Royal Military Police in the UK - Assignment Example

Police Case Study: Royal Military Police Introduction Policing is an important aspect in the development of a country. The role of the police is generally to maintain law and order in a country. Police in the UK are categorised in various departments including municipal, public, civil, commercial, traffic and the military police. This paper will focus on Royal Military Police (MRP) in the UK. A career in Royal Military Police is varied and challenging. Several opportunities offered in the RMP include the Special Investigation, which is an equivalent of the Criminal Investigation Department, CID and Close Protection, which is for guarding the military personnel. Royal Military Police The Royal Military Police is a branch of the British Army, which is responsible for policing of service personnel and provision of military police presence on service property, exercises and all operations. Members of RMP are called the Redcaps a name they acquired because they wear red berets (Great Britain, 2000). RMP wears red stable belt approved by the Army Dress Committee. Just like other military police in the world, the RMP wears white webbing with barrack dress. Structure of Royal Military Police When a person joins RMP, he or she undertakes the General Police Duties (GPD). This includes Garrison Policing, which provides security in large garrisons and support for the military during operations. In the U.K, there are over one thousand eight hundred Regular and Territorial Personnel (RMPA Colchester & East Anglia, 2008). There are two major branches in RMP. They include, Special Investigation branch (SIB) and Close Protection (CP). After passing through GPD, a person is free to specialize from one of the two branches. Special Investigation Branch The SIB performs serious investigations as well as providing specialist support to investigations for example in scenes of crime. They give their service in both garrison or during operation home or abroad. The SIB help in various investigations involved during war by the military or against the military. They are highly trained to handle civilians, regular police and the army in their home country and overseas hence their operations are universal in nature (The British Army, Modern and Professional, 2009). Close Protection The CP is responsible for the protection of high profile military personnel in the army. They are specially trained to offer on call-trained operatives for the commonwealth office. Close Protection also control the military at war by moving them forward or backwards. They lead in operations and engage in high-risk points operation during a battle. Classification of U.K RMP In Great Britain the RMP are categorized into three major Regiments, which include the 3rd Regiment RMP, 4th Regiment RMP and the 5th Regiment RMP. Each of the units is further divided into sub units and has a specific function in the RMP. 3rd Regiment RMP: This unit has four sub-units, which include: 150 -Provost Company, 158-provost Company, 173-provost Company and 174-provost Company (RMPA Colchester & East Anglia, 2008). 4th Regiment RMP: consists 3 units which include; 160 provost company, 116 provost company and 253 provost company. 116-provost Company and 253-provost Company are mainly volunteers. 5th Regimental RMP: This unit is made up of four sub-units. They are; 101-provost company, 114-provost Company, 243-provost Company and 252-provost Company. 243-provost Company and 252-provost Company are volunteers (RMPA Colchester & East Anglia, 2008). Recruitment Generally, the RMP are categorized according to their duties and in this perspective, three distinct groups are identified. Royal Military Police-Soldier A royal military Police soldier is responsible for detecting and investigating crime as well as maintaining law and order in the army. The RMP soldiers usually live within the barracks and accompany soldiers during war in foreign countries. They ensure that the army are responsible in their duties and do not violate rules or offend others, civilians and military. Royal Military Police Officer The most valuable resources in the army are the soldiers. The RMP officer is assigned the duty of managing these useful resources in the military. The officers are commonly referred to as RMP regular service officers as they are usually responsible for the welfare of the soldiers in the military at home or abroad in foreign missions. Royal Military Police Volunteers These highly trained men and women work hand in hand with regular army counterparts during exercises and operations both at home and abroad. Duties of Royal Military Police Royal Military Police are military specialists in investigation and policing both in the military and in the community worldwide. They execute their duties in different ways. During peacetime, the RMP is responsible for army policing both in the U.K and abroad. Military police handles the entire situation in the Barracks regarding the army’s security and conduct. In case of misunderstanding among the military men, the MRP intervenes (Great Britain, 2000). RMP are also liable for providing foot and mobile patrol in major unit area or the garrisons. This patrol is meant to enhance security within the garrison, prevent the army, and control the army’s irresponsibility. In some instances, some RMP are assigned to work on Service Family Accommodation (SFA) estates, for example Community Liaison Officers and Crime Reduction Officers. In their duties at SFA, the Royal Military Police may be required to visit schools in the SFA catchments area where children come from families in the army service (The British Army et al, 2009). Such kind of service to families of those in service in the U.K is of great priority and RMP work in conjunction with Ministry of Defence Police. RMP should not be confused with Regimental Police, as they do not guard gates at Army barracks. Around the garrison, the Royal Military Police patrol local town on weekend, especially Fridays and Saturdays nights at venues where army personnel are likely to frequent (RMPA Colchester & East Anglia, 2008). In this case, RMP has a very good cooperation with the civil police force in patrol to ensure that an appropriate public order response is given when needed. RMP are different from other police bodies as they posses’ unique operational tasks that do resemble those in civil society. The RMP operate as part of the field army at home and abroad in support of the full continuum of national and multinational, multi-agency conflict, prevention of conflict as well as post conflict operations. RMP in UK posses the policing capability required by the army to deliver the full range of policing functions across the spectrum of conflict both at home level and overseas. This distinguishes RMP from other agencies, which can only investigate crime involving the defence department (Great Britain, 2000). In addition to the powers of arrest bestowed on every civilian by civil and common law, RMP’s powers are extended within the army act of 1955. RMP can practice their powers in any part of the world as service men are subject to English criminal law globally. The army Act also provides that a person subject to military law, including all civil offences alleged or found committing an offence against the Act is liable to arrest by a Provost Officer. Civilians whom the Act applies are also subject to arrest by the military Police. The RMP are not responsible for charging lawbreakers thus have no responsibility for the process of prosecution and they do not detain offenders in custody like the police constables. The RMP investigate a case systematically providing the chain of command with reports that may be necessary for any extra action. RMP