Military Police Corps (Israel)

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Military Police Corps logo

For other uses, see Military Police Corps.

The Military Police Corps of the Israel Defense Forces (Hebrew: חיל המשטרה הצבאית, Heil HaMishtara HaTzva'it) is the Israeli military police. The military police serves the Human Resources Directorate in the IDF, although it falls under a different command during an emergency situation (such as war).

The military police has attracted a negative image by Israelis over the years due to it being responsible for putting many Israeli soldiers in jail for various misconducts, but this image is thought to be recovering, especially as of 2004 when the police started to check Palestinians at checkpoints (a position most Israelis consider vital for the state's security).

The military police is also known for having one of the strictest levels of discipline in the IDF. It is also one of the first corps to allow women to perform equal duties to men, and the first corps to have a combat-certified woman.

In the Israel Defense Forces, it is responsible for the following:

Enforcing the discipline and proper image of Israeli soldiers, especially new military laws that come into being
Guarding Israeli military prisons, as well as detention centers with Palestinian prisoners
Checking Palestinians for weapons and explosives, and sometimes their intentions at checkpoints
- This responsibility was passed to the military police in 2003 (formally) and 2004 (in practice), before which it was taken up by other corps.

The military police follows the principle of A Choice in Life, which says no to traffic accidents, narcotics, alcohol, suicide and improper use of weapons.

1 History
2 Training
- 2.1 Basic training
- 2.2 Courses
3 Sectors
4 Sectors and operations during emergency
5 Insignia
6 Vehicles
7 Units and bases
8 Leadership
- 8.1 List of Chief Military Police Officers
9 Notable military policemen
10 Public image
11 References
12 Further reading
13 External links

[edit] History

[edit] Founding and initial organization

Israeli military police women stand in formation during an honor cordon ceremony for US Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates in Tel Aviv

The Israeli Military Police traces its roots to a Jewish youth paramilitary organization called Notrim, founded in 1936. It was legal under British Mandate law, unlike its many counterparts such as the Haganah. Its original purpose was to defend and police Jewish yishuv localities during the 1936-1939 Arab revolt in Palestine. In 1937, the organization was given permission to expand, due to lack of British manpower allocated for defending Jewish villages in Palestine.

During World War II, the Notrim became part of the Jewish Brigade, where it grew and became more known among the Palestinian Jewish public. Many new recruits joined the organization, where they went through a filtering process where it was decided what unit they were to be placed in. In 1944, an order was given by the Haganah to create its own military police in the Jewish Brigade, and the task was given to a captain therein, named Daniel Lifshitz (later Danny Magen). Lifshitz and three sergeants from the brigade who served at a base near Cairo, Egypt were the initial nucleus of the organization. It recruited soldiers mainly from the brigade and trained them at a British police academy in the conquered territory on the Italian front near Naples, where they studied military law enforcement and motorcycle riding.^[1]

During Israel's fight for independence between 1945 and 47, the Jewish leadership created the Military Police out of the organization, which became a small contingent of four units (Disciplinary Military Police, Traffic Supervision Military Police, Investigations Military Police, and the Prison Division), each proficient in its respective field. Originally, this force consisted of only 160 soldiers and officers, personally picked by the first commander, Danny Magen. The force officially gained recognition in March-May 1948 as a result of the Riptin Commission and after the IDF formulated its disciplinary laws,^[2] and quickly expanded as the necessities of a military police service were made clear in the IDF.^[3] The first military police course took place during Israel's founding and the force immediately joined the effort to fight the invading Arab forces. Military police troops participated in Operations Yoav, Ovda and others. Overall however, the military police concentrated on creating road signs and guiding troop movement.

In 1949, the name of the military police was changed from Military Police Service (Sherut Mishtara Tzva'it) to Military Police Corps (Heil HaMishtara HaTzva'it) and an emblem was created for the new corps.

A dog handler unit was founded in the military police and used dogs to detect explosives and injured and dead bodies. Despite its many successes, it was disbanded in 1954 due to a lack of funding. Today, a similar unit is operated by the Israel Border Police.

