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Military police (MPs) are the police of a military organization, generally concerning themselves with law enforcement and security.
In wartime, military police are primarily concerned with installation security, close personal protection of senior military officers, management of prisoners of war, traffic control, route signing and resupply route management, as well as their primary policing roles. These personnel are generally not front-line combatants, but are sometimes used in a defensive roll as a primary defense force in rear area operations.
In some countries, a military police force, the Gendarmerie, Carabinieri or Civil Guard, also serves as a national police force, often acting as heavy backup for the civil police and/or policing rural districts.
The head of the military police is commonly referred to as the Provost Marshal. This ancient title was originally given to an officer whose duty it was to ensure that the army of the king did no harm to the citizenry.
In many countries, military forces have separate prisons and judicial systems, different from civilian entities. The military also has its own interpretation of criminal justice.
The status of military police is usually prominently displayed on the helmet and/or on an armband, brassard, or arm or shoulder flash.
Military police in different countries
In the Australian Army, the Royal Australian Corps of Military Police also perform the role of a secondary communications network in the front battle zone.
The Military Police of the Canadian Armed Forces have full authority and powers over all citizens just as other Canadian police services.
In the United Kingdom, MPs (often known as Redcaps) are members of the British Army's Royal Military Police (RMP). The Royal Air Force Police (RAFP) are often known as "Service Police" (SPs). The Royal Navy is policed by the Royal Navy Regulating Branch, the members of which are known as Regulators (or Master-at-Arms if a Chief Petty Officer or Warrant Officer). The Royal Marines also have a Police Troop, the Royal Marines Police.
In the United States Armed Forces, MPs are service members of the US Army and US Marine Corps; the US Navy and US Coast Guard use the term Shore Patrol and Master at arms. The US Air Force uses the term Security Police, or SPs to describe the USAF Security Forces). Each service also maintains uniformed civilian security police officers. Their peacetime duties are the same as those of civilian police, namely to enforce the laws of the U.S. Military in the form of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), and the regulations of their particular installation. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, MPs have been used extensively to maintain control over the large populations of detainees being held by coalition forces, as well as helping to conduct raids and regular patrols.
See also
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