The Fort Irwin Police Department (FIPD), a component of the Department of the Army Civilian Police (DACP) are the uniformed civilian police officers of the United States Department of Army(DA) on the Fort Irwin Military Reservation, California. They are also sometimes referred to as Department of Defense "DoD" Police. The FIPD is responsible for law enforcement and security services on DA owned and leased buildings, facilities, properties and other DA assets. It is important to note that "Department of Defense Police" is a catch-all phrase that refers to any civilian engaged in police duties for the Department of Defense and its component branches of the US Armed Forces. There is no such unified agency that goes under the title "Department of Defense Police".
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Civil Service series 0083
A Fort Irwin Department of the Army Civilian Police Officer is assigned the federal occupational series code "0083", the code reserved for police and federal protective officers in the U.S. Government civil service. This occupational series code applies regardless of what specific agency of the officer works for. Individual installations conduct the hiring process based upon local need, thus a person applying for a 0083 police officer position can apply to any installations that may be hiring. The FIPD has a Detective Section and those federal officers assigned to the section share the same occupational series code as the police officers. These detectives investigate both felony and misdemeanor crimes. The Department of Army's Criminal Investigation Division (CID) investigates all felony related crimes that has an Army interest which includes civilians as well as Soldiers.
Duties
At Fort Irwin, the Department of the Army Civilian Police are assigned to the Director of Emergency Services. Active duty military police members help augment the Fort Irwin Police mission. Officers can expect to perform a variety of security and law enforcement rolls.
FIPD Officers also conduct security and law enforcement patrols within the installation. Officers patrol the installation and check that physical security measures such as fences and lighting are in good working order. An officer can conduct traffic stops for motor vehicle violations. Each base adopts the surrounding state's motor vehicle laws under the Assimilative Crimes Act (see Federal Jurisdiction), for civilian violators and service members if there is no equivalent charge under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). At Fort Irwin, the type of citation that is issued is the DD Form 1805, United States District Court Violation Notice, which carries a monetary fine. Violators may be required to appear before a federal magistrate.
FIPD Officers respond to all calls for law enforcement service that take place within the installation. Fort Irwin is located in the high desert region of the Mojave desert. It has a total area of approximately 1,100 miles. Fort Irwin has a population of 4,960 active duty, 5,103 family members, 3,469 civilian employees and 4,000 to 6,000 rotational personnel at any given time. Within its territory on its western side lies the NASA Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex.
The Fort Irwin Police Department (FIPD) consists of just over 75 officers. Fort Irwin Police Officers maintain full powers of arrest for misdemeanor and felony crimes committed within their jurisdiction.
There are increasing opportunities for participation in specialized roles. FIPD Officers may serve as Detectives, Traffic Accident Investigators, and K-9 Officers.
Requirements
Actual requirements vary from between service branches, agencies, and installations. There are, however, a few requirements that are nearly universal. A major requirement of any potential officer is to pass a medical exam. Candidates must have normal color vision, depth perception, and sufficiently good corrected vision. Additionally, candidates may take a psychological exam.
Nearly every officer is required to get and maintain a U.S. Government "Secret" clearance. The background investigation must show the candidate to be free of substantial debt or foreign influence. Under the Lautenberg Amendment, officers cannot have any convictions for domestic violence.
Candidates are required to take and pass a physical assessment test (PAT). This test could take the form of the same type of test that is issued to military members. Some installations require the officer pass this test annually, something not typically required of local city or town police officers (though they may take one in their respective academies).
Whether or not a candidate has to attend a DA academy depends on both the installation and the officer's experience. A candidate who has attended a state or FLETC academy is typically excused from attending a DA academy if they have worked 12 consecutive months of law enforcement within the 36 six month prior to start date. In addition to meeting these requirements, a waiver packet must be assembled by the candidate, and it must be sent to the Office of the Provost Marshal General for approval.
Training
New FIPD Officers, with no prior law enforcement experience, will attend Fort Leonardwood for training. They cover typical police academy topics such as firearms, defense tactics, baton training, OC aerosal spray exposure, Taser exposure, basic patrolling techniques, the Uniform Code of Military Justice, physical security concepts, and other law enforcement skills.
Officers selected for a position on an installation's Special Reaction Team (SRT) must attend the same training as their military counterparts. Training is held at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri also. For K-9 Officers, the training is held at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas.
A vast majority of training received by officers at the FIPD is received at local police and sheriff's departments.
Equipment
FIPD officers wear typical police style uniforms, in a shade of dark navy "LAPD" blue. Some tactical and K-9 officers are now issue solid navy blue BDUs/TDUs with cloth badges and nametapes. DA badges and patches may vary widely between agencies and installations.
FIPD officers carry pepper spray, a police baton (typically an expandable ASP), handcuffs, radio, spare ammunition, latex gloves, and other commonly seen police equipment such as a Taser. Bulletproof vests are issued. During higher threat conditions, officers could be equipped with Kevlar helmets and other protective equipment.
The vast majority of officers working for the branches of the Armed Forces are armed with the Beretta M9 92F pistol. FIPD detectives are armed with the Sig Sauer P228 M11 pistol. On duty FIPD officers are armed with patrol weapons such as the Mossberg or Benelli shotguns, the M4 carbine rifle or MP-5 sub-machine gun.
FIPD police vehicles vary widely, with vehicles ranging from Chevy Tahoes to Ford Explorers, pickup trucks and cargo / tactical vans. However, the most widely used patrol vehicle is the Chevy Impala or Ford Crown Victoria. Vehicles may be marked or unmarked and utilize emergency blue and red lights from a variety of manufacturers.