[edit] Participation in major conflicts

[edit] 1948 Arab-Israeli War

In the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the military police took both combat and supporting positions. In May 1948, the service was divided into regional fronts. The northern front, headed by future chief officer Yosef Pressman, consisted of 15 military policemen, most of them former Notrim, and was based in the police compound in Afula. It moved to Nazareth when the city was conquered from Arab forces. Among others, the northern front's job was to deliver the Napoleonchik cannons, which turned the tide of several battles on the front. The unit was also charged with stopping panicked Jewish residents of the Galilee from fleeing their homes, and Pressman personally stopped buses leaving Afula and Yavne'el, returning the men and evacuating the women and children to Haifa. On the Jerusalem front, a military police company, under orders from Moshe Dayan and the command of Capt. Ze'ev Katz, was responsible for rationing the sparse food and supplies between the besieged population.^[4]

[edit] 1956 Suez War

During the Suez Crisis of 1956, military police troops operated near the front lines, putting road signs in the Sinai Peninsula. For the first time, the issue of POWs was brought up and the military police built prisons in Nitzanim in the south, and Atlit in the north, to contain the 5500 or so prisoners or war captured during the Suez War. As a result, Israel's only military prison at the time, Prison Four, suffered neglection and it was decided to build another prison (Prison Six) near Atlit.

[edit] Six-Day War

In the Six-Day War, military policemen were placed in every major Israeli road intersection and guided military traffic. Some MPs were integrated into combat units and fought on the front lines. Notably, a military police contingent was tasked with guarding the conquered Gaza's commercial centers, which were plundered during the war. The investigations division was also involved in investigating the robberies. The prison service wing was responsible for guarding Egyptian prisoners of war captured in the Sinai Peninsula.

[edit] Yom Kippur War

In the Yom Kippur War, the military police greatly assisted in the chaos of the surprise attack on Israel, guiding reserve reinforcements to their intended destinations. Certain military police units fought on the front lines. The investigations department of the military police was tasked with finding Israeli MIAs, numbering about 900 at the time.

[edit] Operation Peace for Galilee

The military police was involved in various ways in Operation Peace for Galilee. It was stationed at a base in Tyre (mainly with Israel Border Police troops), which was subject to two explosions. Many MPs were killed during both, which became known as the Tyre Catastrophe and the Tyre Catastrophe B.

[edit] Post-1983 era

The military police has not been involved in the IDF's combat duties after Operation Peace for Galilee, and has instead performed standard duties. However, major organizational changes were made in the corps following both the First Intifada and the Al-Aqsa Intifada, the most important being the construction and turning over to the Israel Prison Service of the three major prisons for Palestinian detainees - Megiddo, Ktzi'ot and Ofer, as well as the founding of the security examinations sector. Another event that shook the corps was the Prison Six rebellion, which caused the complete re-evaluation of the concept of imprisonment of Israeli soldiers and led to major changes in the prison sector.

In 2005, an elite military police unit, Sahlav, was disbanded because its role was no longer needed in the military police, and because its troops refused to identify with the military police during Israel's unilateral disengagement from the Gaza Strip. The Sahlav Company still exists by name and guards checkpoints as part of the Taoz Battalion in the security examinations sector.

[edit] Training

[edit] Basic training

See also: Recruit training, Tironut.

In the Israeli Military Police, recruits must complete the Extended Rifleman 02 basic training, which is 6 weeks long, making it one of the easiest basic training programs in the IDF. It is however one of the most difficult types of basic training that is considered non-combat. Recruits must also pass a test in basic law enforcement (after 2-4 days' worth of lessons) in order to finish the training. Military police recruit training puts a special emphasis on discipline.

While traditionally there were two companies in each round of recruits - a male company (Pashatz - Plugat Shotrim Tzvai'im) and a female company (Plugat Shotrot), starting February 2006 the male and female recruits form one training company, although each platoon has recruits of only one sex; commanders however are of both sexes. Another company, however, has been formed for recruits being trained to check Palestinians at checkpoints, which undergoes Rifleman 03 (more advanced training). The company is called Course Company (Hebrew: פלוגת מסלול‎ Plugat Maslul - Palmas).

All military police recruits are trained in a base called Bahad 13 (Bsis Hadrakha 13, lit. Training Base 13), which is part of the larger Area 21 (a.k.a. Camp Mota Gur), near Netanya. Bahad 13 was originally established in Tzrifin, from where it moved to a location near Nablus and Kedumim in 1969, shortly after the Six-Day War. It was relocated to Camp Mota Gur in 1995.

