Myanmar Police Force

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Myanmar Police Force

Personnel

72,000 (including 4,500 Combat Police)
Headquarters
Yangon
Director General
Brigadier General Khin Yi
Components
State and Division Police Forces
Special Departments
Training Centres
Reserved Units
Combat Police Battalions
Anti-narcotic Task Force

Myanmar Police Force, formally known as The People's Police Force, was established in 1964 as independent department under Ministry of Home Affairs. It was reorganised on 1 October 1995 and informally become part of Tatmadaw. Current Director General of Myanmar Police Force is Brigadier General Khin Yi with its headquarters at Yangon. Its command structure is based on established civil jurisdictions. Each of Myanmar's seven states and seven divisions has their own Police Forces with headquarters in the respective capital cities.^[1]

1 History
2 Components
3 Weapons and Equipments
4 References
5 See also

[edit] History

[edit] Components

[edit] State and Division Police Forces

There are 14 State and Divisional Police Forces and three additional State/Division Police Forces commanded by Police Colonels. Their jurisdictions are divided according to the Civil Administration. The States and Divisions, Additional States have the same status.

Each State and Divisional Police Force consist of four components.

Office of the Commander of the State and Divisional Police Force
Office of the Commander of the District Police Force
Office of the Commander of the Township Police Force
Police Stations

The District Police Forces are classified into two classes depending on the area, population and development, namely A and B Class. Commanders of the A Class District Police Forces are Police Lieutenant Colonels and B Classes are Police Majors. Commanders of Township Police Forces are Police Captains and Police Station Officers are Police Lieutenants.

State and Divisional Police Forces of Myanmar are as follow:

State and Division	Headquarters
Karen State	Pa-An
Kachin State	Myitkyina
Chin State	Hakha
Mon State	Moulmein
Arakan State	Akyab
Shan State	Taunggyi
Yangon Division	Yangon
Sagaing Division	Sagaing
Mandalay Division	Mandalay
Magwe Division	Magwe
Pegu Division	Pegu
Tenasserim Division	Tavoy
Irrawaddy Division	Bassein

There are also three additional State Police Forces, with their headquarters at Lashio (Shan State North), Kengtung (Shane State East) and Prome (Pegu West) in Pegu Division. Members of all these forces are assigned to positions at District and Police station level.

[edit] Special Departments

There are four Special Departments, in which the first two Departments are headed by the Police Brigadier Generals and the rest two are by Police Colonels.

Image:Rfrpl.jpg

a SWAT member

Special Intelligence Department (Special Branch)
Criminal Investigation Department (CID)
Railways Police Department
City Development Police Department

[edit] Training Centres

There are three main Training Centers, one Central Training Institute of Myanmar Police Force and two Police Training Depots. The State and Divisional Police Forces have their own training centers for refresher courses and Junior Leader (NCO) Courses.

[edit] Central Institute of Police Training

The Central Training Institute of Myanmar Police Force is situated in Maymyo, commanded by a Police Brigadier General and is conducting the following courses:

Course Name	Duration
Deputy Superintendent Cadet Course	12 months in Central Institute of Police Training, 6 months in Defence Service and 12 months of on -the-job Training
Sub-Inspector Cadet Course	1 Years
Surveillance Officer Course	10 Weeks
Investigation Officer Course	10 Weeks
Police Station Officer Course	12 Weeks
Staff Officer Course	8 Weeks
Township Police Commander Course	12 Weeks
District Police Commander Course	12 Weeks

[edit] No. 1 Police Training Depot

The No.1 Police Training Depot is commanded by a Police Lieutenant Colonel and undertakes:

Course Name	Duration
Basic Training Course for Police Sergeants	9 months
Warrant Officer and Police Sergeants Course	12 Weeks
Basic Training Course for Constables	6 Months

[edit] No. 2 Police Training Depot

The No.2 Police Training Depot is also cmmanded by a Police Lieutenant Colonel, and undertakes only Basic Training Course for Constables, which normally takes around 6 months to complete.

[edit] Reserve Units

The following units were formed with personnel fomerly in the People's Militia Units.

Highway Patrol
Oil Field/Gas Pipeline Security

[edit] Combat Police Battalions (SWAT)

There are sixteen Police Battalions to carry out general security duties under the command of Battalion Control Command. The Battalion Commandants are Police Lieutenant Colonels. As the populace of the cities including Yangon and Mandalay have been increased day after day, problems on social, economy and politics are risen up that could lead to emergence of civil unrest and sabotage. It is necessary to prevent from destruction and harassment, VIP and project factories and workshops, security of diplomats and their embassies. Seven of these Police Battalions are situated in the Yangon Divisional areas and two in Mandalay and three in Arakhan, one in Sagaing, one in Mon State, one in Pegu, one in Prome.

These specially-trained and combat capable battalions are formed with personnel from former Riot Security Police, better known as "Lon Htein" Units. Each battalion consists of 500+ personnel and these battalions are supported by two support battalions, which include signal and medical units. These battalions structure are similar to that of Army's Light Infantry Battalions and they are subordonate to their respective Regional Military Commands.^[2]

1st Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Hlawga)
2nd Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Maungtaw)
3rd Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Shwemyayar)
4th Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Patheingyi)
5th Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Hmawbi)
6th Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Shwepyitha)
7th Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Kyauktan)
8th Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Mingaladon)
9th Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Hlaingthaya)
10th Combat Police Battalion
11th Combat Police Battalion
12th Combat Police Battalion
14th Combat Police Battalion
15th Combat Police Battalion
16th Combat Police Battalion

[edit] Anti-Narcotic Task Forces

19 special anti-narcotic task forces have been established under the direction of the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control.

[edit] Weapons and Equipments

Myanmar Police Force uses wide range of weapons and ammunitions, ranging from Second World War vintage to modern sophisticated weapons. Combat battalions are armed with relatively modern small arms such as M16, AK-47, Type 56 (seized from ethnic and narco-insugents) and [[Heckler & Koch G3 |Ka Pa Sa BA63]] assult rifle, which are being phased out from the Army in favour of 5.56mm MA series assault rifles. They have also been issued with 7.62mm Bren and BA-64 (Heavy Barrel version of G3 with bipod) Light Machine Guns for section support, BA-100 sniper rifles (locally manufactured version of G3A3ZF Sniper Rifle), night vision goggles and other counter terrorists and special forces equipments. Heavy Weapons companies of these battalion are equipped with 81 mm and 60 mm mortors.

Members of MPF who are stationed in local police stations within States and Divisional Police Forces and those providing general guards duties at various government establishments and public places such as airport, train and bus stations are issued with Second World War vintage weapons such as British .303 Enfield Rifles, M1 Grand rifles, M1 Carbines, BA-52 submachine guns (locally manufactured Italian TZ-45 submachine gun) and Sten Gun.

Officers and detectives have been issued with various side arms such as Enfield revolver, Smith & Wesson M&P, 0.38 Colt revolver and Browning HP.