Department of the Army Civilian Police

Department of the Army Civilian Police, are the uniformed civilian police officers of the United States Army. They are also referred to as DoD Police. The Department of the Army Civilian Police (DACP) are responsible for law enforcement and security services on U.S. Army owned and leased buildings, facilities, properties and other U.S. Army assets. It is important to note that "Department of Defense Police" is a 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 one unified agency that goes under the title "Department of Defense Police". The DOD Police at the Pentagon (part of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency), Defense Logistics Agency (DLA)Police, and one or two others are exceptions.

Civil service series 0083

A Department of the Army civilian police officer (DACP) is assigned the federal occupational series code "0083", the code reserved for police and federal protective officers in the civil service. Some installations have detectives, which share the same occupational series code as police officers. These detectives investigate minor crimes that are not pursued by a special agent from CID. Beginning in FY 2011, the Installation Management Command began replacing contract security guards (CSG) with Department of the Army Civilian Security Guards (DASG). These civilian employees, GS-0085 series security guards, perform the primary access-control functions at Army installations.

Duties

At many installations, Department of Army Civilian Police officers augment military police personnel. Some smaller installations have only civilian police present. The officer can expect to perform a variety of security and law enforcement roles.

One major function of a Department of the Army Civilian Police officer is to conduct force protection duties. This often takes the form of ensuring that only authorized personnel access the installation by performing identification checks at fixed entry control points (gates). Department of Army Civilian Police officers may also stand fixed posts at higher security areas within the confines of the installation, such as buildings containing classified material or around parked aircraft. Officers at fixed posts ensure that all entry requirements have been met before allowing an individual to proceed.

Department of the Army Civilian Police 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). There are two types of citations that may be issued: the DD Form 1408 Armed Forces Traffic Ticket, and the DD Form 1805 Violation Notice. The type of citation(s) issued are authorized at the local command level. The DD Form 1408 does not have any monetary fines associated with it. The DD Form 1805 Violation Notice does however establish fines and a hearing system through the U.S. Magistrate. Department of the Army Civilian Police officers and military police personnel respond to all calls for law enforcement assistance that take place within the installation. If the crime is found to be a major felony, then the matter is generally referred to the special agents of the applicable military investigative agency (CID, Army Counterintelligence, NCIS, OSI, FBI, etc.).

There are increasing opportunities for participation in specialized roles. Department of the Army Civilian Police officers may serve as K-9 officers or members of a special response team (SRT).

Requirements

A major requirement of any potential Department of the Army Civilian Police officer is to pass a medical exam. There is typically an uncorrected vision requirement, candidates must have normal color vision, depth perception, and sufficiently good corrected vision.

Department of the Army Civilian Police officers are required to obtain and maintain a "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. Some installations may require an interview with the candidate.

Candidates are currently required to take and pass a physical fitness test. This test is a modified version of the test that is required by military members. Army regulations require the officers 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 (see "Training" section below) depends on both the installation and the officer's experience. A candidate who has attended a state or a Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) academy is typically excused from attending a DA academy. As of 2014 the Department of the Army is no longer granting waivers to any patrol level officer, all interested candidates must now attend a 9-week academy at Fort Leonard Wood, MO.

Training

Department of the Army Civilian Police Officers must attend a (resident) police academy approved by the Office of the Provost Marshal General (OPMG). The U.S. Army sends their civilian officers to a police academy that is a minimum of nine weeks long. A waiver of training may no longer be given by the OPMG, unless reclassifying from an 1811 (Federal Agent) to 0083 (Federal Police).

There is one academy in Missouri. They give an overview of topics such as IED detection, basic patrolling techniques, the Uniform Code of Military Justice, physical security concepts, and other police skills. This academy is designed around the specific needs of the US Army, and do not resemble a state or FLETC run academy. The curriculum in these academies is based upon the same topics that a military member would learn in their advanced individual training schools after basic training. Annual in-service training for the DACP (sometimes called "annual sustainment training") normally totals about two hundred and forty hours a year. This refresher training is conducted in conjunction with the officer's military member counterparts.

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.

Department of the Army Civilian Police Officers are highly trained and skilled professionals, many of whom have prior law enforcement and military experience. Post 9-11 Police Departments have tightened their professional standards. Both classroom training and physical training have been intensified in response to real world terrorist threats.

Equipment

Department of the Army Civilian Police officers wear typical police style uniforms, more often than not in a shade of dark navy blue. Many installations now issue solid navy blue or black BDUs/TDUs for officers with cloth badges and name tapes. These uniforms are worn with bloused pants and combat style boots. The pattern and style of Badges and patches is dictated by Army Regulation.

Department of the Army Civilian Police officers carry pepper spray, a police baton (typically an expandable ASP), handcuffs, radio, spare ammunition (45 rounds, or three magazines of 15), a X-26 Taser, latex gloves, and other commonly seen police equipment such as a CPR mask. 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 M-9 pistol. The military does not normally use hollowpoint ammunition due to the Hague Convention, however the Department of the Army has recently authorized the use of hollowpoint ammunition for DACP and Military Police law enforcement duties due to recent incidents involving active shooters on military installations. Thus, Department of the Army Civilian Police officers working on a military base have ammunition loaded with full metal jacket and/or hollow point ammunition.^[1] Department of the Army Civilian Police Detectives can be armed with the M11 pistol. Other firearms that may be issued include the Mossberg 500 shotgun and the M16 rifle or M4 carbine.

Department of the Army Civilian Police vehicles vary widely, with vehicles ranging from Chevrolet Silverados to Ford Explorers and even Jeep Cherokees. However, most installations and agencies use the Chevrolet Impala or Ford Crown Victoria. Vehicles may be marked or unmarked and utilize emergency blue and red lights from a variety of manufacturers.

Notable events

• Fort Bliss gunman.^[2][3]
• Land mine incident at Fort Gordon.^[4]
• The 2009 Fort Hood shooting.^[5][6]
• Fort Drum shooting in 2008.^[7]
• 2007 Fort Dix attack plot
• Fort Bragg "Sniper" - William Kreutzer, Jr.
• Apprehension of Yonathan Melaku, a 22-year-old naturalized Ethiopian immigrant and Marine Corps Reserve Lance Corporal by Sgt. Nicholas A. Kalenich in connection with the Northern Virginia military shootings.^[8]

Officers Killed In The Line of Duty

• Police Officer Harry S. White^[9]
• Forest Ranger John Sidney Mott^[10]
• Police Officer Albee V. Forney^[11]
• Sergeant Dennis H. Marcotte^[12]
• Police Officer Patrick Sirois^[13]

See also

• List of United States federal law enforcement agencies

References

External links

• Civilian employment information
• UCMJ
• U.S. Army Military Police School