At the end of the training, recruits swear themselves in at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, which is considered extremely prestigious in the IDF. Those who finish basic training must take a "basic course" (Hebrew: קורס יסוד‎ kurs yesod) in order to be able to take up their respective positions, which usually takes place in Bahad 13 as well. Formerly, each recruit also took a 1-month course in basic law enforcement and received the rank of Private First Class (turai rishon) at the end, a rank which has been discontinued.

[edit] Courses

Bahad 13, the military police training base, offers a multitude of courses, basic or otherwise. Many of the courses are carried out in conjunction with other military schools and training bases, such as the school for military law.

[edit] Basic courses

Detectives' course (Hebrew: קורס בילוש‎, Kurs Bilush)
Intelligence gathering course (Hebrew: קורס רכזי מודיעין‎, Kurs Rakazei Modi'in)
Investigations course (Hebrew: קורס חוקרים‎, Kurs Hokrim), with the school for military law
Jail instructors course (Hebrew: קורס מדריכי כלואים‎, Kurs Madrikhei Klu'im)
Law enforcement and traffic course (Hebrew: קורס שיטור ותעבורה‎, Kurs Shitur VeTa'abura)
Squad commanders course (Hebrew: קורס מפקדי כיתות‎, Kurs Mefakdei Kitot), with Bislamach, the school for Infantry Corps professions and squad commanders. Consists of a preparation course in Bahad 13 and the actual course in Bislamach.

[edit] Other courses

Preparation for officers' course (Hebrew: הכנה לקצונה‎, Hakhana LeKtzuna)
Corps officers' course completion (Hebrew: השלמה חיילית‎, Hashlama Heilit)
Military Police Corps NCO course (Hebrew: קורס מש"קי חיל המשטרה הצבאית‎, Kurs Mashakei Heil HaMishtara HaTzva'it), a.k.a. Sergeants' course (Hebrew: קורס סמלים‎, Kurs Samalim)
Senior discipline NCO course (Hebrew: קורס נגדים‎, Kurs Nagadei Mishma'at)
Company commanders' course (Hebrew: קורס מפקדי פלוגה‎, Kurs Mefakdei Pluga)

[edit] Former courses

These courses, as well as the units they provided a service to, were disbanded after the transfer of prisons for Palestinian detainees held in Israel to the Israel Prison Service.

Force 100 course (Hebrew: קורס כוח מאה‎, Kurs Ko'ah Me'a), including Lotar course
Palestinian detainee jailors' course (Hebrew: קורס מטפלי עצורי השטחים‎, Kurs Metaplei Atzurei HaShtahim)

The following course was intended for majors, however, it has since been replaced by the course in human resources in Bahad 11.

Senior company commanders' course (Hebrew: קורס מפקדי פלוגה בכירים‎, Kurs Mefakdei Pluga Bkhirim)

[edit] Sectors

A Renault Mégane patrol car

A truck for transferring prisoners (Hebrew slang: zinzana), used by the Yamlat's transfer company

The military police has a multitude of sectors (migzarim), which carry out the responsibilities highlighted above. In addition, an instruction and training sector is present, like in all other IDF corps, and operates similarly to the others (see training above).

[edit] Law enforcement and traffic

The law enforcement and traffic (Shitur VeTa'avura) sector is responsible for enforcing the discipline and proper image of soldiers, and road patrols to insure proper driving by the IDF soldiers. Soldiers in this unit often wear a combination cap instead of the standard blue beret.^[5]

General law enforcement missions and other missions undertaken by policemen in this sector include:

