What is the MDP?

Charged with the duty of policing the United Kingdom's defence community, from Culdrose in Cornwall to the Clyde in Scotland, the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) is Britain's only true national police force. Made up of approximately 4,200 Officers, it serves the families who live and work in the defence community throughout the UK.

There are many similarities between the MDP and the regular police force. They are both civilian forces, wear similar uniforms, have equal constabulary powers and they both trained along similar lines, and MDP Officers serve under a Chief Constable who is appointed by the Secretary of State for Defence, to whom they are accountable.

However, the MDP does differ in several important aspects. Firstly, they are the only national police force that operates throughout the United Kingdom; forces such as the Metropolitan Police operate only in their own region. Secondly, while the regular police force is not armed, each officer of the MDP is weapons trained, and at any one time, three quarters of MDP Officers on duty will be carrying firearms. Because of that a training system unique to the MDP, and acceptable to the military and police forces, is followed by all their officers.

How does it fight crime?

The MDP provides a full range of police services, including a CID unit that has one of the largest fraud squads in the country. It also has a Marine Units based at Royal Navy locations around the UK and is equipped with the largest number of amphibious craft of all police forces in Britain. Some MDP Officers in the marine section hold deputations issued by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise which give them the legal powers of officers of Customs and Excise to stop, search and seize vessels for drugs and contraband.

The Operational Support Unit (OSU) based in Wethersfield, Essex, is the force's mobile flexible reserve. The OSU can deploy officers around the country at short notice to provide specialist police skills such as ammunition and explosive searches; specialist weapons officers; personal protection for VIP's; public order and nuclear, chemical and biological hazard response teams.

Officers of the Special Escort Group provide protection for the passage of nuclear material throughout the country. In addition to its specific defence unit duties, the MDP is also deployed at United States air force bases, Royal Ordnance factories and, with special authority from the Secretary of State, at the Royal Mint.

What's the history?

The MDP can trace its origins back to 1686 when Samuel Pepys was Admiralty Secretary and set up policing for the Royal Dockyards. In 1834, this force was disbanded and the first dockyard police was formed. Three centuries later in 1971, the MDP recognisable today was formed by amalgamating the Admiralty, Army and Air Force department constabularies. Today the MDP combines a police role with a security function. While an MDP officer is policing the community of a married quarters estate, they also act as an armed guard that helps to deter a potential terrorist attack.

More information

Ministry of Defence Police Headquarters
Wethersfield
Braintree
Essex CM7 4AZ

Official Ministry of Defence Police website: http://www.MoD.uk/mdp/