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Ministry of Defence Police
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The Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) is a civilian police force that is part of the Ministry of Defence. The force is part of the Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency which was formed by the merger of the MDP and Ministry of Defence Guard Service (MGS) on April 1st, 2004.
The MDP is a special police force. It is responsible for providing Police, Investigative and Guarding services to Ministry of Defence property, personnel and installations (and certain others) throughout the United Kingdom.
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Encyclopedia
The Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) is a civilian police force that is part of the Ministry of Defence. The force is part of the Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency which was formed by the merger of the MDP and Ministry of Defence Guard Service (MGS) on April 1st, 2004.
The MDP is a special police force. It is responsible for providing Police, Investigative and Guarding services to Ministry of Defence property, personnel and installations (and certain others) throughout the United Kingdom. MDP officers are attested as constables. The MDP has approximately 3,500 police officers based at 110 police units at 86 locations across the United Kingdom.
Formation
The Ministry of Defence Police was formed in 1971 by the merger of three civil constabularies, the Air Force Department Constabulary (AFDC), previously under the control of the Air Ministry, The Army Department Constabulary (ADC), previously under the control of the War Office, and the Admiralty Constabulary, previously under the control of the Admiralty.
These earlier Constabularies had been formed as a result of the Special Constables Act 1923 although their histories can be traced back much further as watchmen. As such, their powers had come from different legislative sources. In 1984 the House of Commons Defence Select Committee recognised the difficulties under which the Ministry of Defence Police were operating and the Broadbent Committee's recommendations led to the passing of the Ministry of Defence Police Act 1987.
Function
Unlike the Service Police, the MDP is a civil police force, it is responsible for policing the Defence Estate throughout the United Kingdom. It does not normally become involved in the day to day policing of the general public.
The MDP is primarily responsible for policing Ministry of Defence property, personnel, land, and installations within the United Kingdom and also provides armed front line security at many defence sites throughout the country. MDP officers are attested as constables in one of the three legal systems of the UK (England & Wales, Scotland, & Northern Ireland), though the location of their attestation is not a limiting factor on their ability to exercise constabulary powers. MDP officers jurisdiction relates to subject, rather than solely geographic area. Officers are based throughout the UK and exercise their jurisdiction over matters relating to the Defence Estate, there is no requirement for them to be on MOD Land when doing so. MDP officers are also able to act as constables of other police forces. (see Powers below)
Activities
The MDP separates its activities into five key areas:
- Armed Guarding & Counter terrorist activities
- Uniformed General Policing
- Criminal Investigation & Fraud
- Defence Policing Policy & Crime Reduction
- International Policing & Training
Deployment
The MDP is currently deployed at 86 locations around the United Kingdom. These include but are no longer limited to: military establishments, defence housing estates, military training areas, the royal dockyards and the Atomic Weapons Establishment. From January 2008, the MDP has also taken on the role of providing armed security at four gas terminals in the UK, part of the Critical National Infrastructure.
The MDP once had a presence at 120 Ministry of Defence sites, such as the Royal Arsenal, munitions and storage depots, Royal Ordnance Factories, and Defence Research Establishments. The end of both the Cold War and The Troubles in Northern Ireland, along with the subsequent closure of the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, and the privatisation of entities such as the Royal Ordnance Factories reduced the number of sites that need an MOD Police presence. In addition many Armed Forces locations that previously relied upon the MDP for armed security have transferred that role to the Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS) and now employ the MDP for purely policing purposes, albeit in reduced numbers.
