Canadian Forces Military Police
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The Canadian Forces Military Police provide military police services to the Canadian Forces.
Canadian Military Police are unusual in that they are classified as Peace Officers in terms of the Canadian Criminal Code, which gives them the same powers as civilian police. They have the power to arrest anyone who is subjected to the Code of Service Discipline, regardless of position or rank. They cannot arrest non-members under the National Defence Act but may do so at the request of Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, the Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or the Commissioner of Corrections
Members of the CF is automatically classified as Peace Officer when they are engaging in "in the course of any military operation, training or administration, either as a result of a specific order or established military custom or practice". But this power is strictly limited unlike the Military Police themseleves[1]
The official Branch motto is Securitas, Latin for "Securing".
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[edit] History
During the early 1960s, the Canadian Government was exploring the possibility of amalgamating the three military Services into a single, unified command structure. The Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force became the Sea, Land, and Air Elements of the Canadian Forces. Individual Corps and Services common to the three elements, such as Signals, Medical, Ordnance and Chaplains, were unified and designated as personnel branches. New uniforms were authorized, and the rank structure unified.
[edit] Single Service Military Police organizations
Prior to this unification, military security and police functions were performed differently by each arm of service.
The Army had divided the responsibility for security between the Canadian Provost Corps (C Pro C) and the Canadian Intelligence Corps (C Int C). Field inquiries were conducted by the security sections of the C Int C, whilst the police functions of the C Pro C involved the provision and supervision of guards, the operation of Service Detention Barracks, and the investigation of service (disciplinary) and criminal offences.
The Royal Canadian Air Force Police (AFP) had the dual tasks of performing both police and security duties and were under the command of the base on which they served.
Security in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) was the responsibility of the Assistant Director Naval Intelligence, who reported to the Director of Naval Headquarters. The navy had no police organization comparable to the C Pro C or the AFP, but relied on the Dockyard Police, Corps of Commissionaires, local civil police and shore patrols to maintain security of establishments and to maintain discipline.
[edit] Amalgamation
All police and security elements of the Canadian Forces were initially amalgamated when the Directorate of Security was formed during October 1964 at Canadian Forces Headquarters. When the functional command structure was introduced in April 1966, the security staffs and Provost Marshals in existing single service command structures were eliminated, command and base security officers were appointed at the new HQs, and the investigative elements of the Services were joined into a single organisation called the Special Investigative Unit (SIU).
To achieve a common approach within the Canadian Forces, security and police functions were regrouped into three categories - personnel security, police and custody, and security of information and materiel. The five trades that had previous existed were replaced by a single trade of Military Police. This also provided standards for the training required by all non-commissioned officers in the police and security field.
In June 1966, Major General Turcot was instructed to examine the role, organisation and responsibilities for security within the Canadian Forces and to make recommendations for any changes. At the time there were two philosophies within the police, intelligence and security families. The Director General Intelligence saw a distinction between police and security, but saw a closer relationship between security and intelligence. The Chief of Personnel saw the police and security functions as complementary. The Turcot Report, when completed on 22 July 1966, directed that the responsibility for security should be placed under the DGI.
In January 1967, the Chief of Defence Staff directed the Director General Intelligence to perform a management analysis in order to make recommendations for the future management system for Intelligence, Security and Military Police in the Canadian Armed Forces. The Picquet Report, which was submitted in March 1967, concluded that security, intelligence and police should be managed by a Directorate General Intelligence and Security (DGIS) in the Vice Chief of Defence Staff Branch.
On February 1, 1968, the Police and Intelligence units of the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force were amalgamated into the Canadian Armed Forces Security and Intelligence Branch. New insignia, Branch Colours and a Branch March ("Thunderbird") were approved.
[edit] Since amalgamation
With the C Pro C gone, Military Police platoons were integrated into Service Battalions. It was deemed that the Service Battalions would provide all support, including MP support, to the units in each Brigade. Only in 1971 did the Regular Force MP units leave the Service Battalions to be established as independent units.
In 1978, the Craven Report proposed that the CF Police and Intelligence personnel comprising the unified Security Branch be reorganized into a structured Security Branch and an Intelligence Branch. Following further studies, discussions and recommendations, the DGIS agreed, and on 3 December 1981, the CDS directed that separate Security and Intelligence Branches be established. On 29 October 1982, a ceremony was held at the Canadian Forces School of Intelligence and Security that inaugurated the new Canadian Forces Intelligence Branch and rededicated the newly renamed Security And Military Police Branch.
In 1989, the Canadian Government decided to pull the Canadian Military out of Germany, and 4 Military Police Platoon was disbanded.
On 1 April 1997, the Canadian Army was restructured, allowing the Reserve Military Police Platoons to become independent units operating in support of their Brigade.
