Royal Australian Corps of Military Police

The role of the Royal Australian Corps of Military Police is to aid the Australian Defence Force (ADF) in the restoration of peace and law and order.[4] The Corps have also played roles in peace keeping since World War II in which they have occasionally worked with the Australian Federal Police.[4] Specific peace keeping operations involve; manoeuvre support, custody of POWs, civil affairs, security, mobility support and law enforcement.[3] They have additionally been known to be involved with military detention within Australia as they were in charge of Military Detention Facilities in the Northern Territory prior to 1943.[12] The Corps have held positions in traffic control and monitoring as well as a back-up communication team for the front line.[5][13]

The Corps are trained in specific ways to help maintain law and order.[1] Such skills include in power of arrest and detention, judicial expertise and liaising experience.[4] As well as the investigation roles of the Royal Australian Military Police and their detention training. The range of skills that the Corps hold allow them to operate over a large spectrum of Australian Defence Force Units, including high-threat situations.[3]

The Royal Australian Corps of Military Police are posted in several units:[5]

• 1^st Military Police Battalion
• Domestic Policing Unit
• Australian Defence Force Investigative Service[10]
• Defence Police Training Centre
• Defence Force Corrective Establishment
• Office of the Provost Marshal Army

The Corps group was formed in April of 1916 and was originally named the ANZAC Provost Corps. It then was renamed the Australian Army Provost Corps in January of 1918 which was subsequently disbanded at the end of World War I.[5] It was reformed during the World War II and on 4 September 1974 its name was changed to its currently held name the Royal Australian Corps of Military Police.[2] The corps are also known as the (Australian) Military Police in literature and army writings. At the time of the name change, the RACMP motto was changed as well. The Australian Army Provost Corps motto was “First in Last Out” and with the name change the motto of the Australian Corps of Military Police which is still currently held is “For the Troops, With the Troops”.[14]

The Royal Australian Corps of Military Police have several different attires as they wear different clothing dependant on the occasion, the following encompasses their polyester general duty dress. One of the RACMP’s more distinguishing items of clothing is their scarlet beret, it has been the official headdress for the authorised members of the Corps since March 1975.[5][6][8] The Corps ranking below Colonel, wear a slouch hat and those Colonel and above as well as those with regimental appointments or honorary Corps are permitted to wear the beret.[5][8] The beret has been considered a standout item from those such as their colonel in chief, The Duchess of Cornwell, who made the following comment while on her visit to Australia in 2012.[9] “I am delighted to see that you are all wearing your rather dashing scarlet berets and wondered if the Colonel-in-Chief might possibly get to wear one, too?”.[9] The Military police must wear a white belt with equipment attached in addition to their scarlet MP identification badges.[8] The holster pistol, hand cuff pouch and tactical baton holders and items are only worn when the Corps have been ordered to do so.[8] Although if a RACMP is currently posted within the Australian Defence Force Investigative Service (ADFIS) unit they will wear the ADFIS identification patch.[8] Another significant item of this uniform are the scarlet and black lanyard.[5][6][8] The uniform then includes a capped sleeved khaki shirt, khaki slacks and socks and black leather boots.[8] The main differences between the polyester general duties dress and the Patrol Order Services dress are that the khaki necktie, a long sleeve khaki shirt and either a service dress; skirt, slacks or trousers are required for patrol order.[8]

The Royal Australian Corps of Military Police are involved in many smaller or separate units throughout the defence force.[5][20] The Military Police are placed and involved in the Domestic Policing Unit which is unit that works on Army bases to help commanders keep civilian law intact while also being in charge of Garrison Policing and small investigations involving illegal activity.[20][1] Another area that the Corps specialise into is the Australian Defence Force Investigator role.[20][10] These Corps are trained at the Defence Force School of Policing and are taught how to deal with very complicated and important investigations, they are also taught forensics.[10][20][11] Once the Military police reach a satisfactory level they are placed into ADFIS.[10] This unit was previously the Special Investigations Branch which was formed in 1940 with members of the Corps it had similar duties to the Investigators of the Military police and the role of ADFIS.[5] The members of the Royal Australian Corps of Military Police can also be trained to specialise in dog handling.[5][11] These Corps are required to train and handle dogs used for a wide range of Military Police roles such as tracking, crowd control and apprehension of criminals.[5][11] Another Military Police specialist role is that of personal protection, this protection from the Corps is provided to those of high importance.[20][11] Corps Specialists undergo close protection for are those at high risk of terrorist, military or criminal attack due to their high stature whether it be due to influence, power or that they are vulnerable.[20] Each of these Military Police specialisations come with their own specifically catered training schemes.[11]

The Corps had little training within its early years of service.[7] The unit had been put together out of necessity during the first world war and therefore members were not provided with the high amount of training they’re now receiving over 100 years since their original formation.[5][7] The Corps were highly disliked by the Australian Troops in both the first and second World War.[5][6][7] In an effort to make the Australian Provost Corps a more respectable unit the Provost Marshal of October 1939 decided to create a syllabus for training the military police.[5][7] Simultaneously the Corps were expanding at a rapid rate meaning members had to be trained quickly and therefore the training syllabus only had a minor effect in improving the ability of the unit.[5] This resulted in a training camp being created in 1941 in Palestine which increased the Military Police’s professionalism and ability to conduct their orders.[5][6] The Corps if they are entering into the Military Police through the general Army are trained at Kapooka to complete their recruit course.[11] The recruits then undergo their initial training at the Defence Force School of Policing and dependant on the specialisation of their role will move throughout different training regimes.[10][11][6]

The relationship between the Royal Australian Corps of Military Police and the Australian Troops has been an uneasy one.[7] The Australia Military has used nicknames such "Meat Heads" as a derogatory term for the military police and the Corps have been referred to in the past as the "Other Enemy" to the Army troops.[21][7] The dislike of the Military Police started within World War 1 when the Unit was formed, as the Australian Troops had rule breaking tendencies and it was the Military Police’s job the maintain the rules.[5][6][11] Also, there was already a dislike towards the British Provosts (Military Police) and therefore when the ANZAC Provosts formed the dislike transferred.[6][7] This distaste for the Corps was also present in World War 2 and was heightened by the newly reinstated unit being under trained and not fully equip to manage the Australian Troops as mentioned above.[7] There were songs sung by soldiers about their distastes for the Provost Corps an example was retrieved in an interview discussing a young man's choice to join the Provost Corps.[22]

Provo Bastards, Provo Bastards,
Provo Bastards at the gate,
Checking passes,
Kicking arses,
Provo bastards at the gate!”

When you’re old, and good for nothing,
And a God damned f-----g wreck,
May you slip back through your arse-hole,
And break you’re f-----g neck!

• ADFIS
• Royal Military Police
• Corps of Royal New Zealand Military Police