Military Provost Staff

Military Provost Staff
Former Cap Badge of the Military Provost Staff Corps (Queens Cypher)
Active1901 to Present
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
RoleThe UK's military detention specialists
Size273 personnel[1]
Part ofAdjutant General's Corps
Garrison/HQColchester Garrison
MarchNew Colonial
Commanders
Current
commander		Lt Col Mike Fielder RTR
Insignia
Tactical Recognition Flash

The Military Provost Staff are the British Army's specialists in custody and detention, providing advice inspection and surety within custodial establishments. The MPS form part of the Adjutant General's Corps and are based at the Military Corrective Training Centre (MCTC) in Colchester, Essex.

History

The Military Prison Staff Corps (MPSC) was formed in 1901 under Army Order 241.[2] When initially formed as the MPSC, the corps were based in strategical footholds all over the world. As of 2023 the MPS regiment only retains the following custody facilities:[3]

  • The Military Corrective Training Centre (MCTC), Colchester.
  • Service Custody Facility (SCF) South, Bulford.
  • SCF North, Catterick.
  • SCF Scotland, Edinburgh.
  • SCF NI, NI.
  • SCF Midlands and Wales, Stafford.
  • Camp Tapa SCF, Estonia.
  • BATUS SCF, Canada.

In 2022, Conservative MP, Will Quince, signed up to be a reservist in the corps.[4]

As of 2024, all of the regiment's regular members hold a minimum rank of corporal.[5]

MPS Regiment

In December 2015,[6] the Military Provost Staff Regiment was formed as part of 1st Military Police Brigade.[7][8][9] The regiment is currently organised as follows:[8][10]

The Commanding Officer of the regiment is a Lieutenant Colonel and also holds the title of Commandant, Military Corrective Training Centre.[6]

References

  1. ^ "Army – Question for Ministry of Defence". p. 1. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Military Prison Staff Corps". National Army Museum. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  3. ^ "Provost Marshal". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  4. ^ "Colchester MP Will Quince signs up as Army reservist". Colchester Gazette. 6 July 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  5. ^ "Military Provost Staff". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  6. ^ a b c d "An Overview of the UK's Military Corrective Training Centre (MCTC)". Boot Camp & Military Fitness Institute. 17 May 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  7. ^ Rob Olver (18 June 2014). "The Disbandment of 111 Provost Company". Forces Network. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  8. ^ a b "MPS". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  9. ^ Simon Newton (22 June 2018). "Exercise Lion Star Concludes With Mock Attack". Forces Network. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  10. ^ Royal Military Police Journal 2016.
  11. ^ "Army, Question for Ministry of Defence — current Order of Battle by manpower and basing locations for the corps". United Kingdom Parliament — Written questions, answers, and statements. 22 November 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  12. ^ "Search | Forces Network". www.forces.net. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  13. ^ "Information regarding locations of Army Reserve units" (PDF). What do they know?. 6 July 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2021.