Royal Navy Regulating Branch
Encyclopedia
The Royal Navy Police (RNP) is the Service Police branch of the Royal Navy
and Royal Marines
. Members of the RNP enforce law, discipline, and maintain order as outlined in the Armed Forces Act 2006
.
The Royal Navy Police was known as the Royal Navy Regulating Branch until 2007, when the service was renamed the Royal Navy Police in a change brought about by the Armed Forces Act 2006.
The RNP subsumed the Royal Marines Police
in 2009, although for operational purposes the majority of the two cadres of personnel are employed within their respective areas of the service. The RNP provide a Troop
strength unit of Royal Marines to 3 Commando Brigade to provide policing services as part of the UK Landing force.
The motto of the RNP is "Ne Cede Malis" which translates from Latin into English as 'Do not yield to adversity' or 'Do not give in to evil'.
was the king's representative, his rule was kept by the First Lieutenant who was assisted by a person known as thee Ship's Marshal, who was supported by a number of Ship's Corporals. Ship's Marshals were abolished and replaced by the Master At Arms (M.A.A.) rate, which was introduced in about 1699. A tradition that continues right up to the present day.
On punishment day, at six bells in the forenoon watch, the order was given,"All hands to witness punishment".
The master at arms presented the offender to the Captain who questioned him about the offence and then delivered a verdict. The officer of the offender's division was asked if he had anything to say in mitigation. If their reply did not satisfy the Captain, he ordered the man's punishment. Other than the actual act of flogging; the M.A.A. was responsible for ensuring that any punishment awarded was carried out. The M.A.A. was also accountable to the Lieutenant at Arms for the duties of the Ship's Corporals, the supervision of sentries, the Guard, and training the ship's company in the use of small arms. Another duty that the M.A.A performed was, at around 9pm to patrol the ship and check that all lanterns and fires were out, and that no men were intoxicated. Probably an early form of evening rounds.
In September 1944, the Admiralty concluded that the organisation for the maintenance of discipline on shore in the main naval port areas was unsatisfactory. Colonel D H C Shepherd (Royal Marines), previously the Naval Provost Marshal in Malta, carried out a study into the requirement for a Naval Provost organisation. He reported that the system of landing ships' patrols in major naval base areas was unsatisfactory because the Petty Officers and Leading Ratings in charge, (however well briefed) lacked the knowledge and experience to deal with incidents, and being unable to render lucid written reports, avoided taking action wherever possible. The men detailed for patrol disliked the duty intensely believing it to be a form of punishment.
The Shepherd report recommended the introduction of a Leading Patrolman rating to become the junior member of the Regulation Branch and borne primarily for provost duties, and the creation of a Provost organisation to operate within the major naval port areas. Admiralty Fleet Order 6681/44 of 21 December 1944 implemented the proposals of the Shepherd report.
As a result of the Shepherd report, Regulating Branch training, which hitherto had been carried out in the barracks of the main ports, was centralised. In 1945, a Royal Navy Regulating School was established at Beechwood Camp in Devon to train all regulating ratings and to maintain branch records. In 1946, the school moved to Fort Wallington near Portsmouth, then in 1947 to in Essex, then in 1948 to HMS Excellent where it remained until November 2005. Initially, the role of the Leading Patrolman was to augment patrols on shore, and assist in regulating duties as necessary. In 1968 Leading Patrolmen were renamed Leading Regulators.
In 2007 the Royal Navy Regulating Branch was renamed the Royal Navy Police in a change brought about by the Armed Forces Act 2006.
and other Royal Marine units.
Individuals posted on ships and within shore establishments are responsible, through their chain of command
for:
and The Royal Air Force
.
RN and RM Policemen are posted on ships and shore establishments with regional headquarters in Portsmouth
, Plymouth
and Faslane and Special Investigation Branch
offices at Portsmouth and Plymouth.
within that branch. Candidates then undertake a suitability assessment at the Defence College of Policing and Guarding at MOD Southwick Park.
On completion of training candidates are rated as Leading Hand, or Corporal.
