2 Military Police Unit (Canada)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=2 Military Police Unit


caption=
dates=2006 - Present
country=Canada
allegiance=
branch=Canadian Forces Military Police
type=Regular Force and Reserve Force (total force unit)
role=Police and security services to Land Force Central Area headquarters and units, both in garrison and in the field
size=300+
command_structure= Land Force Central Area
2 Area Support Group
current_commander=
garrison=
patron=
identification_symbol_4=2 MPU
identification_symbol_4_label=Abbreviation
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=February 1st (Military Police Branch Birthday)
decorations=
battle_honours=

Unit Background

General Overview

2 Military Police Unit (2 MPU) is a unit of the Canadian Forces. It is essentially the Army Military Police of Ontario (this does not include Canadian Forces Support Unit (Ottawa)). The unit was initially created in the summer of 2006. Since then, the unit was officially established with the creation of a Ministerial Organization Order (MOO) and a Canadian Forces Organization Order (CFOO) dated September 24th, 2007. It is a "total force" unit of 2 Area Support Group (2 ASG). The term "total force" describes a unit which is comprised of both Regular Force and Reserve Force members. 2 MPU is responsible for police, security and detention operations as well as field policing. The unit headquarters is located at The George Taylor Denison III Armoury, more commonly known as Denison Armoury, in Toronto, Ontario. Members of 2 MPU totals in excess of 300 personnel. 2 MPU is part of the Army. The Canadian Forces Military Police Branch is simply the technical net for the unit (as opposed to the chain of command through the Army). The unit is commanded by a Major as the Commanding Officer (CO) and the unit has a Master Warrant Officer who is the Unit Sergeant Major (USM). The CO of 2 MPU reports directly to the Commander of 2 ASG.

Recent History

Prior to the existence of 2 MPU, members of the Army Reserve Military Police of Ontario were part of 2 Military Police Company (2 MP Coy) for a number of years. With Platoon's located in London, Toronto and Ottawa, the unit boasted strength around 125 all ranks. During this time, Regular Force members of the Military Police were under command of their local Canadian Forces Base (CFB) or Area Support Unit (ASU). As noted above, Regular Force and Reserve Force members amalgamated into one unit known as 2 MPU.

ub-Unit Composition

Sub-units are as follows:
*Unit Headquarters - Toronto, Ontario (Total Force)
*2 Military Police Platoon - Petawawa, Ontario (Regular Force)
*31 Military Police Platoon - London, Ontario (Reserve Force)
**Detachment Kingston, Ontario (Reserve Force)
*32 Military Police Platoon - Toronto, Ontario (Reserve Force)
*33 Military Police Platoon - Ottawa, Ontario (Reserve Force)
*Military Police Platoon - Kingston, Ontario (Regular Force)
*Military Police Platoon - Petawawa, Ontario (Regular Force)
*Military Police Section - Meaford, Ontario (Regular Force)
*Military Police Section - Toronto, Ontario (Regular Force)
*Military Police Detachment - London, Ontario (Regular Force)
*Military Police Detachment - Northern Ontario (Regular Force)

Expeditionary Operations

2 MPU is one of four Army MPU's primarily responsible for force generation of Military Police personnel for Expeditionary Operations, which includes the War on Terror in Afghanistan. When deployed, members of 2 MPU are tasked to the Joint Task Force Afghanistan Military Police Company (JTF-Afg MP Coy). Military Police (MP) tasks have varied greatly over successive rotations. Canadian Forces members who serve in Afghanistan are awarded the General Campaign Star (GCS).

Clothing and Equipment

Vehicles

2 MPU operates the following standard MP vehicles:

Garrison:
*Chevrolet Impala
*Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor
*Ford Expedition
*Chevrolet Tahoe

Field:

*Military Commercial Off The Shelf (MilCOTS) (Chevrolet Silverado)

*LUVW (G-Wagen)

Afghanistan:
*RG-31 Nyala

Uniforms

Members of 2 MPU normally wear one of two uniforms; Operational Patrol Dress (OPD) or Canadian Disruptive Pattern (CADPAT). Members of the unit involved in policing duties wear OPD and all others wear CADPAT. During formal events such as parades, members of the unit will wear their Distinct Environmental Uniform (DEU). Therefore, even as a member of an Army unit, members will wear the uniform corresponding to their particular environment; Army, Navy or Air Force. In OPD and CADPAT, unit members who are trained as Military Police wear a scarlet beret. In DEU, the head dress of each element is worn instead of the scarlet beret.

On international operations in Afghanistan, MP wear Arid CADPAT uniforms with the following protective equipment: combat helmet, ballistic eyewear, tactical vest, fragmentation protective vest with bullet resistant plates and beige combat boots. A bayonet (Bayonet System 2005 by Eickhorn Solingen) mounts to the front of the tactical vest. Optional equipment includes a CamelBak drinking system and the small pack system. The wide brimmed combat hat can be worn within the camp.

Personal weapons

Members of 2 MPU mainly use the following personal long and short barrel weapons:
*SIG SAUER P225 pistol (Regular Force members in Canada and carried by all MP members while conducting international operations)
*Browning 9mm pistol (Reserve Force members only)
*C7A1 or C7A2 or C8 Rifle

Those involved in garrison policing duties also carry the following for use in the Use of Force continuum:
*handcuffs
*OC spray
*ASP baton

Recruiting and training

Recruiting

There are two streams for recruiting. The local Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre (CFRC) will process applicants for the Regular Force (full time). They will also provide referrals to the local Reserve Force Platoon (part time).

Training

Regular Force and Reserve Force members of 2 MPU receive initial Military Police training at the Canadian Forces Military Police Academy at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Borden, Ontario. Non-Commissioned Members (NCM's) attend the Qualification Level 3 (QL 3) Military Police course, and Officers attend the Military Police Officers Course (MPOC).

Internet and Intranet sites

2 MPU now has an official internet site that's currently under construction at www.army.forces.gc.ca/2mpu. [ [http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/2mpu 2 Military Police Unit Official Web-Site] ] Members of the Canadian Forces can find 2 MPU through Army on-Line (intranet) under Land Force Central Area (LFCA), and then under 2 Area Support Group.

Combat Casualties

On April 22nd 2006, Corporal Matthew Dinning of 2 Military Police Platoon was killed in action, along with three other members of the Canadian Forces, when their G-Wagen struck an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) north of Kandahar Afghanistan. The Silvia Pecota print "Fallen Comrades (Task Force Afghanistan)" has the date 22-04-06 inscribed on the helmet band. In September 2006, Corporal Dinning's memory was added to the Honour Roll at the Canadian Police and Police Officers Memorial at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario. His name and date of death are inscribed on panel 25.

References and notes

Links

ee also

Canadian Forces Military Police

External links

* [http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/2mpu 2 Military Police Unit]
* [http://www.vcds.forces.gc.ca/cfpm/intro_e.asp Canadian Forces Provost Marshal]
* [http://www.forces.gc.ca/hr/dhr-ddhr/chart/eng/chart_display_e.asp?cat=3&ref=GCS General Campaign Star (GCS)]
* [http://www.dnd.ca/cts Clothe the Soldier]