Department of the Army Civilian Police

Design and layout of the U.S. Department of the Army Civilian Police and Guard Badge

Department of the Army Civilian Police are the uniformed and plainclothes civilian police officers and detectives of the United States Army. They are also referred to as DoD Police. The Department of the Army Civilian Police (DACP) are responsible for law enforcement on U.S. Army–owned and –leased buildings, facilities, properties and other U.S. Army assets. In overseas locations or in areas of concurrent jurisdiction, Department of the Army Civilian Police are responsible for the protection and policing of DOD-affiliated personnel, performing police liaison work with foreign police agencies, and investigating incidents involving personnel of the U.S. Armed Forces. It is important to note that "Department of Defense Police" is a phrase that refers to any civil service employee engaged in police duties for the Department of Defense and its component branches of the US Armed Forces. There is no one unified agency that goes under the title "Department of Defense Police". There are several police forces that use the title "DoD police", such as the Pentagon Police, Defense Logistics Agency Police, Navy Civilian Police (NCP), Army Civilian Police (DACP), Marine Corps Civilian Police (MCCIVPOL) and Air Force Civilian Police (DAFCP).

Civil service series 0083

A Department of the Army civilian police officer (DACP) is assigned the federal occupational series code "0083", the code reserved for federal police officers and detectives in the civil service. These detectives and police officers investigate crimes that are not pursued by the CID.

Jurisdiction

DACP officers and investigators derive their law enforcement authority from Section 2672 of Title 10 (10 USC 2672) of the United States Code.

10 USC 2672: The Secretary of Defense may designate military or civilian personnel of the Department of Defense as officers and agents to perform the functions of the Secretary under subsection (a), including, with regard to civilian officers and agents, duty in areas outside the property specified in that subsection to the extent necessary to protect that property and persons on that property.

Powers- While engaged in the performance of official duties pursuant to this section, an officer or agent designated under subsection (b) may—

1. enforce federal laws and regulations for the protection of persons and property;
2. carry firearms;
3. make arrests—
   1. without a warrant for any offense against the United States committed in the presence of the officer or agent; or
   2. for any felony cognizable under the laws of the United States if the officer or agent has reasonable grounds to believe that the person to be arrested has committed or is committing a felony;
4. serve warrants and subpoenas issued under the authority of the United States; and
5. conduct investigations, on and off the property in question, of offenses that may have been committed against property under the jurisdiction, custody, or control of the Department of Defense or persons on such property.

Duties

At many installations, Department of Army Civilian Police officers augment military police personnel and are distributed throughout the chain of command of each installation’s Directorate of Emergency Services. Some installations have only civilian police present while others work closely with military police. A newly hired officer can expect to perform a variety of law enforcement roles including patrol, crime-prevention, investigations, special reaction team, and police administrative functions.

One major function of a Department of the Army Civilian Police officer is to conduct force protection duties. Department of the Army Civilian Police officers conduct law enforcement patrols within the installation and, depending on local policy, in areas off of the installation where military affiliated personnel frequent. Officers patrol the installation and check that physical security measures such as fences and lighting are in good working order. An officer can conduct traffic stops for motor vehicle violations. Each base adopts the surrounding state's motor vehicle laws under the Assimilative Crimes Act (see Federal Jurisdiction). There are two types of citations that may be issued: the DD Form 1408 Armed Forces Traffic Ticket, and the DD Form 1805 Central Violations Bureau Violation Notice (CVB). The type of citation(s) issued are authorized at the local command level. The DD Form 1408 does not have any monetary fines associated with it. The DD Form 1805 Violation Notice does however establish fines and a hearing system through the U.S. Magistrate. Department of the Army Civilian Police officers and military police personnel respond to all calls for law enforcement assistance that take place within the installation. If the crime is found to be a major felony, then the matter is generally referred to the special agents of the applicable military investigative agency (CID, Army Counterintelligence, NCIS, OSI, FBI, etc.) depending on the agency’s purview.

There are increasing opportunities for participation in specialized roles. Department of the Army Civilian Police officers may serve as K-9 officers or members of a special reaction team (SRT).

Requirements

A major requirement of any potential Department of the Army Civilian Police officer is to pass a medical exam. There is typically an uncorrected vision requirement, candidates must have normal color vision, depth perception, and sufficiently good corrected vision.

Department of the Army Civilian Police officers are required to obtain and maintain a "Secret" clearance. The background investigation must show the candidate to be free of substantial debt or foreign influence. Under the Lautenberg Amendment, officers cannot have any convictions for domestic violence. Some installations may require an interview with the candidate.

Candidates are currently required to take and pass a physical fitness test. This test is a modified version of the test that is required by military members. Army regulations require the officers pass this test annually, something not typically required of local city or town police officers (though they may take one in their respective academies).

As of 2014 the Department of the Army is no longer granting waivers to any patrol level officer, all interested candidates must now attend a 9-week academy at Fort Leonard Wood, MO.

Training

Department of the Army Civilian Police officers must attend a (resident) police academy approved by the Office of the Provost Marshal General (OPMG). The U.S. Army sends their civilian officers to a police academy that is a minimum of nine weeks long. A waiver of training may no longer be given by the OPMG, unless reclassifying from an 1811 (Federal Agent) to 0083 (Federal Police). Or transferring from another 0083 (Federal Police) agency and have completed a DoD approved or VA approved course.

There is one academy in Missouri. They give an overview of topics such as IED detection, basic patrolling techniques, the Uniform Code of Military Justice, physical security concepts, and other police skills. This academy is designed around the specific needs of the US Army, and do not resemble a state or FLETC run academy. However, the DACP Academy is accredited by the Federal Law Enforcement Training Accreditation (FLETA) organization. FLETA also accredits FLETC, U.S. Marshals, F.B.I and numerous other federal law enforcement agencies. The curriculum in these academies is based upon the same topics that a military member would learn in their advanced individual training schools after basic training. Annual in-service training for the DACP (sometimes called "annual sustainment training") normally totals about two hundred and forty hours a year. This refresher training is conducted in conjunction with the officer's military member counterparts.

Officers selected for a position on an installation's special reaction team (SRT) must attend the same training as their military counterparts. Training is held at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri.

Department of the Army Civilian Police officers are highly trained and skilled professionals, many of whom have prior law enforcement and military experience. Post 9-11 Police Departments have tightened their professional standards. Both classroom training and physical training have been intensified in response to real world terrorist threats.

Notable events

• Fort Bliss gunman.
• Land mine incident at Fort Gordon.
• The 2009 Fort Hood shooting.
• Fort Drum shooting in 2008.
• 2007 Fort Dix attack plot
• Fort Bragg "Sniper" - William Kreutzer, Jr.

Officers killed in line of duty

• Police Officer Harry S. White
• Forest Ranger John Sidney Mott
• Police Officer Albee V. Forney
• Sergeant Dennis H. Marcotte
• Police Officer Patrick Sirois

See also

• List of United States federal law enforcement agencies
• Military Police Corps

External links

• Civilian employment information
• UCMJ
• U.S. Army Military Police School