1 MILITARY POLICE BRIGADE
1 Military Police Brigade
Lt Col Mark Shapland
Elevating the Fight. The transfer of 1 Military Police( MP) Brigade under the tactical command of Headquarters Allied Rapid Reaction Corps( HQ ARRC) on 1 October 2025 marks a defining moment in our evolution. It places the Army’ s policing and detention capability squarely within NATO’ s warfighting ecosystem— where assurance, discipline, and protection are as vital to combat credibility as firepower itself.
Re-subordination under ARRC reinforces our role as an operational, deployable formation, delivering integrated policing effects that enable commanders’ freedom of action, assurance, and survivability. It signals a decisive step forward— embedding MP where it can deliver operational policing where no one else can.
Modernising for Warfighting. 1 MP Brigade exists to police the force and to provide police support to the force. We provide independent policing and investigative capability in complex, hostile environments; deliver operational detention and mobility support; and enable specialist close protection and stability policing alongside NATO allies and partners. These effects ensure that deployed formations remain disciplined, resilient, and legitimate— the foundations of credible deterrence and combat power.
Project CONSTELLATION will ensure that our Headquarters is structured and ready to match this operational purpose. Building on concepts tested through AVENGER TRIAD, the project will realign the Brigade to operate as a deployable one-star headquarters for ARRC. Synchronised with Army Reform and focussed on delivering tangible operational output, the aim is to increase coherence, resilience, and readiness across the formation. CONSTELLATION is about being ready now— a headquarters built for command, integration, and contribution to NATO’ s fight tonight.
Soldier – Police Fusion: One Capability, One Effect. Our strength lies in the fusion of soldiering and policing— delivering every tactical function through one integrated capability. This is not about blurring lines; it is about bringing together complementary skillsets to deliver decisive effect in the most demanding operational conditions. We remain professional police and detention officers, trained to investigate, enforce, and assure the rule of law— but also soldiers, capable of delivering that same effect under fire, in complex terrain, and alongside multinational forces.“ Integration means credibility, not compromise.”
This fusion builds trust— within our own formations, across NATO, and among partner police forces who recognise the integrity and professionalism of British military policing. We work shoulder-toshoulder with Home Office forces, the Ministry of Justice, the NATO Military Police Centre of Excellence, and international partners to ensure our practice reflects the highest standards of modern policing.
Our increasing engagement within NATO is also reflected in our growing leadership role. In 2026, the Brigade
Commander will assume the Presidency of both the NATO Military Police and Gendarmerie Type Forces( MPGTF) Chiefs Council and the NATO MP Working Group— providing a platform to shape doctrine, interoperability, and professional standards across the Alliance. This will allow us to share UK experience, influence NATO’ s approach to policing in multi-domain operations, and strengthen collective readiness across the Corps and beyond.
Who We Are. The Brigade comprises the Royal Military Police( RMP) and the Military Provost Staff( MPS), united by a shared purpose: to uphold law, discipline, and operational effectiveness in all domains. We are organised into four hybrid Regiments— two General Police Duties Regiments, the MPS Regiment( incorporating the Military Corrective Training Centre and regional Service Custody Facilities), and a Specialist Operations Regiment( containing the Close Protection Unit and Service Police Crime Bureau). With a permanent global footprint— including enduring commitments in Europe, Africa, and the Indo-Pacific— we deliver policing and protection effects that reach far beyond the UK’ s firm base. In some areas, the nature of our activity cannot be disclosed, but it speaks directly to Defence’ s sharper edge of diplomacy, deterrence, and operational reach.
A Capability for the Modern Battlefield. Our alignment with HQ ARRC represents more than a new command relationship; it is an affirmation of purpose. MP are now positioned where they can shape tempo, integrity, and trust across the full spectrum of operations.
Our credibility rests not just on capability, but on character— disciplined, fair, and trusted soldiers whose professionalism stands out wherever NATO operates. For the men and women of 1 MP Brigade, this is a moment of energy and opportunity— to demonstrate that military policing is not a supporting act but a decisive enabler of warfighting success.
26 WINTER 2025 the imjin @ HQARRC NATO Allied Rapid Reaction Corps @ HQARRC