Active 2005 – Present Garrison/HQ Southwick Park Headquarters Southwick House Type of business Training | Country United Kingdom Founded 2005 Role Training | |
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The Defence College of Policing and Guarding is the training centre for the Service Police of the British Armed Forces. The centre was established at Southwick Park, near Portsmouth, Hampshire, in 2005 and consolidates training for the Royal Military Police, Royal Air Force Police, and Royal Navy Police in a single location, assuring consistent standards across the service.
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History
The College was opened in 2005 at Southwick House, the former site of HMS Dryad. The regimental headquarters of the Royal Military Police also moved to the site following withdrawal from Roussillon Barracks, Chichester. RAF Police training moved from RAF Halton in 2005. Royal Navy Police training moved from HMS Excellent in November 2005.
Professional training and qualifications
Training is accredited by the University of Teesside and is validated by the National Policing Improvement Agency who assure standards on behalf of the Home Office.
Military police training
The facilities allow training in most aspects of policing, including Crime Scene Investigation.
Royal Military Police
Soldiers entering the Royal Military Police are posted to the college having completed Phase 1 training at the Army Training Centre, Pirbright. Successful completion results in promotion to lance corporal and posting to an operational unit as a probationer. Officers for the Royal Military Police undertake training on completion of commissioning courses at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
Royal Air Force Police
Airmen are posted to the college having completed Phase 1 training at RAF Halton. Successful completion results in the individual being promoted to Acting Corporal and being posted to an operational unit. Officers of the Royal Air Force Police undertake training on completion of commissioning at Royal Air Force College Cranwell.
Royal Navy Police
Royal Navy and Royal Marines candidates are not recruited directly but are transferred from other branches where they have qualified for promotion to corporal or leading hand before being posted to the college, having completed a 4 week suitability assessment. On completion of training they will be promoted to the rank and posted to an operational unit. Officers for the Royal Navy Police are drawn from the rating corps as senior upper yardmen and are commissioned following training at Britannia Royal Naval College or Commando Training Centre Royal Marines.
Future
In November 2016, a Defence Estate review by the Ministry of Defence gave an estimated disposal date of 2025 for Southwick Park. It is intended that the College will relocate to Worthy Down Barracks, Winchester, while other specialised functions will relocate to Aldershot.