Security police - Definition and Overview

Security police (also known as special police) are the special security officers employed by (usually governmental) organizations to protect their facilities, properties, personnel, users and visitors from harm and who enforce laws and administrative regulations.

Security police are usually endowed with full police powers of crime prevention, law enforcement and investigation within their jurisdictions. They fall into two broad categories:

• Security guards with on-site police powers.
• State-certified police officers whose jurisdiction may be limited to that of the agency or organization which employs them.

Examples in the United States are the Federal Protective Service, the Veterans Affairs Police and Security Service, and the Federal Air Marshal Service. Some of these services may have concurrent jurisdiction with civil police agencies, such as the United States Park Police and the National Zoological Park Police.

The United States Air Force Security Forces, formerly known as Security Police (SPs), are the military police of the United States Air Force.