About us
The Ministry of Defence Police, more commonly known as the MOD Police or the MDP.
We are a national civilian police force serving the MOD, other UK Government departments and UK NATO partners based in the UK.
We are a specialist police force, with most of our officers deployed as Authorised Firearms Officers-Counter Terrorist (AFO-CT).
We are not ‘military police’. Unlike our Service Police counterpart’s, our officers’ have the same constabulary powers as other police officers in the UK.
Despite MDP not being a Home Office Police Force, we also work closely with our colleagues in forces across the UK and provide mutual aid when required.
Our history
The MDP was formed in 1971 following the merger of three separate service constabularies, now led by one Chief Constable.
Our jurisdiction
MDP officers’ geographic jurisdiction relates to MOD property and land, and we exercise our powers in matters relating to the Ministry of Defence estate throughout the UK.
We also have police jurisdiction in relation to certain persons connected with the MOD, crime related to the MOD and the escorting of the movement of MOD property anywhere in the UK.
There are 45 ‘territorial’ forces in the UK and 3 ‘special’ police forces.
Territorial forces
Police Service Northern Ireland (PSNI) covers Northern Ireland.
Police Scotland covers the whole of Scotland.
There are 43 other regional forces covering England and Wales.
Special police forces
We are one of three National Specialist Police forces, alongside:
British Transport police (BTP)
BTP cover the rail network across the UK.
Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC)
CNC cover non-military nuclear installations and non-military nuclear material when it’s being transported.
Protecting with Purpose
We deliver unique specialist policing, aimed at protecting the nation’s defences and national infrastructure as our purpose.
We Protect and Reassure to Achieve our Ministry of Defence requirement by:
- Using our unique specialist policing skills and powers to protect assets essential to Defence and national infrastructure.
- Providing a highly visible and proactive policing presence to reassure our customers and local communities.
- Deploying our people and resources wisely, to meet customer requirements in the most efficient way and to achieve what we are required to deliver.
