General's Corps. It was, however, permitted to retain the name "Royal Military Police", together with its cap badge and other distinctive insignia including the red cap.

The RMP motto is Exemplo Ducemus, Latin for "By example, shall we lead".

One of the nicknames for the RMP is the "Monkey Hangers". While the exact origins of the nickname (now shortened to "Monkey") are not known, one possible origin comes from the time of the Napoleonic Wars, when a merchant ship docked at Hartlepool; on board the ship was a small monkey dressed in a sailor's costume. The local people who saw the monkey were convinced that it was a French spy and demanded its demise. The local Provost Marshal hanged the monkey to avoid a riot taking place.

First World War

In 1914 the Corps of Military Mounted Police and the Corps of Military Foot Police had a total establishment of nearly 5000 men. When the British Expeditionary Force was sent to France in that year, each division had one Assistant Provost Marshal in the rank of Major and several NCOs. The Provost Marshal was a Colonel until 1915, and a Brigadier-General thenceforward.

During the retreat from Mons the MPs were busy dealing with soldiers who, through exhaustion or the general confusion of battle, had either lost or became detached from their units. By operating stragglers posts, the MPs were able to return soldiers to their units. These posts were also well placed to pick out deserters and those Absent With Out Leave (AWOL).

The First World War was the conflict where traffic control became an important function. This was identified particularly after the Battle of Loos, when there was a lot of confusion involving two British divisions. As well as traffic control, the BEF provost units dealt with the maintenance of law and order (i.e. the detection of crime and the arrest of offenders), custody of prisoners of war until handed over to detention facilities, surveillance, control and protection of civilians.

The work undertaken by MPs was not all carried out behind the lines, and sometimes they came under heavy fire. During this conflict, the Military Police suffered 375 casualties. Sixty-five received the Distinguished Conduct Medal and 260 received the Military Medal.

As well as the BEF, MPs served in war zones around world during the First World War.

Second World War

File:RMP shoulder badges 1.jpg
CMP & RMP shoulder badges

At the beginning of the Second World War, the CMP had several branches: Special Investigation Branch (SIB); Red Caps, who were responsible for general policing; Blue Caps (Vulnerable Points), responsible for security of static locations and establishments; White Caps (Traffic Control); and Field Security Wing (Green Caps), which was separated from the CMP in 1940 to form the Intelligence Corps, and who wore the CMP cap badge, but without the scroll. By the end of the war the Red Caps had replaced the Blue and White Caps. The RMP provided support to the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France and these units were also involved in Operation Dynamo.

Operation Overlord

On 6 June 1944, the Allies launched Operation Overlord, the invasion of the European mainland. CMP units taking part included:

  • 101st Provost Company, CMP (On 18 July 1944 this company landed, under enemy attack, at Courseilles-Sur-Mer)
  • 150th Provost Company, CMP

"The Battle of Normandy and subsequent battles would never have been won but for the work and co-operation of the Provost on the traffic routes." (Field Marshal Montgomery, 1945)

Operation Market Garden

In 1944, the Allies launched Operation Market Garden, the airborne assault to capture bridges over the Lower Rhine in the Netherlands. The 1st (Airborne) Divisional Provost Company, CMP captured the police station in Arnhem, but then suffered heavy losses when the II SS Panzer Corps counter attacked.

Operation Varsity

On 24 March 1945, the British 6th Airborne Division successfully launched Operation Varsity at Wesel, Western Germany. This airborne operation was part of the bigger Operation Plunder, the crossing of the Rhine.

CMP units taking part in Operation Varsity were:

  • 6th (Airborne) Divisional Provost Company, CMP
  • HQ, 245th Provost Company, CMP

CMP units taking part in Operation Plunder included:

CMP units also served with British units of the 14th Army in the Burma campaign 1944-1945 (e.g. 2nd Division)

At war's end, General Sir Miles Dempsey paid the following tribute: "The Military Policeman became such a well known figure on every road to the battlefield that his presence became taken for granted. Few soldiers as they hurried over a bridge which was a regular target for the enemy, gave much thought to the man who's duty it was to stand there for hours on end, directing the traffic and ensuring its rapid passage".