After recommendations were made by former Chief Justice Brian Dickson in the Dickson Report, a new era was ushered in for the Security Branch. Changes included The re-establishment of the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal
In 1999, the Branch was renamed again and designated the Military Police Branch, under the command of the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal.
[edit] Canadian Forces Provost Marshal
The Canadian Forces Provost Marshal (CFPM) is responsible for developing policies and plans to guide the management of security and military police resources of the Department. The CFPM is the Departmental Security Officer (designate), the Branch Advisor for the Canadian Forces Security Branch, an active member of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police and the departmental member of the interdepartmental Security Advisory Committee. The CFPM exercises technical control over all Military Police Functions within the Canadian Forces. In 2006, direct command and control over the National Investigation Service was transferred from the CFPM to the office of the Commanding Officer National Investigation Service. The CO NIS still reports to the CFPM. The CFPM exercises command and control over the Canadian Forces Military Police Academy and exercises functional control over the Canadian Forces Service Prison and Detention Barracks.
[edit] Training
During 1968, the Provost Corps School was renamed the Canadian Forces School of Intelligence and Security (CFSIS).
On 1 April 1999, the CFSIS was stood down. The Intelligence Training Company was reformed as the Canadian Forces School of Military Intelligence - Project (CFSMI), to be located at Canadian Forces Base Kingston. The Military Police component was reorganized to form the Canadian Military Police Academy (CFMPA) and is located at CFB Borden. In 2004 Managing Authority for CFMPA was transferred from Canadian Forces Training Systems Group to the CFPM, who now exercises full control of Career and Out of Service Training for the Military Police. The CFMPA has most recently changed over to the faculty system which will aid in providing more knowledgable ttraining staff. The CFMPA is currently in the process of searching for and the development of a new training facility.
[edit] Deployment
Military police officers serve on every base and station of the Canadian Forces in Canada, as well as with the various regiments and battalions. MPs continue to serve with United Nations forces and as part of the NATO component in Geilenkirchen, Germany, as well as in twenty-nine military police security guard detachments at Canadian embassies around the world. All CFBs have military police sections in domestic policing and security roles.
There are military police units at:
- Royal Military College, Kingston, Ontario
- CFSRSHQ
- CFSU Europe
- CFNA HQ Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
- Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Casteau, Belgium
Military police units include:
- 1 Military Police Platoon (Regular) — CFB Edmonton, Alberta
- 2 Military Police Platoon (Regular) — CFB Petawawa, Ontario
- 3 Wing Military Police Squadron (Regular) - 3 Wing Bagotville, Quebec
- 4 Wing Military Police Squadron (Regular) - 4 Wing Cold Lake
- 5 Wing Military Police Flight (Regular) - Goose Bay, Labrador
- 5 Military Police Platoon (Regular) — CFB Valcartier, Quebec
- 8 Wing Military Police Squadron (Regular) — 8 Wing Trenton, Ontario
- 9 Wing Military Police Flight (Regular) - 9 Wing Gander, Nfld
- 14 Wing Military Police Squadron (Regular)- 14 Wing Greenwood, Nova Scotia
- 15 Wing Military Police Flight (Regular) — 15 Wing Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
- 17 Wing Military Police Squadron (Regular) — Winnipeg, Manitoba
- 19 Military Police Squadron (Regular) — Comox, British Columbia
- 22 Military Police Flight (Regular) — North Bay, Ontario
Formation (Atlantic) Military Police - CFB Halifax, Nova Scotia Formation (Pacific) Military Poloice - CFB Esquimalt, British Columbia
- 30 Military Police Company (Reserve) — Moncton, New Brunswick
The 2 Military Police Company includes the following three units,
- 31 Military Police Platoon (Reserve) - London, Ontario
- 32 Military Police Platoon (Reserve) - Toronto, Ontario
- 33 Military Police Platoon (Reserve) — Ottawa, Ontario
The 4 Military Police Company includes the following three units,
- 4 Military Police Company Headquarters - Quebec City, Quebec
- 43 Military Police Platoon (Reserve) - Jonquière, Quebec
- 51 Military Police Platoon (Reserve) - Saint-Hubert, Quebec
- 55 Military Police Platoon (Reserve) - Quebec City, Quebec
The 15 Military Police Company includes the following units
- 15 Military Police Company Headquarters — Edmonton, Alberta
- 14 Military Police Platoon — (Reserve) — Calgary, Alberta
- 11 Military Police Platoon — (Reserve) Victoria, British Columbia
- 12 Military Police Platoon — (Reserve) Richmond, British Columbia
- 13 Military Police Platoon — (Reserve) Winnipeg, Manitoba
[edit] Order of precedence
| Preceded by: Chaplain Branch |
Canadian Forces Military Police | Succeeded by: Legal Branch |
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Canadian Forces Military police Recruiting site
- CF MP Branch unofficial site
- Military Police Complaints Commission of Canada - official site
- CF PMO official site
