Military Police Corps (Ireland)

The Military Police Corps (MP) (Irish: Cór Póiliní an Airm, PA) is the corps of the Irish Defence Forces responsible for the provision of policing service personnel and providing a military police presence to forces while on exercise and deployment. Its tasks increase during wartime to include traffic control organisation and POW and refugee control. The Military Police are distinguished from other units by their wearing of a red beret.[1]

Irish Army Military Police Corps
Irish: Cór Póiliní an Airm
Active1 October 1924 – present
Country Ireland
BranchArmy
Naval Service
Air Corps
TypeMilitary police
RoleEnforcement of military law
Size4 companies
1st Brigade Military Police Company - Cork
2nd Brigade Military Police Company - Dublin
Defence Forces Training Centre Military Police Company - Kildare
Military Police Government Buildings Company - DFHQ/Dublin
Part of Defence Forces
Motto(s)Steadfast and Vigilant
Websitewww.military.ie/en/who-we-are/army/army-corps/military-police-corps/
Insignia
Military Police Beret
AbbreviationMP / PA (Irish)
Irish Military Police Section, 47th Infantry Group of UNIFIL in Lebanon
Military Police Corps motorcycle outrider
An armed MP soldier on duty at Government Buildings

The Military Police enjoy a close working relationship with the Garda Síochána at both national and local levels, with the Gardaí providing training in criminal investigation to the corps.[2]

History

The MPC was first established in 1922 during the Irish Civil War when they took over military police duties from British troops before the corps was fully established in 1923.[3]

Incidents

In 2011, the MPC reported that a Corporal on guard duty in Dublin in the Government Buildings committed suicide on 27 December 2010.[4]

Organisation

The Corps has three regular army companies and one special-purpose company:[5]

The two brigade companies provide general policing support to each of the army's territorial brigades. The DFTC company provides similar support to the Defence Forces Training Centre.

The Air Corps and Naval Service now have Military Police Sections dressed in their own distinctive uniforms.

Military Police are armed with the Heckler & Koch USP service pistol and Steyr AUG assault rifle.

Restructuring

The Irish Army reduced to a two brigade structure in 2012, and the Military Police have also been reduced, based in the 1st Southern and 2nd Northern Brigades.

Units disbanded in the Defense Forces Re-organisation of 2012:

  • 4th Brigade Military Police Company (2012)
  • Military Police Section, Air Corps. Attached to the Irish Air Corps (2012)
  • Military Police Section, Naval Service. Attached to the Irish Naval Service (2012)
  • 31st Reserve Military Police Company (2012)
  • 54th Reserve Military Police Company (2012)
  • 62nd Reserve Military Police Company (2012)

Equipment

Weapons
Main article: Modern equipment of the Irish Army
Name Origin Type Caliber Photo
Pistol
Heckler & Koch USP[5]  Germany Semi-automatic Pistol 9×19mm
Assault rifle
Steyr AUG[5]  Austria Assault Rifle 5.56×45mm

Uniform

MPC soldiers wear the red beret as standard, both regular and reserve.[1]

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References
  1. http://home.mweb.co.za/re/redcap/eire.htm
  2. https://web.archive.org/web/20120508012922/http://www.military.ie/army/organisation/army-corps/military-police
  3. http://www.kildare.ie/defenceforces/ORG/mp.htm
  4. https://www.irishtimes.com/news/army-corporal-took-own-life-1.588226
  5. https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/death-of-soldier-killed-by-gunshot-not-suspicious-26609640.html
  6. "Defence Forces Barracks". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
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