Traffic supervision patrol (Hebrew: סיור פיקוח תעבורה‎, Siyur Piku'ah Ta'avura, abbr. Sapat, often simply 'patrol' - Siyur) - the most common military police task, which involves driving through a specified set of roads and looking for traffic infractions made by military vehicles.
Vehicle checkpost (Hebrew: מכמונת בדיקת רכבים‎, Mikhmonet Bdikat Rekhavim, abbr. Mabar) - military policemen check drivers' licenses and permissions for use of military vehicles.
Discipline supervision (Hebrew: פיקוח משמעת‎, Piku'ah Mishma'at, abbr. Pei-Mem) - military policemen check the appearance of the soldiers.
- Operation Appearance (Hebrew: מבצע מלביש‎, Mivtza Malbish) - a codename for an extended discipline supervision operation undertaken in many posts simultaneously (usually major transportation hubs and major military bases), sometimes involving all the law enforcement bases at the same time.
- Operation Iron Triangle (Hebrew: מבצע משולש הברזל‎, Mivtza Meshulash HaBarzel) - a codename for an extended discipline and traffic supervision operation undertaken in the three largest rear-front IDF bases (Tel HaShomer, Tzrifin, and the General Staff base) by the three MP bases in the area - MP General Staff, MP Dan, and the Yamlat unit.
Radar gun (Hebrew: ממל"ז‎, abbr. Mamlez) inspection - military policemen set up speed traps in order to catch speeding military vehicles, which are pulled over. This is done as part of another mission, usually a patrol. Sometimes civilian vehicles are pulled over as well, but the military police has no immediate authority to issue reports on them, and the responsibility is moved to the Israel Police.
Working with the National Traffic Police to catch military vehicles for misconduct.
Transfer and guarding of injured enemies (Hebrew: שמירת פח"ע‎, Shmirat Faha) - done in conjunction with the Israel Border Police, military policemen guard injured Palestinians in Israeli hospitals (mainly Hadassah Ein Karem Hospital) before they are released and sent to prison. This responsibility passes to the Israel Police after 48 hours, but in practice may still be taken up by the military police for months.
Conveyance of Palestinian families - when the families of Palestinian prisoners held in Ofer and Ktzi'ot prisons are allowed to visit, they are taken by bus from the checkpoints to the prisons, accompanied by military police patrol cars.

There is a special unit called the Yamlat (Yehida Meyuhedet LeFikuah Ta'avura - Special Unit for Traffic Supervision), founded in 1980 and located in Tzrifin, which is the main law enforcement unit. It has a law enforcement company and a company responsible for transferring prisoners between jails and detention centers. The law enforcement company is also responsible for honor guards, and is considered the Chief Military Police Officer's personal unit. Another mission which it specializes in are dummy kidnappings, called Operation Emulate/Dummy (Hebrew: מבצע מדמה‎ Mivtza Medame), where an undercover police car picks up hitchhiking soldiers and reports on them (it is illegal for soldiers in uniform to hitchhike for security reasons).^[6]

The checkpoints department (security examinations sector) is also professionally subordinate to the law enforcement and traffic sector.

[edit] Report statistics

Below are some of the 2006-07 statistics for amounts of reports against soldiers for various misconducts, handed out by military policemen in the law enforcement sector:

	2006 amount	2007 estimate
Operations Appearance	6,787	7,488
Operations Iron Triangle	6,671	5,310
Increased enforcement operations	295 (5 operations)	178 (3 operations)
Dummy kidnappings	678	576 (77 to combat and 499 to non-combat)
Speeding tickets	1,178 (~1,100^[7])	1,866 (~1,800^[7])
Total	32,765	30,837

[edit] Prison service

See also: Israeli military prison

The prison service (Kli'a) sectors guards Israeli military prisons. It is divided into two: the service responsible for guarding prisons and detention centers with Israeli prisoners, and the service responsible for guarding the two detention centers containing Palestinian detainees, Shomron and Etzion. When the military police controlled the major detainment prisons, Megiddo, Ofer and Ktzi'ot, each of the two sub-sectors has a unique training course. As of 2007 however, all jailors undergo the jail instructors' course. The actual jailors, or jail instructors, are considered IDF commanders for all intents and purposes, although as of August 2007, are no longer distinguished by the green aiguilette worn by most commanders and instructors in the IDF. Instead, a new red and blue aiguillette was made for them, different in design than that of the law enforcement sector.

The prisons are run by jail instructors (Madrikhei Kluim or Madakim) are responsible for instructing Israeli prisoners (soldiers who committed crimes or infractions), making sure they don't escape, and rehabilitating as many as possible.

The prison service sector started out as the Prison Division (Hebrew: מחלקת בתי הסוהר, Mahleket Batei HaSohar) until it became a separate sector in 1974. It was originally responsible for maintaining the provisional military prison in Tel Aviv, until Prison Four was built. Various services were introduced into the sector with time, such as education in 1977 and gahelet in the 2000s, as programs for rehabilitation. Additionally, the Prison Six revolt in 1997 revolutionized the IDF's approach to military prisons, and many new measures were introduced, in order to improve the conditions of prisoners and jailors alike, as well as make it harder for prisoners to escape and stage further revolts.