utilize the skills they deploy in the station in their operations even though the environments may be different. The Special Investigation Branch (SIB) of the RMP provides special investigative support to the Army along with the regular RMP all over the world. They are responsible for investigation of various offences including murder and fratricide in high intensity conflict areas. The SIB just like all the other Army members work in every environment and their high profile investigations draws great attention from both the government and the media. Besides, the RMP regulate, protect and inform the military. During military operations, the RMP act as enablers as they regulate the army in the battlefield by moving them forward and rewards in war and in operations. In U.K, RMP is attached to the fighting brigade and work in the complicated rear and divisional areas during war. The RMP ensures that the army moves to the best positions during a battle. RMP provide some special information to the army commanders after surveillance on the use of routes, movement of refugees and strugglers as well as high profile prisoners of war. In addition, they provide close protection for high-ranking commanders within the army (RMPA Colchester & East Anglia, 2008). Historically, RMP are known for policing within a foreign country especially in post conflict operations. The RMP are capable of policing in a foreign country and they help in regeneration of the local police force in the country of operation. In cases where law and order has collapsed, the role of the RMP goes beyond investigation. They may be required to train the indigenous police and under certain circumstances forced to rebuild a police force. They are involved in the hostile post conflict management as they posses soldiery and policing skills required to undertake such activities. RMP in Iraq are involved in this complex role (Great Britain, 2000). Key Moments in Development of Policing in the U.K The development of policing in the U.K has a long history that has been used to improve the services provided by the police. The various policing departments in the U.K were formed to cope with the complex nature of policing. Municipal police, regulatory police, civil police, commercial police and the military police are all branches of police that are specially designed to deal with specific cases (The British Army et al, 2009). The British Army is among the most successful Armies in the world. The activities performed by the various groups in the military are outstanding and the UN recognizes the role of the British Army in conflict resolution. International peacekeeping mission in various war torn countries has been successful through the work of the RMP. The RMP are very diligent in their work and have a good reputation, as they are not involved in corruption cases. The RMP are guided by the principles of service to humanity (The British Army et al, 2009). The RMP is a part of the military that performs integral duties but still stand out in their duties. Despite the challenges faced during operation, the RMP has done the British Military proud and their support have enabled in peace restoration in Iraq and Afghanistan. The RMP played a major role in abolition of terrorism in the U.K and the U.S through their endless operations across the globe. They achieve this through cooperation with other police in the country and outside the country, which help mostly in investigation (RMPA Colchester & East Anglia, 2008). Welfare and Support The RMP are part of the army, therefore much of the support available to the RMP personnel and their families are given through AWS (Army Welfare Service). This body provides the RMP and their families with a professional and private support wherever they are located. Then army welfare service provides support through community support, personal support and HIVE information services. As part of welfare and support, AWS offers Chaplaincy support that is available for all members of the army and those dealing with casualties. Chaplain provides support to all members regardless of their faith and members can contact it via the unit. All services and support provided to RMP and other members are confidential and are completely out of the Incident Command (The British Army et al, 2009). Events and Activities In additional to the regular training offered to the RMP and the soldiers, the support and welfare provide Adventurous Training (AT), which helps to support the values of the British Army. AT is important as it enhances the ability of an individual to withstand the hardships experienced during operation and rapid deployment. The British Army embraces sports activities. There are various sporting activities available for the RMP and other officers in the Barracks. Besides the army, the police are allowed to participate in other sporting activities in the society such as Olympics. This support and welfare is very important in helping the soldiers and the RMP to overcome the stress they go through during operation. Medics recommend for recreation for the army as it helps in stress reduction hence prevent mental related problems. The British Army holds many events and ceremonies that attract millions of tourists to London. The RMP provides guard to the Queen and escorting of the sovereign to the opening of parliament (Great Britain, 2000). Media and RMP As mentioned earlier, the high profile nature of the operations taken by the Royal Military Police in Close Protection and Investigation attracts the attention of the global media community and that of the various governments. The media at times plays a very important role in providing the RMP especially in the SIB department that may be necessary in their investigations. Information by the media concerning a given issue in foreign countries or at home may be useful to the investigators. High profile crimes committed during war by some soldiers or against the soldiers or other civilians may be highlighted by the media thus can provide evidence in their investigations (RMPA Colchester & East Anglia, 2008). The media is also a channel through which the RMP relay their information regarding their findings or queries from the public that may help them in investigation of a certain issue. The RMP may also use the media to alert the public on dangerous people in the society such as terrorists. They may use the media to display photos of high-ranking criminals and suspects as well as placing rewards for any information leading to their arrest (The British Army et al, 2009). The media helps in regulating the behaviour of the RMP in handling of suspects, as sometimes they are brutal thus violating human rights. The media helps in informing the government on the extent of operations carried out by the RMP in foreign countries that may be of concern to human rights activists. On the other hand, media has been in the front line in destroying the good reputation of the army personnel. The international media community has always highlighted negative issues concerning the military, which is a major draw back in the RMP. During their investigations, the RMP requires some sense of privacy to conduct their operations successfully; however, the media usually breaks out the news, which may alert the criminals thus interfering with the investigation process. References Great Britain, (2000). The First Military Police. Retrieved January 22, 2009, from http://home.mweb.co.za/re/redcap/rmp.htm RMPA Colchester & East Anglia, (2008). Royal Military Police Association. Retrieved January 22, 2009, from http://www.rmpacolchester.co.uk The British Army, Modern and Professional. (2009). Royal Military Police. Retrieved January 22, 2009, from www.army.mod.uk/provost/police/default.aspx Read More