The Defence College of Policing and Guarding is the training centre for the Service Police of the British Armed Forces

British Armed Forces

The British Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Also known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, the British Armed Forces encompasses three professional uniformed services, the Royal Navy, the...

. The centre is Located at Southwick Park, near Portsmouth

Portsmouth

Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...

, Hampshire

Hampshire

Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...

, it was established on the former site of HMS Dryad

HMS Dryad (establishment)

HMS Dryad was a stone frigate . It was the home of the Royal Navy's Maritime Warfare School until 2004.Originally the school was based in Portsmouth Dockyard. The establishment took its name from the ship used as its tender, the fourth HMS Dryad. During World War II it was moved to Southwick House...

 and consolidates training for the Royal Military Police

Royal Military Police

The Royal Military Police is the corps of the British Army responsible for the policing of service personnel, and for providing a military police presence both in the UK, and whilst service personnel are deployed overseas on operations and exercises.Members of the RMP are generally known as...

, Royal Air Force Police

Royal Air Force Police

The Royal Air Force Police is the Service Police branch of the Royal Air Force. It was formed on 1 April 1918, when the RAF was formed by the merger of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service . It is responsible for the policing of all service personnel much like there RN or Army...

, and Royal Navy Police in a single location assuring consistent standards across the service.

History

HMS Dryad

HMS Dryad (establishment)

HMS Dryad was a stone frigate . It was the home of the Royal Navy's Maritime Warfare School until 2004.Originally the school was based in Portsmouth Dockyard. The establishment took its name from the ship used as its tender, the fourth HMS Dryad. During World War II it was moved to Southwick House...

 was the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

s school of maritime warfare until its closure in 2004. The Defence College of Police and Personnel Administration was opened in 2005 consisting of the three service Policing schools. The Regimental Headquarters of the Royal Military Police also moved to the site following withdrawal from Roussillon Barracks, Chichester. RAF Police training moved from RAF Halton

RAF Halton

RAF Halton is one of the largest Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom, located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire.HRH The Duchess of Cornwall is the Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Halton.-History:...

 in 2005. Royal Navy Police training moved from HMS Excellent.

Police training for Royal Marines Police

Royal Marines Police

The Royal Marines Police is the military police of the British Royal Marines.The RM Police is responsible for providing garrison policing services; law enforcement and crime prevention as well as general security advice to the command, and includes a Special Investigation Branch section for the...

 was formerly conducted at Rousillon Barracks and HMS Excellent, prior to their integration into the Royal Navy Police.

Professional training and qualifications

Training is accredited by the University of Teeside and is validated by the National Policing Improvement Agency

National Policing Improvement Agency

The United Kingdom's National Policing Improvement Agency is a non-departmental public body established to support police by providing expertise in such areas as information technology, information sharing, and recruitment.-Background:...

 who assure standards on behalf of the Home Office.

The college offers both initial trade training for members of the three service police branches and the Military Provost Guard Service. Promotion courses are delivered to allow individuals to qualify for progression to higher ranks and specialist courses afford individuals the skills necessary to focus on a particular area of policing.

Military police training

Co-location allows the services to exploit opportunities for common training in policing practice and the application of both civil and military law, with all three service discipline systems being underpinned by the Armed Forces Act. Trainees are taught how to apply these principles within their jurisdiction in the UK and overseas in fixed military establishments and on operations. Common elements of military application are complemented by single service elements, allowing the individual to develop within their own service. examples of these include the use of personal weapons and military driving, handling of foreign nationals and Lines of Communication Policing, as well as the protection of logistic routes.

Courses for officer candidates cover both policing and the management of policing within their service and joint environments. Service Policemen return to the college for promotion courses required by their respective services and for specialisation training, allowing a focus on a particular aspect of investigation.

Royal Military Police

Soldiers entering the Royal Military Police are posted to the college having completed Phase 1 training at the Army Training Centre Pirbright

Selection and Training in the British Army

Selection and training in the British Army is the process by which candidates for service are identified, inducted and brought onto the trained strength...

. Successful completion results in promotion to Lance Corporal

Lance Corporal

Lance corporal is a military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organizations. It is below the rank of corporal, and is typically the lowest non-commissioned officer, usually equivalent to the NATO Rank Grade OR-3.- Etymology :The presumed...

 and posting to an operational unit as a probationer.

Officers for the RMP undertake training on completion of commissioning courses at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst

Royal Military Academy Sandhurst

The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...

Royal Air Force Police

Airmen are posted to the college having completed Phase 1 training at RAF Halton. Successful completion results in the individual being promoted to Corporal and being posted to an operational unit.

Officers of the Royal Air Force Police undertake training on completion of commissioning at Royal Air Force College Cranwell

Royal Air Force College Cranwell

The Royal Air Force College is the Royal Air Force training and education academy which provides initial training to all RAF personnel who are preparing to be commissioned officers. The College also provides initial training to aircrew cadets and is responsible for all RAF recruiting along with...

Royal Navy Police

Royal Navy and Royal Marines candidates are not recruited directly but are transferred from other branches where they have qualified for promotion to Corporal or Leading Hand before being posted to the college; having completed a 4 week suitability assessment. On completion of training they will be promoted to the rank and posted to an operational unit.

Officers for the Royal Navy Police are drawn from the rating corps as Senior Upper Yardmen and are commissioned following training at Britannia Royal Naval College

Britannia Royal Naval College

Britannia Royal Naval College is the initial officer training establishment of the Royal Navy, located on a hill overlooking Dartmouth, Devon, England. While Royal Naval officer training has taken place in the town since 1863, the buildings which are seen today were only finished in 1905, and...

 or Commando Training Centre Royal Marines

Commando Training Centre Royal Marines

Commando Training Centre Royal Marines is the principal military training centre for the Royal Marines of the British Armed Forces. It is situated near the village of Lympstone, between the city of Exeter, and the town of Exmouth in Devon...

.

See also

Service Police Crime Bureau

Service Police Crime Bureau

The Service Police Crime Bureau is operated by the Royal Military Police, Royal Air Force Police and Royal Navy Police. It is located at the Defence College of Policing and Guarding at Southwick Park, near Portsmouth, England.The Bureau includes:...