Further professional training is delivered at MOD Southwick Park, or through territorial police forces and is required for later advancement to Petty Officer
or Sergeant
, Master at Arms
(MAA) or Colour Sergeant
or Warrant Officer Class 1.
Commissioned Officers in the specialisation, are drawn from within, with candidates considered suitable for commissioning via the Senior upper Yardman scheme as officers of the warfare branch of the Royal Navy or as officers of the Royal Marines.
(worn in a wreath by Masters-at-Arms).
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...
and Royal Marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
. Members of the RNP enforce law, discipline, and maintain order as outlined in the Armed Forces Act 2006
Armed Forces Act 2006
The Armed Forces Act 2006 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.It came into force on 31 October 2009. It replaces the three separate Service Discipline Acts as the system of military law under which the British Armed Forces operate...
.
The Royal Navy Police was known as the Royal Navy Regulating Branch until 2007, when the service was renamed the Royal Navy Police in a change brought about by the Armed Forces Act 2006.
The RNP subsumed the 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...
in 2009, although for operational purposes the majority of the two cadres of personnel are employed within their respective areas of the service. The RNP provide a Troop
Troop
A troop is a military unit, originally a small force of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron and headed by the troop leader. In many armies a troop is the equivalent unit to the infantry section or platoon...
strength unit of Royal Marines to 3 Commando Brigade to provide policing services as part of the UK Landing force.
The motto of the RNP is "Ne Cede Malis" which translates from Latin into English as 'Do not yield to adversity' or 'Do not give in to evil'.
History
The Royal Navy has always, in one way or another, had the need to maintain order and discipline. When at sea, historically, the CaptainCaptain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
was the king's representative, his rule was kept by the First Lieutenant who was assisted by a person known as thee Ship's Marshal, who was supported by a number of Ship's Corporals. Ship's Marshals were abolished and replaced by the Master At Arms (M.A.A.) rate, which was introduced in about 1699. A tradition that continues right up to the present day.
On punishment day, at six bells in the forenoon watch, the order was given,"All hands to witness punishment".
The master at arms presented the offender to the Captain who questioned him about the offence and then delivered a verdict. The officer of the offender's division was asked if he had anything to say in mitigation. If their reply did not satisfy the Captain, he ordered the man's punishment. Other than the actual act of flogging; the M.A.A. was responsible for ensuring that any punishment awarded was carried out. The M.A.A. was also accountable to the Lieutenant at Arms for the duties of the Ship's Corporals, the supervision of sentries, the Guard, and training the ship's company in the use of small arms. Another duty that the M.A.A performed was, at around 9pm to patrol the ship and check that all lanterns and fires were out, and that no men were intoxicated. Probably an early form of evening rounds.
In September 1944, the Admiralty concluded that the organisation for the maintenance of discipline on shore in the main naval port areas was unsatisfactory. Colonel D H C Shepherd (Royal Marines), previously the Naval Provost Marshal in Malta, carried out a study into the requirement for a Naval Provost organisation. He reported that the system of landing ships' patrols in major naval base areas was unsatisfactory because the Petty Officers and Leading Ratings in charge, (however well briefed) lacked the knowledge and experience to deal with incidents, and being unable to render lucid written reports, avoided taking action wherever possible. The men detailed for patrol disliked the duty intensely believing it to be a form of punishment.
The Shepherd report recommended the introduction of a Leading Patrolman rating to become the junior member of the Regulation Branch and borne primarily for provost duties, and the creation of a Provost organisation to operate within the major naval port areas. Admiralty Fleet Order 6681/44 of 21 December 1944 implemented the proposals of the Shepherd report.
As a result of the Shepherd report, Regulating Branch training, which hitherto had been carried out in the barracks of the main ports, was centralised. In 1945, a Royal Navy Regulating School was established at Beechwood Camp in Devon to train all regulating ratings and to maintain branch records. In 1946, the school moved to Fort Wallington near Portsmouth, then in 1947 to in Essex, then in 1948 to HMS Excellent where it remained until November 2005. Initially, the role of the Leading Patrolman was to augment patrols on shore, and assist in regulating duties as necessary. In 1968 Leading Patrolmen were renamed Leading Regulators.