Powers
Ministry of Defence Police officers have all the powers and privileges of constables:
In areas they are responsible for policing
- land, vehicles, vessels, aircraft and hovercraft in the possession, under the control, or used for the purposes of:
- the Secretary of State for Defence,
- the Defence Council,
- a headquarters or defence organisation (as defined in the Visiting Forces and International Headquarters (Application of Law) Order 1965), or
- the service authorities of a visiting force,
- land, vehicles, vessels, aircraft and hovercraft which are:
- in the possession, under the control or used for the purposes of an ordnance company, and
- used for the purpose of, or for purposes which include, the making or development of ordnance or otherwise for naval, military or air force purposes,
- land, vehicles, vessels, aircraft and hovercraft which are:
- in the possession, under the control or used for the purposes of a dockyard contractor, and
- used for the purpose of, or for purposes which include, providing designated services or otherwise for naval, military or air force purposes,
- land where the Secretary of State has agreed to provide the services of the Ministry of Defence Police under an agreement notice of which has been published in the appropriate Gazette.
In matters relating to the Ministry of Defence
- in relation to Crown property, international defence property, ordnance property and dockyard property (or the purpose of securing the unimpeded passage of any such property),
- in relation to people:
- subject to the control of the Defence Council,
- employed under or for the purposes of the Ministry of Defence or the Defence Council, or
- in respect of whom the service courts and service authorities of any country may exercise powers by virtue of section 2 of the Visiting Forces Act 1952
- in connection with offences against such people, with the incitement of such people to commit offences and with offences under the Prevention of Corruption Acts 1889 to 1916 in relation to such people, and
- in relation to matters connected with anything done under a contract entered into by the Secretary of State for Defence for the purposes of his Department or the Defence Council.
On the request of a constable
If requested by a constable of:
to assist him in the execution of his duties in relation to a particular incident, investigation or operation, an MDP constable can "take on" the powers of the requesting officer for the purposes of that incident, investigation or operation. If a constable from a territorial police force makes the request, then the powers of the MDP constable extend only to the requesting constable's police area. If a constable from the BTP or CNC makes the request, then the powers of the MDP officer are the same as those of the requesting constable.
On the request of a Chief Constable
If requested by the Chief Constable of one of the forces mentioned above, an MDP constable takes on all the powers and privileges of members of the requesting force. This power is used for planned operations, such as the 2005 G8 summit at Gleneagles.
When urgently needed
An MDP constable can spontaneously take on the same powers and privileges of a constable of a territorial police force when:
- in relation to people whom they suspect on reasonable grounds of having committed, being in the course of committing or being about to commit an offence, or
- if they believe on reasonable grounds that they need those powers and privileges in order to save life or to prevent or minimise personal injury.
However for MDP officers to use this 'urgently needed' power, 2 conditions must first be met:
- that the MDP officer is in uniform or has documentary evidence (Warrant Card) that they are members of the MDP; and
- the MDP officer believes on reasonable grounds that a power of a constable which they would not have, apart from this subsection, ought to be exercised and that, if it cannot be exercised until they secure the attendance of or a request from a local constable (as above), the purpose for which they believe it ought to be exercised would be frustrated or seriously prejudiced.
Command structure
The MDP has its own Chief Constable, who also serves as the Chief Executive (CE) of the MOD Police and Guarding Agency. The MDP uses the standard British police rank structure and since 1995 its headquarters has been based at the former United States Air Force base at RAF Wethersfield, now designated as MDPGA Wethersfield. This also is home to the Agency Training Centre and the Central Control Room (CCR).
The force works closely with the Service police organisations, namely the Royal Military Police, Royal Air Force Police, Royal Navy Police, and Royal Marines Police.
The MDP was restructured in 2003 into five land-based Divisions:
- Scottish Division,
- North Eastern Division,
- Western Division,
- AWE Division and
- South East Division.
Each Division is commanded by a Chief Superintendent and has its own CID, Divisional Control Room (DCCR), and Divisional Support Group (DSG), which is able to respond at short notice to any unforeseen incident or emergency.
Uniform and armament
Uniform
The uniform worn by its officers is almost identical to that of the Metropolitan Police Service, apart from insignia. All officers are issued with personal body armour, PAVA incapacitation spray, batons & kwikcuffs, as well as other standard items of police duty belt kit.