Cold War

In 1946 King George VI granted the 'Royal' prefix to the Corps of Royal Military Police (RMP) in recognition of its outstanding wartime record. (CRMP was chosen to avoid confusion with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or RCMP)

In 1946, the Robertson-Malinin agreement introduced Military Missions into the post-war Control Zones of Germany. The Soviet Union maintained missions (SOXMIS) in the U.S., French and British zones. In the British sector the Soviet Mission was based in Bünde near Herford. British Forces maintained a mission (BRIXMIS) in the Soviet Zone (East Germany).

The RMP had the task of policing the Soviet mission in Bünde, and this was tasked to 19 (Support) Platoon RMP, who became known as "white mice". This unit's job was to wait outside the Soviet mission until a SOXMIS vehicle appeared and then follow it.

In restricted areas, Soviet vehicles were not permitted to leave the autobahns (not even in parking areas) unless accompanied by U.S., British or French military police.

The agreements remained in force until 2 October 1990, when all three missions were deactivated on the eve of Germany's reunification.

In Berlin, within 2 Regiment RMP, 247 Provost Company RMP was responsible for manning the British Sector checkpoints and Border Patrols. As part of 2 Regiment, an armed unit of German nationals, 248 German Security Unit, was maintained; its commander was a German national in the rank of Major and an RSM from a British infantry regiment acted as liaison officer. This was disbanded in 1994, when the British Garrison in Berlin was closed. A third company within the 2 Regiment was 246 Provost Company in Helmstedt.

Korean War

The Korean War was fought between 1950 and 1953. As part of British and Commonwealth Forces the RMP deployed:

  • 27 Brigade Provost Section RMP
  • 28 Brigade Provost Section RMP

The Corps had one fatality during this conflict:

  • Sergeant D. R. Kinnear

Malayan Emergency and the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation

The Malayan Emergency lasted from 1948 to 1960. The UK committed British forces (including the RMP) to combat communist guerilla forces. The Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation lasted from 1962 to 1966.

Between 1948 and 1956, thirteen members of the RMP lost their lives in this conflict. Britain still maintains military forces in Brunei, including an RMP unit.

The Suez Canal Zone Emergency and Suez Crisis

Between 1951 and 1955, British forces stationed in the Suez canal zone were engaged in operations against terrorists. The RMP lost eight members during this emergency. The RMP were also involved in Operation Musketeer, the Suez Crisis in 1956.

Cyprus

On 1 April 1955 a terrorist campaign was started by the Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston (EOKA) in Cyprus. It lasted until 1959.

Units of the RMP involved which were involved during the emergency were:

  • 1st Guards Brigade HQ RMP. Waynes Keep, Nicosia
  • 1 Independent Infantry Division Provost Company (Detachment) RMP. HQ Nicosia
  • 3 Infantry Division Provost Company RMP. Famagusta
  • No 6 Army Guard Unit RMP. Lakatamia, Larnaca, Dhekelia
  • 227 GHQ Provost Company RMP. Nicosia, with detachments at Famagusta, Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos, Kyrenia
  • 51 Brigade Independent Provost Company RMP
  • Cyprus District Provost Company

The following RMP casualties are buried at the Waynes Keep Cemetery, which is located in the United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus.

  • Lance-Corporal W. R. Bell, 227 GHQ Provost Company RMP
  • Lance-Corporal W. N. Cameron, 51 Independent Infantry Brigade Provost Company RMP
  • Lance-Corporal R. J. Downing, 3 Infantry Division Provost Company RMP
  • Lance-Corporal R. B. Leitch, 227 Provost Company RMP
  • Lance-Corporal D. W. Perry, HQ 3 Brigade RMP
  • Lance-Corporal A. R. Shaw, 3 Independent Infantry Division Provost Company RMP
  • Lance-Corporal G. A. Todd
  • Lance-Corporal B. F. Turvey
  • Lance-Corporal B. D. Welsh

In 1955, Major Greenaway, who was the Officer Commanding 1 Division Provost Company (Detachment), was paralysed after being shot in the back; he was repatriated to the UK.

United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus: Operation TOSCA

The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) was established in 1964 to prevent a recurrence of fighting between the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and to contribute to the maintenance and restoration of law and order and a return to normal conditions. After the 1974 Greek coup-d'etat and the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, the UN Security Council extended and expanded the mission to prevent that Cyprus dispute turning into war. RMP have served with the Force Military Police Unit(FMPU), from the outset.

The FMPU is 1 of only 2 multi-national sub units within UNFICYP, the other being the Mobile Force Reserve. The FMPU is commanded by a RMP major who is both OC FMPU and Provost Marshal. 7 other members of the RMP form the spine of the 25 strong unit. Other contributing nationalities are Argentina, Hungary and Slovakia. The British contribution to FMPU is now the longest enduring operational commitment for RMP.

