The Royal Australian Corps of Military Police (RACMP) is a corps within the Australian Army. Previously known as the Australian Army Provost Corps, it was formed on 3 April 1916 as the ANZAC Provost Corps. It is responsible for battlefield traffic control, security duties, prisoner of war handling, the investigation of service offences, maintaining discipline and the running of military prisons. Its name was changed in 1918 and it was disbanded in 1920. The corps was reformed during World War II and was granted the "Royal" prefix in 1948, adopting its current name on 4 September 1974. The then Duchess of Cornwall became the first Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Australian Corps of Military Police in November 2012. The Royal Australian Corps of Military Police have played a role in World War I, World War II and aided in conflicts since the finish of the second world war, including Afghanistan and the Timor Leste Crisis. The Corps have embellishments such as the Governor General’s banner which they received in 2001. As well as specific uniform requirements up to and including their standout scarlet beret. The Military Police has a range of training pathways which leads to the many different specialised roles the members hold.
Role
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. The Corps have also played roles in peace keeping since World War II in which they have occasionally worked with the Australian Federal Police. Specific peace keeping operations involve; manoeuvre support, custody of POWs, civil affairs, security, mobility support and law enforcement. 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. The Corps have held positions in traffic control and monitoring as well as a back-up communication team for the front line.
The Corps are trained in specific ways to help maintain law and order. Such skills include in power of arrest and detention, judicial expertise and liaising experience. 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.
Personnel of the Royal Australian Corps of Military Police are posted in several units: those being the 1st Military Police Battalion, the Domestic Policing Unit (disbanded), the Joint Military Police Unit (JMPU), the Australian Defence Force Investigative Service (a section of JMPU) , the Defence Police Training Centre, Defence Force Corrective Establishment and the Office of the Provost Marshal Army.
History
The Corps group was formed in April 1916 and was originally named the ANZAC Provost Corps. It then was renamed the Australian Army Provost Corps in January 1918 which was subsequently disbanded at the end of World War I. 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. 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".
World War I
The Corps was formed during World War I in order to maintain order and discipline within the large number of troops within Egypt after the end of the Gallipoli campaign. Corps personnel were spread throughout the Middle East and Europe during the war, taking part in actions at Gallipoli, on the Western Front and in the Sinai and Palestine in order to help keep troops under control and to aid with detention. The Australian Military Police's role to keep Australian troops under control caused a lot of tension between the two groups and this continued through into the Second World War.