Following too close state trooper encounter ...

[FordSVTFan]

While military police are not sworn LEOs, they perform many of the same duties, and receive similar training as civilian police, in addition to kicking in doors in combat zones. The correlation is a lot closer than you may think or want to believe.

Since you haven't been a sworn LEO your estimation of the correlation has no practical foundation. However, we have many sworn LEOs here that were military "police" and time and time again say that the they arent the same. Kicking doors in combat zones is difficult and intense but they are simply different. Having responded to thousands of calls and at least a few hundred requiring no code, I just cannot agree with your estimation.

 

[wjlane]

My estimation does have foundation. There is no difference between military police and sworn LEOs when it comes to dealing with the potential situations they have been trained to encounter while on duty. The difference is in the oath each takes and the authority from where it derives. Civilian LEOs also have greater extension of their police authority where as in the military, it's pretty much a day job. Outside of that, a military and civilian officer respond to the same types of calls and accept the same types of risks. Everywhere I have been over the last 22 years, I have had the opportunity to work and train with several civilian law enforcement agencies at the city, state, federal, and international level. There aren't many civilian LEOs that serve as an active liaison with a military police agency. As a result, I have been able to estimate the correlation and there isn't much difference when it comes to performing law and order functions.

Many current and former military police have varying degrees of experience and exposure depending on what service they were in and where they've been stationed. Many of the larger bases, such as my current station at Fort Bragg, offer daily occurances of assaults, DUIs, domestic violence, larcenies, etc., along with the occasional rape, homicide, robbery, etc. The base covers 251 square miles and has a population of more than 40,000 people that live on the base (soon to be more than 60,000 due to BRAC). On average, there are more than one million people conducting business on Fort Bragg during the business week, the majority of which are civilians. In fact, most of the crimes committed on Bragg are done so by civilians. The departmental structure is no different than that of a civilian department (SRT, Traffic, Drug Suppression Team, Detectives, SROs, Game Wardens, Bike Patrol, etc.) There are many small civilian departments out there that don't have as much exposure to these crimes as a larger military base.

I understand where you're coming from in regards to your impression of military police, but I don't think you can make a generalized comparison with a civilian LEO. Perhaps your assessment of military police operations is based on outdated information. As I stated earlier, I have experience in working with many civilian agencies, on many levels and unless a civilian LEO can say the same about the military, I would say their estimation has no practical foundation.

For the OP, I am sorry this thread has spun off topic. For the mod, if you would prefer to continue a civilized discussion via PM, please let me know.

 

[FordSVTFan]

For the mod, if you would prefer to continue a civilized discussion via PM, please let me know.

No need. This discussion is about Sworn LEO not running a code on all calls. There are multiple reasons for it and without experience in the field you have made statements that simply do not hold water. I appreciate your service.

 

[wjlane]

I've explained my experience in the field so I am not sure why you keep making comments suggesting that I don't have any. As I've mentioned multiple times within this thread, I know that not all calls require code from start to finish. My initial post referred to the letter of law regarding the policy I am familiar with. But as SVTCop stated, each officer makes their best judgment call when and how to respond based on the type of call and with due regard to public safety. I have been in that situation many, many times and on a few occasions I probably did more than I could afford if something had gone wrong and I was called to the carpet.

Thank you for your support.