Armament
All officers are trained to use firearms and about 70% are armed at any one time. MDP Officers were armed with the SA80 assault rifle, Heckler & Koch MP5, and the Browning Hi-Power 9mm pistol but in March 2005 they began transitioning to the Heckler & Koch MP7 weapon which is currently in use. The MP7 is a smaller weapon falling into the Personal defence weapon classification. Some specialised units continue to use the H&K MP5, L85A2, as well as the Sig 229 Pistol, which has replaced the Browning 9mm within these units.
Vehicles
The MDP uses a variety of vehicles, from general patrol cars to specialised escort vehicles, and off road vehicles. In 2006 the force adopted the 'Battenburg' system of retro-reflective markings for its new vehicles. This brings the MDP's fleet appearance in line with most other UK police forces.
Special capabilities
- Marine Unit: The MPD has the largest marine support unit of any of the police forces in the UK. The marine support units are responsible for the waterborne security of Her Majesty's Dockyards and HM Naval Bases. At HMNB Clyde, it shares this role with the Royal Navy's own security unit, the Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines.
- CBRN: Although only constituting 1.5% of the national police force, the MDP has 8% of the national CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological or Nuclear) response capability.
- Dog Section: The 400 dog handlers in the force, utilise Explosive, Drug, Tactical Firearms Support, and General Purpose Police dogs.
- Special Escort Group: The Special Escort Group protects nuclear materials in transit between MOD establishments.
- CID: The MDP also has a Criminal Investigation Department with offices spread around the UK. The CIDinvestigates 'Serious' crime' relating to the defence estate. There are a number of specialised units that fall under the larger CID remit. Officers employed within these specialised units must first qualify as a 'Detective'. Such units include:
- Fraud Squad: The Fraud Squad investigates fraud in MOD programmes.
- SB: The Special Branch, carry out investigations and gather operational intelligence in cases which merit their attention. They also liaise closely with the Security Services.
- CSI: The Force has a number of Forensic Science officers (CSI), Formally known as SOCO. Who are available to each Division.
- Surveillance Unit: The Surveillance Unit provide a specialised covert surveillance capability in support of MDP investigations.
- MIU: The Major Incident Unit is a group of specially trained investigators who provide oversight and management of incidents that have caused serious disruption, or in support of complex investigations. Officers in the MIU are trained in the use of the HOLMES software suite and have a variety of specialist equipment at their disposal.
- SPOC: The single point of contact (SPOC) acts as a liaison between the police and communications companies, (such as British Telecom) in order to obtain telephone records and other data for police enquiries.
- DSG: Divisional Support Groups provide operational policing support at a local level. There is at least one DSG unit per division.
- OSU: The Operational Support Unit is a 50-strong rapid response unit which is tasked with VIP personal protection, public order and anti-terrorist search duties. The force has two OSU units to cover the north and south of the country.
- TSG: The Tactical Support Group are a specialist group of officers based within AWE Division, they are tasked with, and equipped to, provide an advanced firearms response capability at short notice.
Other MoD Police forces
The Ministry of Defence also has responsibility for two other civilian police forces:
Officers from both these forces occasionally attend courses at the MoD Police Agency Training College at Wethersfield, Essex. In June 2005 officers from the GSP marine unit gave assistance to the MoD Police marine unit at Portsmouth during the Trafalgar 200 celebrations.
International Policing
The MDP carries out a number of international policing activities including the active policing of conflict areas overseas, also training of resident police forces in these areas. These overseas missions are carried out (varyingly) under the mandates of the United Nations, NATO and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. MDP officers employed overseas routinely carry at least a Sig 229 Pistol for protection.
At the present time, approximately 90 MDP officers are deployed overseas, with the largest numbers in Kosovo and Iraq. The MDP have recently provided training at the Baghdad Police Training Academy.
In recent years the MDP have provided officers to the United Nations Police contingents in many locations around the world including:
The MDP also provided policing for the Pitcairn Islands from c2000 until c2007
See also
External links
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