Singapore Armed Forces Military Police Command

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SAFMPC providing security coverage at the Padang during the National Day Parade in 2000.

The Singapore Armed Forces Military Police Command (abbreviation: SAFMPC; Chinese: 新加坡武装部队宪兵营), previously the Singapore Armed Forces Provost Unit until 1 September 2006 [1], is the military police unit of the Singapore Armed Forces, performing policing duties to uphold standards of discipline amongst members of the SAF. Its responsibilities include security of key military establishments, the guarding of the Ministry of Defence, ceremonial sentries at the Istana, forming the ceremonial guards for visits by VVIPs to the country and other national events, the maintenance of discipline through enforcement and the operation of the SAF Detention Barracks, and search and rescue operations, amongst others.

[edit] History

Formed on 1 September 1966 at the old Beach Road Camp, the SAF Provost Company initially consisted of one company of military policemen and was part of the Manpower Division, although it came under the command of HQ 1 SIB. In the same year, the School of provost and the first detention cells were in operation at Beach Road Camp. With the implementation of National service a year later in 1967, the unit grew exponentially in membership, before the entire unit moved to the Hill Street Camp in 1970. The Singapore Armed Forces Dog Company and Operations Company were established there.

In February 1971, the three companies were merged officially to form the Singapore Armed Forces Provost Unit (SAFPU) and moved to the Mowbray Camp at Ulu Pandan Road in July 1971. The Kranji Disciplinary Barrack was built in 1972, before being converted into a proper detention facility in 1977. The British Army Military Correction Centre was handed over to the SAF and renamed as the Tanglin Detention Barracks in 1972. Changi Detention Barracks opened in 1973, and Nee Soon Detention Barracks in 1974. The SAF Detention Barracks was opened on 29 March 1987 to replace the three facilities.

The Security Company (SC) was added to the SAFPU, while the Special Investigations Branch (SIB) was formed in July 1973. In 1974, the sixth sub-unit, the 1st Reservist Provost Company, was formed, completing the organisational structure of the unit which has remained so to this day. The Operations Company took on ceremonial functions in 1980, and formed the first pretige guard for the German ambassador to Singapore.

The distinctive Military Police Uniform was first introduced in 1983. In 1984, a 93-man unit drawn from the ranks of the SAFPU formed the Silent Precision Drill Squad (SPDS), trained with the help of foreign instructors for a performance at a Reach Out Singapore event that same year. The overwhelmingly positive public response led to the sub-unit becoming a permanent fixture, and since then, has become one of the most well-known and visible aspects of the SAFPU which the general public would relate to. The unit first appeared in the National Day Parade in 1986, and put up its first mass precision drill performance in 1988 at the National Stadium. It performed twice for the Malaysian King and the general public at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 1989.

From the mid 1980s, the SAFPU began performing ceremonial sentry duties at the Istana, the official residence of the President of Singapore, and the monthly Change of Guard parade has since become a public spectator event also attracting the attention of tourists. New colours was awarded to the unit by ex-president Ong Teng Cheong during the SAF Day Parade in 1995.

Today, the unit is based at a new camp near Choa Chu Kang. In keeping with tradition, the new road leading to the camp was called Mowbray Road, and the camp itself retaining the Mowbray Camp name. The old Mowbray Camp has since been handed over to the Singapore Police Force, which currently uses the camp for the training of reservists for the KINS unit. From 1 September 2006, the unit was renamed the Singapore Armed Forces Military Police Command (SAFMPU).

[edit] Heritage

Vision: To be the Bastion of Enforcement in the Singapore Armed Forces, a United yet Diverse Team of Elite Protectors, Enforcers and Reformers of Law and Order, Highly Regarded as Exemplary Guardians of Military Law and Premier Leaders in Ceremonial Drills.

Mission: To uphold and enforce military law, order and discipline in the SAF during both peace and war time, whilst providing security support and executing ceremonial duties for the State and SAF.