Kenya, 1952–1960

During this period the British Army was conducting operations against terrorists of the Mau Mau. An RMP unit was based in Nairobi.

Aden

The following RMP units were involved in the emergency in Aden (1964–1967):

  • 24 Brigade Provost Unit RMP (Falaise Barracks, Little Aden)
  • Port Security Force RMP (based at HMS Sheba until 1967)
  • Joint Services Police (Army Navy and Airforce) based at HQ P&SS Steamer Point until 1967

Northern Ireland: Operation Banner

Main article: Operation Banner

During the troubles which started in 1969, four members of the RMP have lost their lives.

In 1977, in her Silver Jubilee Year, Her Majesty the Queen became Colonel-in-Chief of the Corp of the Royal Military Police.

Falklands Conflict: Operation Corporate

Main article: Operation Corporate

After the Argentine forces surrendered, 5 Infantry Brigade Provost Unit RMP remained on the islands, sworn in as Special Constables until the Falkland Islands Police Force were able to become operational again. After the re-capture of South Georgia (Operation Paraquat), the Argentine commander Lieutenant-Commander Alfredo Astiz was taken to the UK and questioned by the RMP and Sussex Police at the Keep, Roussillon Barracks, Chichester about the murder of Swedish and French nationals several years before. As there was no jurisdiction for extradition to Sweden or France, he was repatriated to Argentina by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Post Cold War

Middle East: Operation Granby

In 1991, British forces as part of US-led coalition forces invaded Kuwait and Southern Iraq as part of Operation Desert Storm. The British name for this operation was Operation Granby.

RMP units involved were:

  • 203 Provost Company RMP - 7th and 4th Armoured Brigades (1 (British) Armoured Division). This unit was a composite of various RMP units in United Kingdom Land Forces and British Forces Germany
  • 174 Provost Company RMP - Force Maintenance Area, One section attached to 203 Pro.

The RMP suffered one fatality:

  • Staff Sergeant David Tite

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Operation Resolute

During 1994 the British Army deployed units to Bosnia as part of the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR), which was later superseded by IFOR and then SFOR. These included:

  • 115 Provost Company RMP (based in Osnabruck, Germany) provided the British Force Military Police Unit (FMPU) for UNPROFOR (UK Operation Grapple 7) between August and December 1995 and then reverted to its unit designation of 4th (UK) Armoured Brigade Provost Unit RMP as part of IFOR until April 1996.

RMP personnel have also been involved in the European Union Force (EUFOR), which took over in 2004.

Kosovo: Operation Agricola

On 12 June 1999, the UK sent 19,000 troops into Kosovo as part of KFOR. Lead units of the 5 Airborne Brigade, which included the Royal Engineers and RMP, had to deal with booby traps in road tunnels before the Force could advance into Kosovo and seize the Kačanik defile.

Operation Telic casualties

British operations in Iraq including the 2003 invasion were carried out under the name Operation Telic, which claimed the lives of several members of the RMP.

  • 24 June 2003, Al Majar Al Kabir, Iraq; all from 156 Provost Company RMP (16 Air Assault Brigade); the largest loss of life on a single day in RMP history.[5]
    • Sergeant Simon Hamilton-Jewell
    • Corporal Russell Aston
    • Corporal Paul Long
    • Corporal Simon Miller
    • Lance-Corporal Benjamin Hyde
    • Lance-Corporal Thomas Keys
  • 23 August 2003, Basra
    • Major Matthew Titchener, 150 Provost Company
    • Company Sergeant Major Colin Wall, 150 Provost Company
    • Corporal Dewi Pritchard, 116 Provost Company (V)
  • 31 October 2004, Basra
    • Staff Sergeant Denise Rose, SIB
  • 15 October 2005, Waterloo Lines, Basra
    • Captain Ken Masters, Officer Commanding 61 Section SIB[6]
  • 8 July 2007, Basra City
    • Corporal Christopher Read, 158 Provost Company, 3rd Regiment RMP[7]

