Aryan Grover
The armed forces or the military of any country is widely acknowledged as one of the most disciplined organisations of the nation. It is the result of order and obedience that exists within a command and the soldiers who exercise self-disciplines, without having to be told to do so.
However, no matter how disciplined the members of any organisation might be, they are prone to err and the need for a supervising authority is indisputable. This is to take care of the contingencies that might arise during a breach, so the efficient working of the military is maintained.
The Corps of Military Police is the military police of India, the duty of which is to perform policing functions within the armed forces, as opposed to the regular police, which performs policing functions within the civilian population. The personnel of the military police are popularly known as ‘Red Berets’ because all ranks of the corps wear red berets exclusive to them.
HISTORY
The creation of the First section of the Indian Corps of Military Police dates back to July 1939. The name of the first section was the ‘Force 4 Provost unit’ and it was a part of the 4th Indian Infantry Division, with soldiers from the 7th and 11th Cavalry Regiment. On 18 October 1947, after India had gained independence, a re-designation took place and the corps came to be known as ‘Corps of Military Police’.
POWERS OF MILITARY POLICE
The Military Police exercises a wide range of powers, they include but aren’t limited to:
- Ensuring discipline: One of the primary powers that the Military Police possesses is to assist the various army formations like platoons, battalions, and brigades in ensuring the discipline of its troops. It assists in maintaining a high standard of discipline, prevent breaches of rules and regulations, and preserves a high morale across all ranks of the army establishments.
- Maintenance of Order and Law Enforcement in Cantonments: Cantonments are the military quarters and camps where personnel are trained for service in the military. The Military Police is also stationed in cantonments and army establishments, where it performs functions similar to its counterparts in the conventional police.
These include law enforcement, investigation of criminal matters, security of the military grounds and property, as well as the personal protection of the senior military officers.
- Deployment overseas: The Military Police does perform functions that are somewhat similar to that of the conventional police, but what really differentiates the military police from its civilian counterparts is that it can be deployed overseas and into battle. In this scenario, the military police has expanded roles and responsibilities.
There they provide battlefield support, help in securing camps and outposts and assist in the protection of dignitaries as well as relaying security details. The Military Police is also deployed for service in UN mission contingents at Congo, Somalia, Rwanda and Sierra Leone.
- Handling Prisoners of War (POWs): A Prisoner of War, in the broadest sense of the word, is any civilian or soldier who is captured and held captive by the opposing power during war. The Military Police also possesses the power to handle prisoners of war. This includes collecting them from the front lines of war and escorting them to the rear areas where they are confined and supervised before further orders are received.
As per the Geneva Convention of 1929, the prisoners are required to declare certain information about themselves, as well as photographed and fingerprinted. All these activities are undertaken by the Military Police. In times of war, stragglers and refugees of war are also controlled by the Military Police.
- Regulation of Traffic: The contemporary world, which is marked by mechanised high-speed armies mandates efficient traffic control. The Military Police has the power to plan and operate control on traffic, be it the front lines of divisions, or the rear lines of armies where there are limitations on road-travel due to the buzz of fighting and supply vehicles.
This must be done in an intelligent manner, vigorously and perpetually. This exercise of this power in a judicious manner is imperative because inefficient movement of traffic might lead to unnecessary delays and a flawed distribution of resources which are required by the army at a particular point of time, which might become the reason for the military’s defeat.
Even during peace times, the power of maintaining the movement of logistics, soldiers and vehicles is with the Military Police.
- Conducting Investigations and Inquiries: The Military Police stationed at posts and camps is trained in a manner similar to that of the police in modern cities. They operate information service and make investigations into criminal matters and traffic accidents, including making inquiries and collecting evidence.
The Military Police also needs to be mindful of the fact that the state and local officials have primary responsibility over matters of local government. Cooperation is sought from these officials first, and only after that are matters proceeded with. Some personnel of the corps also carry out inquiries into corruption and other related charges.
CONCLUSION
The personnel of the Corps of Military Police are both soldiers and peacekeepers. The job of a military police officer is far more complicated and entails greater number of duties and responsibilities than their civilian counterparts. Their functions are multifarious, for which they undergo vigorous training and form specialised organisations for the implementation of their duties.
Not only do they provide aid to the civil police, but also keep close liaison with the Naval police and Air Force Police. The official Brass Band of the Corps of Military Police is widely acknowledged and appreciated for its performances.
The Military Police has also recently created history by becoming the first to induct women in the army as soldiers. While women were earlier allowed to serve as officers in the army in the medical, legal, or engineering department, this is the first time that they will be serving as soldiers to guard establishments, provide assistance in criminal investigations, and handle prisoners of war.
*Military police Function (scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu)
Read more: What is Court Martial?