Ministry of Defence Police and service police inspections

We began inspecting the service police and Ministry of Defence (MOD) police forces in November 2014. The inspections cover the Royal Navy Police, the Royal Military Police (RMP), the Royal Air Force Police, and the Ministry of Defence Police. We completed our first set of inspections in April 2016.

Our first set of inspections examined the effectiveness of the overall strategic leadership in each service police force, including the effectiveness of the oversight and governance arrangements, which are necessary to ensure that investigations are kept free from improper interference. The inspections focused on governance arrangements rather than the day to day work of personnel in the armed service police forces.

Building on our earlier work, the second set of inspections includes detailed examinations of the day-to-day work of armed service police personnel.

Reports

Please use the links below to jump to the relevant force reports.

Royal Air Force Police
Royal Navy Police
Royal Military Police
Royal Navy Police Special Investigations Branch
Royal Military Police Special Investigations Branch
Royal Air Force Police Special Investigations Branch
Ministry of Defence Police

Royal Air Force Police

Strategic leadership and governance

This inspection investigated the effectiveness of the Royal Air Force Police’s overall strategic leadership and governance arrangements. It also looked at how well the Royal Air Force Police assess the effectiveness of investigations and how it uses the National Intelligence Model to identify strategic policing priorities.

Read ‘Royal Air Force Police: an inspection of the leadership in relation to its investigations’ – January 2017

Rape, serious sexual assault and domestic abuse investigations

This inspection focused on how well the Royal Air Force Police prevents domestic abuse and rape and serious sexual offences, and how well it investigates these incidents.

Read Royal Air Force Police – Rape, serious sexual assault and domestic abuse investigations – June 2022

Royal Navy Police

The role of the Royal Navy Police (RNP) is to enforce the law within the service community, and assist with the maintenance of service discipline. The primary duties of RNP are therefore to:

• Uphold the Rule of Law.
• Protect and assist the citizens within our communities.
• Contribute towards the prevention and detection of crime.
• Assist in the maintenance of a peaceful community free from crime and disorder.

RNP leadership inspection

This inspection focused on the strategic leadership and direction of the Royal Navy Police, oversight to ensure investigations are kept free from improper interference, and how well the RNP uses the National Intelligence Model.

Read An inspection of the leadership of the Royal Navy Police in relation to its investigations – September 2016

RNP performance inspection process inspection

Royal Navy Police – an inspection of the performance inspection process – December 2018

Rape, serious sexual assault and domestic abuse investigations

This inspection focused on how well the Royal Navy Police prevents domestic abuse and rape and serious sexual offences, and how well it investigates these incidents.

Royal Navy Police – Rape, serious sexual assault and domestic abuse investigations – June 2022

Royal Military Police

As the Army’s police, the RMP is there to provide an independent investigatory and policing service so that investigations are effective and lawful, discipline is maintained and individuals are provided with the protections and safeguards afforded to them by law.

RMP leadership inspection

This inspection focused on the strategic leadership, governance and performance management of investigations. It was not an inspection or inquiry into the independence of the RMP or an examination of individual cases. In this inspection, we examined and assessed how well the strategic leadership and direction of investigations worked, how well oversight ensured the independence of investigations, how well the RMP monitors the effectiveness of investigations and how well the National Intelligence Model is used to identify priorities that influence plans and resources.

Read An inspection of the leadership of the Royal Military Police in relation to its investigation – July 2015

Deaths overseas

This inspection examined how well the RMP investigated the deaths of service personnel who died overseas. As part of this inspection, we examined the support provided to bereaved families.

Read Inspection of the Royal Military Police’s Investigations into Overseas Deaths – March 2018

Rape, serious sexual assault and domestic abuse investigations

This inspection focused on how well the Royal Military Police prevents domestic abuse and rape and serious sexual offences, and how well it investigates these incidents.

Royal Military Police – Rape, serious sexual assault and domestic abuse investigations – June 2022

Royal Navy Police Special Investigations Branch

Following the inspection of the Royal Military Police and Royal Air Force Police Special Investigations Branches, we were commissioned by the MOD to conduct an inspection of the Royal Navy Police Special Investigations Branch.

This inspection focused on assessing the processes and procedures of serious investigations dealing with major crime or serious and organised crime. However, it did not make judgements concerning the appropriateness of specific lines of enquiry (as it is not a review of individual operations or investigations).

Read Inspection of the Royal Navy Police Special Investigations Branch – October 2011

Royal Military Police Special Investigations Branch

We were commissioned by the MOD to conduct an inspection of the Royal Military Police Special Investigations Branch. This inspection focused on assessing processes and procedures of investigations dealing with major crime or serious and organised crime.

The report was commissioned by the MOD Director General (Security and Safety), Robert Rooks, and published in August 2006.

Read Royal Military Police Special Investigations Branch Inspection – August 2006

A re-inspection took place 11 months after the original inspection and considered progress against the recommendations.

Read Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch Re-inspection – October 2007

Royal Air Force Police Special Investigations Branch

We were commissioned to inspect the Royal Air Force Police (RAFP) Special Investigations Branch (SIB). The inspection focused on the capability and capacity of the RAFP SIB to investigate major and serious crime and to be proactive in intelligence gathering to prevent such criminality.

The report looks at relevant areas of business that impact on this function, but it is not a full inspection of the RAFP.

Read Royal Air Force Special Investigations Branch Inspection – February 2010

Ministry of Defence Police

Energy critical national infrastructure sites

We inspected the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) between 27 January and 7 February 2020.

The inspection was called ‘Ministry of Defence Police – Keeping it in the pipes – An inspection of Ministry of Defence Police’s Vintage Deployment’.

The inspection looked at how the MDP protects four of the UK’s designated energy critical national infrastructure (CNI) sites. Evaluating whether they could respond swiftly and effectively to a terrorist attack.

We found clear plans in place to respond to an attack at each location. They were regularly updated in collaboration with the relevant local forces.

We also found that the plans should be updated to include modern forms of attack. For example, the use of drones and “lone actors” (individuals launching attacks on their own).

The MDP largely does a good job in protecting CNI sites. It is aware of the risks and has clear plans for responding to incidents at each site.

In conclusion, seven recommendations were made with the latest update to be put in place by the end of February 2021.

Given the national security sensitivity of the subject matter, this report is considered classified and will not be shared in full publicly.

Energy critical national infrastructure sites – revisit

We inspected the MDP between Monday 26 September and Friday 23 October 2022.

The inspection examined the progress that had been made since 2020 to implement the seven recommendations in the previous vintage deployment inspection, ‘Ministry of Defence Police – Keeping it in the pipes – An inspection of Ministry of Defence Police’s Vintage Deployment’.

We found that the MDP largely does a good job in protecting CNI sites. It was aware of the risks of policing them and had an appropriate armed security strategy. There were clear plans for responding to incidents at each site, and for collaborating with local police forces.

Of the seven recommendations made in ‘Keeping it in the pipes’, five have been implemented, one has been partially implemented, and one hasn’t been implemented.

Given the national security sensitivity of the subject matter, this report is considered classified and will not be shared in full publicly.