In 2007 the Royal Navy Regulating Branch was renamed the Royal Navy Police in a change brought about by the Armed Forces Act 2006.
Role
The work of the RNP encompasses dealing with routine disciplinary matters, investigation of crime, crime prevention, and advice to the command on general security and close protection matters. As such, members of the RNP are employed in both uniformed and plain clothed roles; on ships, within shore establishments and in 3 Commando Brigade3 Commando Brigade
3 Commando Brigade is a commando formation of the British Armed Forces and the main manoeuvre formation of the Royal Marines. Its personnel are predominantly Royal Marines, supported by units of Royal Engineers, Royal Artillery, The Rifles, and the Fleet Air Arm, together with other Commando...
and other Royal Marine units.
Individuals posted on ships and within shore establishments are responsible, through their chain of command
Chain of Command
Chain of Command may refer to:* Chain of command, in a military context, the line of authority and responsibility along which orders are passed* "Chain of Command" , the fifth episode of the first season of Beast Wars...
for:
- Maintenance of good order and discipline
- Investigating breaches of service discipline
- Investigation of Crime
- Evidence Gathering
- Crime Reduction initiatives
- Liaison with territorial police forces and special police forces in the UK
Over service personnel
The RNP have jurisdiction over members of the Royal Navy subject to service discipline, as well as having reciprocal powers to deal with service personnel of the other two branches of the Armed Forces; The British ArmyBritish Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and The Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
.
Over Civilians
The RNP have jurisdiction over some civilians in certain circumstances, as defined by the Armed Forces Act 2006.Organisation
The Royal Navy Police is headed by the Provost Marshal (Naval) (PM(N)) , based at HMS Excellent, Portsmouth, who is responsible for the management of the service, and the assurance of professional standards delivered by the RNP in the course of their duties.RN and RM Policemen are posted on ships and shore establishments with regional headquarters in 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...
, Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
and Faslane and Special Investigation Branch
Special Investigation Branch
The Special Investigation Branch is the name given to the detective branches of all three British military police arms: the Royal Navy Police, Royal Military Police and Royal Air Force Police. It is most closely associated with the Royal Military Police, which has the largest SIB. SIB members...
offices at Portsmouth and Plymouth.
Recruiting and training
The Royal Navy Police recruits internally, from within the service, requiring candidates to have reached the trained strength in their initial branch, before serving for four years and qualifying for advancement to Leading Rate or CorporalCorporal
Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
within that branch. Candidates then undertake a suitability assessment at the Defence College of Policing and Guarding at MOD Southwick Park.
On completion of training candidates are rated as Leading Hand, or Corporal.
Further professional training is delivered at MOD Southwick Park, or through territorial police forces and is required for later advancement to Petty Officer
Petty Officer
A petty officer is a non-commissioned officer in many navies and is given the NATO rank denotion OR-6. They are equal in rank to sergeant, British Army and Royal Air Force. A Petty Officer is superior in rank to Leading Rate and subordinate to Chief Petty Officer, in the case of the British Armed...
or Sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
, Master at Arms
Chief Petty Officer
A chief petty officer is a senior non-commissioned officer in many navies and coast guards.-Canada:"Chief Petty Officer" refers to two ranks in the Canadian Navy...
(MAA) or Colour Sergeant
Colour Sergeant
Colour sergeant or colour serjeant is a non-commissioned title in the Royal Marines and infantry regiments of the British Army, ranking above sergeant and below warrant officer class 2....
or Warrant Officer Class 1.
Commissioned Officers in the specialisation, are drawn from within, with candidates considered suitable for commissioning via the Senior upper Yardman scheme as officers of the warfare branch of the Royal Navy or as officers of the Royal Marines.
Dress
The trade badge for Regulators is a crownCrown (headgear)
A crown is the traditional symbolic form of headgear worn by a monarch or by a deity, for whom the crown traditionally represents power, legitimacy, immortality, righteousness, victory, triumph, resurrection, honour and glory of life after death. In art, the crown may be shown being offered to...
(worn in a wreath by Masters-at-Arms).