Operation Herrick casualties

Main article: Operation Herrick
  • 30 May 2007, Kajaki, Helmand Province
    • Cpl Mike Gilyeat, Royal Military Police,[8]
  • 7 May 2009,Gereshk, Helmand Province
    • Sgt Benjamin Ross, 173 Pro Coy, Royal Military Police.
  • 22 October 2009, Gereshk, Helmand Province
  • 3 November 2009, Nad-e'Ali, Helmand Province
    • Acting Cpl Steven Boote, 116 Provost Company (V), Royal Military Police
    • Cpl Nicholas Webster-Smith, 160 Provost Company, Royal Military Police[12][13]
  • 18 November 2009, (Operation Herrick 11) Helmand Province
    • Sgt Robert David Loughran-Dickson, 160 Provost Company, 4th Regiment Royal Military Police[14]
  • 20 December 2009, Sangin, Helmand Province
    • L/Cpl Michael David Pritchard, 160 Provost Company, 4th Regiment Royal Military Police[15]

Organisation

The RMP is still headed by the Provost Marshal, now a Brigadier. Every formation has a Deputy Provost Marshal (DPM), or Assistant Provost Marshal (APM).

The RMP is divided into units called Provost Companies, subdivided into platoons, and sometimes grouped into regiments. Platoons are commanded by a Second Lieutenant, or Lieutenant with a Staff Sergeant as the Platoons Second-in-Command (2ic) and are further divided into sections under Sergeants. All non-commissioned RMP personnel are promoted to Lance-Corporal as soon as they complete training in order to give them authority over other soldiers. Commissioned officers were once attached from other branches of the army, but can now be commissioned directly into the RMP. Many RMP officers are commissioned from the ranks.

The RMP is divided into three branches. Most personnel belong to the General Police Duties Branch, which performs uniformed policing and security duties. The Special Investigation Branch is the crime detection branch. The Close Protection Unit provides bodyguards for senior military officers and other key personnel (nominated by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office) in danger zones. The RMP also trains military personnel in defensive driving techniques. There is also a Covert Operations Team that conducts surveillance operations in accordance with the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) and Test Purchase operations.

The RMP sometimes shares its police stations with other police forces. At Catterick Garrison, the RMP station is shared with North Yorkshire Police (who man it during daylight hours). Another police station in Wiltshire is shared with the Ministry of Defence Police and Wiltshire Constabulary. The RMP works closely with the MDP on aspects of Garrison Policing and Security.

In the UK the RMP are authorised to use blue lights and sirens on its vehicles by most chief officers of civilian police forces. In British Forces Germany, under the Status Of Forces Act, the RMP has jurisdiction and primacy over British Forces personnel, their families, MOD contractors, and NAAFI staff. The German civil police only normally become involved where the interests of a German national are involved. The RMP in Germany cover the 1st Armoured Division, which includes 7th Armoured Brigade (Hohne), and 20th Armoured Brigade (Paderborn), as well as the separate United Kingdom Combat Services Support Command (Germany) based at Rheindahlen. The RMP also maintains a detachment (part of 101 Provost Company) in Belgium for working with convoys to and from the North Sea ports through Belgium and the Netherlands to the German border. This detachment works closely with both the Koninklijke Marechaussee (KMar; Royal Dutch Military Police) and the Belgian Military Police Group.

As well as being responsible for the Military Provost Staff Corps, the Provost Marshal (A) is also responsible for the Military Provost Guard Service, which provides a guard force of armed troops for bases and units of all three services.

The regimental headquarters of the Royal Military Police moved to MOD Southwick Park, Southwick, near Portsmouth in February 2007, co-located with the tri-service Defence Police College.[16] The RMP training centre moved there on 27 September 2005 from the RMP's long-standing RHQ at Roussillon Barracks in Chichester, West Sussex. The HQ of the RMP is located at Trenchard lines in Upavon, Wiltshire. The Service Police Crime Bureau is manned by the Royal Military Police, Royal Air Force Police and Royal Navy Police and although not part of the DPC, is co-located with it. The RMP museum[17] has also moved to Southwick Park and is now open.

The RMP Close Protection Unit is a small military police unit with designated responsibility for protecting military and government VIPs such as Generals and high ranking ministers abroad. Until recently they used HK53 assault rifles but now are mostly seen with C8-CQBs[citation needed]. They also carry Browning Hi-Power[citation needed] or P229[citation needed] pistols as well as other police equipment such as, extendable batons and PlastiCuffs.

