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==Uniform==
==Uniform==
The uniform of the RMPS follows that of a typical [[United Kingdom|British]] Carribean Overseas Territory and thus incorporates typical British [[police]] and military customs and pieces of uniform.
The uniform of the RMPS follows that of a typical [[United Kingdom|British]] Caribbean Overseas Territory and thus incorporates typical British [[police]] and military customs and pieces of uniform.


The uniform of the RMPS can be roughly divided into several categories:
The uniform of the RMPS can be roughly divided into several categories:

Revision as of 16:51, 30 May 2020

Royal Montserrat Police Service
Royal Montserrat Police logo
Royal Montserrat Police logo
Flag of Montserrat
Flag of Montserrat
AbbreviationRMPS
Agency overview
Formed1967
Preceding agency
  • Leeward Islands Police Force
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionMontserrat, British Overseas Territories
Size39 square miles[1]
Populationapprox. 5,879[2]
General nature
Operational structure
Constablesapprox. 50
Agency executive
  • Steve Foster, JP, B.Sc., CPA., Commissioner
Website
website link

Royal Montserrat Police Service is the police service of British Overseas Territory of Montserrat in the Caribbean. The current Commissioner is Steve Foster, JP, B.Sc., CPA., a native and career police officer of Montserrat[3].

History

The Police Force of Montserrat was a division of the Leeward Islands Police Force, which served Antigua, St Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla, Montserrat and the British Virgin Islands, with Headquarters in Antigua. The Leeward Islands Colony was dissolved in 1959 and the Montserrat Police Force became a division of the Antigua, Montserrat, and British Virgin Islands Police Force. The Royal Title was bestowed on the force in 1966, and The Royal Montserrat Police Service became autonomous on the 27 February 1967.

Between the years 1967 and 2007 there was one Chief of Police and ten Commissioners of Police from countries such as United Kingdom, Guyana, St Kitts-Nevis and even native islanders.

The police service also ran a football team that played in the Montserrat Championship, the top level of football on the island. They were the most successful club winning the league four times.

The RMPS celebrated its 50th anniversary in February 2017, having been disbanded from the Leeward Islands Police Force in 1967.[4]

Structure and Duties

The RMPS is a civilian, local police force and has authority to uphold the Queen's peace throughout the territory. The RMPS website states that their duty is:[5]

  • Preservation of the Queen’s Peace,
  • Protection of Life & Property,
  • Prevention and Detection of Crime and
  • Bringing Offenders to Justice.

The Commissioner is assisted by:[6]

  • Deputy Commissioner of Police
  • Superintendent Operations

Leaders & Departments

  • Inspector - Beat & Patrol
  • Inspector - Marine & Immigration
  • Inspector - Criminal Investigation Department
  • Inspector - Human Resource, Training, Traffic, IT, Communication, Salem Station
  • Sergeant - Financial Crime Analysis Unit (FCAU)
  • Business Manager

Each department then has a number of Sergeants, Constables, clerical Officers and other roles to operate that department.

The key departments are:[7]

  • Beats & Patrol
  • Criminal Investigations
  • Marine
  • Traffic

Which are supported by:

  • Human Resources
  • Information Technology
  • Scenes of Crimes (SOCO)
  • Financial Crimes Analysis
  • Canine
  • Court & Processes
  • Interpol

Rank Structure

The management rank structure of the RMPS follows that of most UK and British Overseas Territories.[8]

Regular Ranks

  • Commissioner of Police (COP)
  • Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP)
  • Superintendent (Operations) (Sup Ops)
  • Inspector (OIC Departments)
  • Sergeant (SPO)
  • Constable (PC)

New “Recognition Ranks”

  • Chief Inspector
  • Station Sergeant
  • Corporal
  • Senior Constable

New “Marine Unit Ranks”

  • Marine Sergeant (MS)
  • Petty Officer (PO)
  • Leading Seaman (LS)
  • Able Body Seaman (ABS)
  • Ordinary Seaman (OS)

Women Police Constables

Female constables are still known as Women Police Constables (WPC),[9] although other British forces have dropped the 'W' prefix.

Special Constables

The RMPS employs Special Constables to assist regular constables, or to act as specialists and support regulars on 'Special Duty Police Assignments', if necessary.[10]

Uniform

The uniform of the RMPS follows that of a typical British Caribbean Overseas Territory and thus incorporates typical British police and military customs and pieces of uniform.

The uniform of the RMPS can be roughly divided into several categories:

Formal Dress

This is worn for the most formal of occasions, such as police pass-out/graduation parades:[11][12]

Males

  • Pith helmet with chinstrap
  • White tunic with silver buttons and a high standing collar
  • Black belt with silver front buckle and bayonet scabbard
  • Black trousers with silver/white piping on the sides
  • White gloves
  • Black polished shoes/boots.

Females

  • Bowler cap
  • White tunic with silver buttons and a open collar, with white shirt & black tie worn underneath
  • Black belt with silver front buckle and bayonet scabbard
  • Black skirt with silver/white piping on the sides, worn with stockings
  • White gloves
  • Black polished shoes.

For all Constables, no rank insignia is worn, but 'collar numbers' (ID number) are worn on the breast/chest.

