What are the SWC thoughts on policing in combat?

[Rob Thornton]

Lots in there to think on if the requirement for an SFA FM or JP was decided upon.

Yes there is discussion about it - but no decisions as of yet. We would probably have a hand in it, but right now Joint SFA proponency (the specifics on who, and why, and what that would entail such as scope of responsibilities and authorities) has been discussed, but nothing I'm aware of has been decided on.

For now I think contemplating that excellent post of yours to include:

It may make for a useful rule of thumb to consider that there are three basic types of lawfully constituted Armed Forces, all working together to establish, enforce, and preserve law, order, and security: Constabularies, Gendarmeries, and Militaries. Constabularies normally handle criminal matters - mainly civil matter involving little or no political component;
Gendarmeries normally handle order matters - those civil and military matters that involve a substantial internal political component; and Militaries, who handle matters with a substantial external political component.

is a great place to start. I also want to spend some time on the link you provided, just quickly looking it over it seems very useful.

Many Thanks, Rob

[slapout9]

Hi all, to finish from Friday I finally found some of my notes from a similar offline request I had earlier with Lawvol awhile back. I thought that an MP force along with CID (criminal investigation division) and a JAG team would give you pretty much everything you needed. No since reinventing the wheel. All the MP manuals cover patrol,investigations,riot control,interment and resettlement and JAG can handle the lawyers and Judges part.

All the older LIC/COIN/SASO type manuals constantly talk about having extensive MP support. Besides the LE portion MP's can function as a light Infantry force to handle the heavy firepower situations that Rob talked about in his first post. If you read all the great masters Galula,Trinquier,Kitson,etc. they are always talking about Police type Operations so it would only make since to me that MP's be given a much larger role in planning right from the start.

[William F. Owen]

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All the older LIC/COIN/SASO type manuals constantly talk about having extensive MP support. Besides the LE portion MP's can function as a light Infantry force to handle the heavy firepower situations that Rob talked about in his first post. If you read all the great masters Galula,Trinquier,Kitson,etc. they are always talking about Police type Operations so it would only make since to me that MP's be given a much larger role in planning right from the start.

Personally I see MP and IS troops as two very different things. Military Police are enforce military discipline and perform traffic control etc.

IS troops are augmenters to civil police.

[Ken White]

Personally I see MP and IS troops as two very different things. Military Police are enforce military discipline and perform traffic control etc.

IS troops are augmenters to civil police.

Totally correct and if as it appears, Slapout means use Host Nation MPs extensively in the COIN role, I'd disagree with him. If he means use MPs more extensively if we (the US) are doing the COIN effort, I'd agree because US MPs do have a field combat role as well as the duties you cite.

I also contend that since the US lacks a 'gendarmerie,' that some Guard and Reserve MP Bns could be simply and easily restructured and retrained (at far less cost and effort than building a new capability) to provide the advisers and trainers for Host Nation IS forces -- who should be, as you say, augmenters to the civil police (but I suggest as a totally separate and independent agency responding to the Home Office or Minister of the Interior of the nation and not directly to the Police who should have quite strong local control).

[slapout9]

Hi Wilf,Ken...I agree with both of you on the need for an IS/MI5/Constabulary/Gendamerie,etc. My comments were my rather lousy attempt to pull togather some ideas from a previous discussion about the subject . However CID agents and the use of new Army FM on Police Intelligence operations could provide a pretty good security sevice. There is another program being developed at Ft. Leanoard Wood similar to Human Terrain Mapping that may be promising...Ken check with your spies