Significant dates

1511 First Provost Marshal of whom a personal record is known

1813-14 Staff Corps of Cavalry raised by Wellington for Peninsular War

1815-18 Staff Corps of Cavalry reformed for Waterloo Campaign

1854-55 Mounted Staff Corps formed for service in the Crimea

1855 Military Mounted Police (MMP) formed to police the new military cantonment at Aldershot

1877 MMP established as a Permanent Corps

1882 Military Foot Police (MFP) formed for campaign service in Egypt

1885 MFP established as a Permanent Corps

1918 Royal Air Force Police formed

1926 Corps of Military Police (CMP) formed with amalgamation of MMP and MFP

1937 Field Security Police (FSP) Wing formed

1940 Special Investigation Branch formed - FSP joins new Intelligence Corps

1946 Royal Prefix granted to CMP

1953 First RMP Direct Entry Officers accepted

1977 HM The Queen becomes Colonel in Chief

1992 Formation of Adjutant Generals Corps of which RMP forms a part of the Provost Branch

Training

RMP commissioned officers attend the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, as do all other British Army officers.

RMP Other Ranks recruits undertake phase 1, Common Military Syllabus (Recruits) at Army Training Regiment Pirbright.

Phase 2 is undertaken at the Defence Police College.

The training syllabus includes:

Recruits are expected to maintain a high level of fitness, this is achieved by:

  • Personal Fitness Test, generally known in the services as a PFT: An 800 metre warm up as a squad then a 2400 metre (1.5 miles) run to be completed in under ten and a half minutes. For those over 30 the time limit increases at intervals. After training the PFT is conducted on a twice yearly basis; it is a requirement of service personnel to pass.
  • Combat Fitness Test (CFT): Normally undertaken in a squad wearing combat gear. This is to get the recruit used to "tabbing", a cross between a shuffle and a jog. It is especially useful for airborne troops, who may have been dropped several miles from their objective. This allows troops to get to the objective fast, but not in a way which depletes their fitness and stamina whilst carrying a full kit load.

Professional training and qualifications

Main article: Defence Police College

All the Service Police organisations also use the Defence Police College for a variety of advanced qualification courses such as Investigations (from the Level 3 Investigators Course (L3IC) To Level 4), Crime Scene Management, IT (HOLMES, CRIMES, COPPERS, REDCAP systems). Fraud Investigation training is provided and accredited by the Ministry of Defence Police Fraud Squad.

Senior officers

As of 2009

  • Provost Marshal (PM(A)): Brigadier E. O. Forster-Knight OBE
  • Deputy Provost Marshal (Investigations): Colonel D C N Giles
  • Deputy Provost Marshal (Operations): Colonel I E Prosser
  • Deputy Provost Marshal (Custody and Guarding): Colonel PACA McIvor
  • Provost Marshal (Germany) and CO 1st Regiment RMP: Lieutenant-Colonel I Warren

Current RMP units

RMP NCO, Exercise Rhino Replen, 1st Armoured Division, 1994

Great Britain

  • Special Investigation Branch (UK) (SIB (UK) RMP)
    • Northern Region
    • Eastern Region
    • Western Region
    • 83 Section SIB (Volunteers) (Worthy Down)

Germany

  • 1 Regiment RMP
    • 110 Provost Company (Paderborn) (20 Armoured Brigade)
    • 111 Provost Company (Bergen Hohne) (7 Armoured Brigade)


Each individual regular RMP company will have smaller Police stations and Police posts at other locations in their area where there is a sizeable Army presence.

  • Special Investigation Branch (G) (SIB (G) RMP)
    • HQ SIB (G)
    • Specialist Support Unit (Crime Scene Management and Technical Support)
    • 70 Section SIB (G)
    • 72 Section SIB (G) (Gütersloh)
    • 74 Section SIB (G) (Bielefeld)
    • 76 Section SIB (G)
    • 87 Section SIB (G) (Monchengladbach, co-located with 101 Provost Company)

Northern Ireland

  • 6 Regiment RMP
    • Regimental Training Wing
    • Operations Company
      • 173 (Operations) Platoon
      • 177 (Support) Platoon
    • Police Company
      • 175 (Provost) Platoon
      • 176 (Provost) Platoon
    • Courts & Witness Section
    • Claims Investigation Team
  • HQ NI Region Provost Branch

Other units

The RMP also provides some manpower for the Royal Marines Police Troop at Plymouth.

