Posted on Apr 4, 2014
Should Military Police be required to meet the same requirements as Civilian Police Officers ?
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Civilian police officers must be 21 yrs old in order to be employed as a police officer. They must also attend a police academy that is several months long and pass the Police Officers Selection Test (POST). Law enforcement on a military installation involves the same crimes as the civilian sector but many MP's are very young and only attend a few weeks of the MP school. Under the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (LEOSA) MP's are now recognized as Federal Law Enforcement Officers yet they are not qualified to serve as police officers anywhere in the US. However under LEOSA they will soon ( with the proper credentials) be able to carry a concealed weapon nation wide regardless of state and local concealed carry law reciprocity. I firmly believe that all personnel wishing to serve as MP's should have to be 21yrs of age or older, have to attend the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) and pass the POST exam before being allowed to serve as an MP. This not only ensures that they are thoroughly qualified like everyone else, but also certifies them so that should they leave the Army they are qualified to serve in the civilian world.
Military police
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Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 41
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A few weeks of school? LMFAO. 21 weeks plus LEO training is required for all MP's when they get to their unit or anytime you are stationed at a new post. I had to do the 21 weeks of MP school at Leonard Wood, then I got stationed at Fort Bliss which I had to do the MPLEC there before working the road and every year did a recert. Then I got stationed in Korea and had to do MPLEC again at Humphreys right at battalion. Then I got stationed at Carson and had to do MPLEC again there to work the road and the gates.
SFC William Farrell
SGT Christopher Lachcik Ive been out a long time now. What is the MPLEC courses you had to take at each duty station? I have an idea what it is but can you explain? Thanks. Be safe up in Maine. I'm down in Newport, RI.
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Yes! As a Department of the Army Civilian Police Sergeant and MP veteran, I have become involved with the Fraternal Order of Police and interface with civilian police officers regularly.
The military police are tolerated, nothing more. The veterans who are now civilian police will backstab and trashtalk the MPs from their own memories and experiences (either as MPs or not) The civilian cops who ARE NOT veterans have no clue as to how to treat MPs.
If the MP schools (all branches) were elevated to the position of FLETC with THAT many weeks dedicated to law enforcement, then MAYBE there would be a change in attitude.
The military police are tolerated, nothing more. The veterans who are now civilian police will backstab and trashtalk the MPs from their own memories and experiences (either as MPs or not) The civilian cops who ARE NOT veterans have no clue as to how to treat MPs.
If the MP schools (all branches) were elevated to the position of FLETC with THAT many weeks dedicated to law enforcement, then MAYBE there would be a change in attitude.
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SPC Erich Guenther
It could be any Private Police force making those complaints, Railroad Police, Federal Reserve Police, etc. Does that mean we elevate them to the same level as Civilian LEO's as well? I think not.
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I think the opportunity should be there, I would encourage anything that offers my veteran brothers/sisters an opportunity to continue on in the civilian life. Absolutely. I question sometimes if police should be held to MP standards. :) kudos!
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There should be a substantial change in training for MPs. Initially train traditional MPs from where they could vet good candidates for "Garrison" or traditional law enforcement, they would have the same requirements any other Law Enforcement agency, this would also solve the problem former of former MPs in being qualified for civilian Law Enforcement.
FLETC is always booked, but each state has an academy, send them there or it would be more practical to set-up a military-owned FLETC for all services.
History:
The US Air Force at one time had Security Forces divided into Garrison (Traditional Patrol) and Security forces, Fence and Gate Guards. The Navy requires the rank of E-5 to attend Master at Arms school, this however more of a Ship's Marshall and most Naval bases have Patrols composed of non- Master-at Arms, who are on shore duty with no formal Police training.
Many a State Representative has tried in every state to fund a way have Military experience count towards a civilian job, especially law enforcement.
FLETC is always booked, but each state has an academy, send them there or it would be more practical to set-up a military-owned FLETC for all services.