Motto: Pride, Discipline and Honour, which is also the name of the unit's regimental Slow March (listen: [2]), written by CPT Lee Kah Hee Johnson, currently the Director of Music and Officer-in-Charge of the SAF Band's Parade Band A. The regimental Fast March of the unit is entitled Spot On.

[edit] Organisation

Members of the Singapore Armed Forces Military Police Command's Precision Drill Unit on the march after their performance at Marina South, Singapore, for the National Day Parade, 2005.

The unit is headed by the Company Headquarters which oversees its daily operations, and supported by six sub-units specialising in the various specific operational responsibilities of the SAFMPC.

The six sub-units are as follow:

Active Provost Company (APC): This is the company that performs most of the important ceremonial duties required within the SAF. It also consists of a traffic platoon which ensures the compliance of traffic regulations by military personnel on the road as well as performing escort duties.

Zone Provost Company (ZPC): ZPC consists of MPs that perform regular raids for contrabands and/or miscreants on various camps of the SAF. A Deserter Platoon also perform regular raids in residential areas to apprehend deserters and AWOL offenders. The security of Mowbray Station is overseen by a platoon who is also in charge of registering and detaining suspects and offenders of military crimes in holding cells. The station is similar to a civilian police station and it is usually the first stop for detainees before their transfer to detention barracks after conviction in military courts.

Special Investigations Branch (SIB): The sub-unit that performs the important task of investigating military crimes committed within the SAF.

Security Company (SC): No public information is available on this sub-unit.

Detention Barracks (DB): Headed by a commandant, DB consists of MPs in charge of supervision of detainees of the SAF who have been convicted in military courts.

School Of Provost (SOP): The school is in charge of equipping would be MP trainees with necessary and fundamental policing skills as well as instilling in them a high standard of discipline.

[edit] Manpower

[edit] Provost Marshals

The current Provost Marshal, or Commanding Officer of the SAF MPC is LTC Chan Wei Gan. Past Provost Marshals include:

[edit] Uniforms

The uniforms of the SAFMPC are rarely modified, but are sometimes done for the purpose of performances. These members had their white helmets replaced by red peak caps usually worn with the no.1 uniform for a National Day Parade performance in Marina South.

As is the case for other members of the Singapore Armed Forces, SAFMPC members wear a variation of uniforms for each specific usage or occasion. They are, however, probably most distinctively identified by the Olive Drab-coloured no.3 uniform worn by members of the military police, complimented by a white cotton belt, white lanyard with whistle, a white helmet with the letters "MP" in red type or a blue beret, and black combat boots with garters. When dressed in the camouflage-coloured no.4 uniform, however, they are distinguished by wearing a black leather brassard on the right arm, with the letters "MP" in orange.

Members of the Regimental police, who are not considered part of the unit although having received training there, are always dressed in no.4 uniforms when on normal official duty. They also wear an armband, except it is made of cloth with the camouflage pattern similar to that of their uniform and have the letters "RP" on them.

In ceremonial occasions and other important official functions, such as in the forming of the GOH for visiting VIPs and the Singapore Armed Forces Day, when performing ceremonial guard duties at important state institutions such as the Istana, and in military funerals, members of the SAFMPC wear the army no.1 uniform.

The SAFMPC is the only unit in the SAF to don a unique cap badge design incorporating elements from the crest of the Singapore Police Force and the Armed forces, featuring the Coat of Arms and laurels from the SAF crest, but with the words "SAF Military Police" on a ribbon design similar to the SPF's crest.

[edit] References

• Chiang, Mickey (1990) Fighting fit: The Singapore Armed Forces Times Editions, Singapore ISBN 981-204-176-1
• Choo, Martin (1981) The Singapore Armed Forces Public Affairs Department, Ministry of Defence, Singapore
• Sin, Tino (2006) Pride, Discipline, Honour SAF Provost Media Department, Ministry of Defence, Singapore [3]

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Singapore Armed Forces Provost Unit

• Pride, Discipline and Honour Mp3 source page