Rifles, typically the No. 4 Lee Enfield[13] or Self Loading Rifle are carried when on formal parades by junior ranks. A police whistle on a chain is carried in the top left pocket (for both males and females), with the chain connected to a button.

Officers with the rank of Sergeant wear a dark blue shoulder sash over the right shoulder and three chevrons on the arm. Sergeants may carry either a pace stick,[14] or swagger cane/stick.[15]

Officers with the rank of Inspector and above, carry swords (on parade)[16] in place of rifles, as is customary in British Overseas Territories police services and Commonwealth police and military forces. A cross belt, with rear pouch, in black is worn, as well as a sword sling and scabbard to house the sword when sheathed.[17]

Everyday Dress

For general police duties a simpler uniform is worn, but keeping the main parts of the police uniform.

Males

  • Black plain peaked cap with RMPS capbadge
  • Stone/grey coloured shirt with black plain epaulettes (PCs), silver buttons and whistle on chain. The collar number (for PCs and Sergeants) is worn on the right chest.
  • Black trousers
  • Black shoes and boots.

Females

  • Black bowler cap with RMPS capbadge
  • Stone/grey coloured shirt with black plain epaulettes (PCs), silver buttons and whistle on chain. The collar number (for PCs and Sergeants) is interestingly worn on the right chest.
  • Black skirts[18]
  • Black shoes and boots.

For traffic duties, yellow high-visibility jackets may be worn.[19]

Bush Jacket

For males and females, there is both a white and a grey 'bush jacket', which is a more relaxed and longer form of the tunic.[20] This uniform is often worn by senior officers, when not on formal parade.[21]

For males) it is worn without a belt, with an open collar, lanyard on the left side and no undershirt and either black (with white bush jacket) or grey (with grey bush jacket) trousers.

Marine Unit uniform

Because of the very different nature of its duties, the Marine Unit (which operates police vessels) wears a different uniform when carrying out such duties:

  • Dark blue polo shirt
  • Dark blue cargo type trousers
  • Black boots

Medals and rank insignia

If any medals have been awarded (such as the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012)), the medal ribbon is worn the left breast of most shirts, bush jackets and tunics. The medals themselves are only generally worn on formal occasions.

Rank is worn in every order of dress, although for constables, there is no actual insignia. Senior officers (Inspectors and above) wear them on the shoulder and Sergeants wear them on the sleeve.

For females it is the same, but with a waist belt and the trousers are swapped for a skirt.

The headdress and footwear are a peaked (male) and smaller peaked (female) cap.

  • Marine Unit boat on patrol
    Marine Unit boat on patrol

References

  1. ^ http://police.gov.ms/8-2/
  2. ^ http://police.gov.ms/8-2/
  3. ^ http://police.gov.ms/8-2/leadership/executive/
  4. ^ http://police.gov.ms/?fbclid=IwAR2zzczREihy0b7fP829Nstanmi12998b8xPqYbKGrBQEV575BKrOyXAYPs
  5. ^ http://police.gov.ms/?fbclid=IwAR2zzczREihy0b7fP829Nstanmi12998b8xPqYbKGrBQEV575BKrOyXAYPs
  6. ^ http://police.gov.ms/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Organisational-Chart-Police-3.jpg
  7. ^ http://police.gov.ms/
  8. ^ http://police.gov.ms/8-2/#
  9. ^ https://www.facebook.com/1464208687234758/photos/a.1488159608172999/2569429476712668/?type=3&theater
  10. ^ http://police.gov.ms/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Marine-Tech-Special-Constable-2014.pdf
  11. ^ https://www.themontserratreporter.com/six-new-police-officers-confirmed-in-the-royal-montserrat-police-services/
  12. ^ https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/12487212_1550131155309177_4278651238942914091_o.jpg?_nc_cat=106&_nc_sid=6e5ad9&_nc_ohc=ArBzXWx_dhMAX_GLsA0&_nc_ht=scontent-lht6-1.xx&oh=873050dd508399cadc7873071e715c0c&oe=5EF545D1
  13. ^ https://www.facebook.com/1464208687234758/photos/a.1488159608172999/2390490824606535/?type=3&theater
  14. ^ https://themontserratreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/RMPF-Graduation.jpg
  15. ^ https://www.themontserratreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Police-Passing-out-1.jpg
  16. ^ https://www.facebook.com/RMDF1898/photos/ms.c.eJxFzdsNwEAIA8GOInw8DP03FolL4HeEF2idqAqhHzPzBx~;AUACwIOkkc8D7QrhwGzIQd6I~;8EIsdENqGrRu6LxN7YnHC4L6Ir4~-.bps.a.1391740704287002/1392699614191111/?type=3&theater
  17. ^ https://www.facebook.com/1464208687234758/photos/a.1488159608172999/2390490824606535/?type=3&theater
  18. ^ https://www.themontserratreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/DSC_2735.jpg
  19. ^ https://www.themontserratreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/DSC_2735.jpg
  20. ^ http://www.mnialive.com/articles/two-royal-montserrat-police-service-inspectors-demoted-to-sergeant-positions
  21. ^ https://i1.wp.com/discovermni.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/9-3-18-2018-RMPS-Recruits-8.jpg


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