History:
The US Air Force at one time had Security Forces divided into Garrison (Traditional Patrol) and Security forces, Fence and Gate Guards. The Navy requires the rank of E-5 to attend Master at Arms school, this however more of a Ship's Marshall and most Naval bases have Patrols composed of non- Master-at Arms, who are on shore duty with no formal Police training.
Many a State Representative has tried in every state to fund a way have Military experience count towards a civilian job, especially law enforcement.
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My biggest concern is the OJT that Mp's get. Civilians usually work for months with a partner before they can go on their own. MP gets his 2-3 weeks of LE Cert, and maybe a week of OJT, then get told go get em. In my eyes not enough.
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Agree. I do believe the military has a different mission. Not sure what the MP does but I know they need more range training. Example--the Fort Hood shooting.
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The biggest problem is the standards between the military and civilian world are miles apart.
The process to be hired as a Civ LEO is far more extensive than the requirements to be a MP. It includes a written exam, a oral exam, a physical agility test, two medical exams, a lie detector test, a psychological exam and an extensive background. Many people fail the background due to poor credit, too many traffic tickets, and drug use. The process takes anywhere from 6 -18 months. In California, statewide, 5 in every 100 candidates are hired. In many departments (mine included) the number is less than 1 in a 100. After that, the candidate must pass a academy (that can be anywhere from 20 weeks to 6 months) and where the failure rate can be as high as 30%. After the academy, there is a one year probation period where the candidate can be fired without cause.
Even of you provided the same training to MP's as Civ LE it would not make them equal to Civilian LE because the individuals are not the same. The military could not meet it commitments if they required the same standards as Civilian LE to become MP's.
The process to be hired as a Civ LEO is far more extensive than the requirements to be a MP. It includes a written exam, a oral exam, a physical agility test, two medical exams, a lie detector test, a psychological exam and an extensive background. Many people fail the background due to poor credit, too many traffic tickets, and drug use. The process takes anywhere from 6 -18 months. In California, statewide, 5 in every 100 candidates are hired. In many departments (mine included) the number is less than 1 in a 100. After that, the candidate must pass a academy (that can be anywhere from 20 weeks to 6 months) and where the failure rate can be as high as 30%. After the academy, there is a one year probation period where the candidate can be fired without cause.
Even of you provided the same training to MP's as Civ LE it would not make them equal to Civilian LE because the individuals are not the same. The military could not meet it commitments if they required the same standards as Civilian LE to become MP's.
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I attended MP School at Ft. McClellan. There they covered the basics of being an MP. Once we got to our Duty Station we were REQUIRED to attend several more weeks of training that brought our proficiency level to where the standards required us to be. We were trained by Civilian LEO's as well as other Federal LEO's. We were also the first to use the Computerized Shoot Don't Shoot training which is just now being incorporated into Civilian Department Required training. We set the standards as far as training went. Now as far as the age thing goes, I think it's a travesty that as a Country we tell an 18 year old that they can't drink, in some places they are trying to make it illegal for an 18 year old to buy cigarettes, and they can't legally purchase a handgun but, they can serve and DIE for this Country. Either you need to be recognized as an Adult at 18 or the Military needs to raise the legal age that you can enlist. These kids are fighting for rights they don't or aren't even legally entitled to... Make the standard the standard across the board or don't call it a standard...
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I see too many men and woman who are either fresh out of boot camp or A-school who have not even seen the real military world as "boots" and have done their time learning to be a soldier or sailor. Where I worked we called them non-rates with a gun, scarey thought to think they have never been to a school like a police type academy or learned to clean a toilet.
The other bad thing is that these young folks really are not taken seriously because of their lack of law enforcement training.
Men and women who are put into a law enforcement position should be trained to the fullest, not just given a gun and vest.
The other bad thing is that these young folks really are not taken seriously because of their lack of law enforcement training.
Men and women who are put into a law enforcement position should be trained to the fullest, not just given a gun and vest.
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