The RMP are also currently deployed (22.5% of manpower) around the world in Kosovo, Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan.[16]

83 Section SIB (V) RMP is maintained at Worthy Down at the Central Volunteer Headquarters, formerly maintained four specialist general police duty companies in addition to 83 Sec. These were 152, 251, 165 and 164 Provost Companies, which were disbanded in 1999 as part of the Strategic Defence Review. The CVHQ is now responsible for providing specialist RMP (Territorial Army) component known as Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, MP battalion as well having responsibility for training all RMP TA recruits.

Equipment

The RMP is equipped with standard British Army weapons and, unlike most other personnel, are issued with pistols as standard, as well as extendable batons, Quickcuffs/handcuffs.

RMP Opel Vectra Patrol Car registration number 02 KM 10

The RMP also issues black stab vests which display the RMP cap badge and are labelled 'Royal Military Police' on the front and rear of the vests. Every RMP soldier is issued with a reversible high visibility (Hi Viz or HV) saffron yellow jacket and/or a HV vest to be worn over the stab vests. Attached to this HV vest are various pockets and zips allowing the Military Policeman to wear their baton, quickcuffs, radio, Service Police notebook etc. on the vest instead of around their waist on a belt.

Most RMP patrol cars have standard police Battenburg markings. Airwave police radios are fitted to those in the UK. In Germany RMP currently use Opel Vivaro's as their primary patrol vehicles.

The RMP also uses the Home Office Large Major Enquiry System known as HOLMES, as well as having limited access to the Police National Computer database.

Redcap, an ABC television drama series which aired from 1964 to 1966, starred John Thaw as SIB investigator Sergeant (later Staff Sergeant) John Mann.

Red Cap, another television drama series, which aired in 2003 and 2004, starred Tamzin Outhwaite as Sergeant Jo McDonagh, also an SIB investigator.

Soldier Soldier, a television drama series about an infantry company which aired from 1991 to 1997, featured Holly Aird as Corporal (later Sergeant) Nancy Thorpe RMP.

The Investigator (aired 1998) stars Helen Baxendale as a RMP Sgt is about a time in the British forces when being a homosexual was banned and had serious repercussions, and is based on true story.

The Real Redcaps was a television documentary series about the Royal Military Police which aired from 2003 to 2005.[18]

7 Seconds was a Hollywood feature film (released August 2005) starring Wesley Snipes following the actions of female Royal Military Police Sergeant Kelly Anders (Tamzin Outhwaite). When an experienced thief accidentally makes off with a Van Gogh, his partner is kidnapped by gangsters in pursuit of the painting, forcing the criminal to hatch a rescue plan, joining forces with the RMP Sergeant Anders along the way.

See also

References

  1. ^ Ministry of Defence, Royal Military Police website, (accessed 4 June 2010)
  2. ^ "EX LONGLOOK 06". The second phase of my exchange was spent on the RMP CP course. From the start I have to say that it was one of the best and hardest courses I have ever attempted. Unfortunately I was unsuccessful on the course, failing on the last day, but the experiences gained from the course have been invaluable. The hours spent running up the hills around Longmoor camp were well worth it.
  3. ^ Royal Military Police Journal 2007
  4. ^ Regiments That Served With The 7th Armoured Division, Military Mounted Police and Military Foot Police [1]
  5. ^ MOD Oracle news, Tragedy Of Errors In RMP Deaths, Guardian Unlimited (accessed 16 Nov 06)
  6. ^ "Suicide in Basra: The unravelling of a military man". London: The Independent. 31 July 2006. Retrieved 22 May 2010. After a flawless military career that had seen him rise to the rank of captain in just 15 years, the task of leading the British Military Police's investigative unit in Basra should have been the crowning achievement for Ken Masters, a soldier for whom, on missions from Afghanistan to Bosnia, the glass was always half full.
  7. ^ MoD Oracle News
  8. ^ "MoD names soldier killed in crash". BBC News. 1 June 2007. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  9. ^ BBC NEWS
  10. ^ ITN
  11. ^ Ministry of Defence
  12. ^ http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/SoldiersKilledInAfghanistanNamed.htm
  13. ^ "Five gun attack dead named by MoD". BBC News. 5 November 2009. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  14. ^ http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/SergeantRobertLoughrandicksonRmpKilledInAfghanistan.htm
  15. ^ The Times. London http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/Afghanistan/article6965411.ece. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  16. ^ a b RMP Journal
  17. ^ Welcome to the new British Army Website - British Army Website
  18. ^ The Real Redcaps, Produced by Anglia Television/Channel Television/Meridian Broadcasting for ITV 2005

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