When the military police was responsible for jails containing Palestinian detainees (until 2006), there were two additional subsectors (see also: Incarceration facility (Israel)):

Palestinan detainees jailors (Metaplei Atzurei HaShetahim or M. Atzhashim) are mostly responsible for making sure that the prisoners do not escape.
- Company for Special Missions (Hebrew: פלוגה למשימות מיוחדות‎, abbr. Palmam) was a company in each prison responsible for protecting the jailors from harm as well as transferring the Palestinian prisoners to courts and other outside locations.
Force 100 (Koah 100), a combat-certified unit responsible for suppressing uprisings mainly by both Palestinian prisoners. The unit consisted of less than 100 soldiers and was used in full only in extreme cases of violence and prison rebellions.

[edit] Criminal investigation

The Criminal Investigations Division (Hebrew: משטרה צבאית חוקרת‎ Mishtara Tzva'it Hokeret or Metzah) is a unit in the IDF responsible for all criminal investigations inside the IDF. The unit primarily deals with the use of drugs in the army, and theft of and dealing in army weapons. Other investigations include corruption, sexual harassment and assault, suicides, killings and abuse of civilian Palestinan population (done by a special unit that works in the West Bank), and treason. The unit also deals with traffic accidents involving military vehicles.

The investigations division was originally made up of poorly trained soldiers who relied solely on military law, which was not always realistic and up to date. They operated mainly in Tel Aviv and dealt with theft and smuggling charges. The military police command saw the importance of the investigations division and decided that only high school or higher graduates (at that time, most soldiers had not finished 12 years of high school) should be taken into the division, and their training was conducted by the much more professional Israel Police. Slowly, the investigations division became a professional sector and is now considered the most prestigious sector in the military police.

The division has several specialized and/or elite units:

A secret unit called Yamlam (Hebrew: יחידה מרכזית לחקירות מיוחדות‎, Yehida Merkazit LeHakirot Meyuhadot, lit. Central Unit for Special Investigations), founded in 1983, which conducts high profile investigations. Some are done together with the Israel Police and the Shabak.
CID Traffic Accidents (Hebrew: מצ"ח תאונות דרכים‎, Metzah Te'unot Drakhim), which investigates traffic accidents pertaining to military vehicles. The unit is based in Tzrifin.
The Unit for Fraud Investigations (Hebrew: יחידה לחקירות הונאה‎, Yehida LeHakirot Hona'a, abbr. Yah'a), which investigates white-collar crime, mainly by high-ranking officers and NCOs.
The Unit for Internal Investigations (Hebrew: יחידה לחקירות פנים‎, Yehida LeHakirot Pnim, abbr. Yahkap), which is not officially subordinate to the CID and is responsible for investigating certain crimes committed by soldiers in the Military Police Corps. The unit consists mainly of reservists formerly from the CID, and is directly subordinate to the Chief Military Police Officer.^[8]

[edit] Intelligence and detection

Intelligence and detection (Hebrew: מודיעין ובילוש‎ Modi'in UVilush) is a sector responsible for gathering intelligence for the numerous military police sectors (this varies in nature across sectors), operational protection of military policemen during their missions, and the location and arrest of AWOLs. This sector was formerly intelligence-only and the operational part was subordinate to the CID and the law enforcement sectors. It is currently professionally subordinate to the head of the CID.

In military prisons, intelligence collectors (Hebrew: רכזי מודיעין‎ Rakazei Modi'in or Ramanim) are responsible for working with collaborators within jails to find out information about potential suicides, rebellions, etc. therein. In the CID, they gather intelligence about soldiers who have committed crimes, in order to locate and arrest them and/or find evidence against them. In the law enforcement sector, a small team of intelligence collectors aids the detectives in each law enforcement base.

Detectives are the operational force of this sector. They aid the CID and law enforcement sectors in various missions, and are generally known for brute strength.

In the law enforcement sector, there is a small contingent of detectives in each base - a unit referred to as HaMahlaka LeItur UMa'atzar (abbreviated to לאו"ם, Le'om), meaning The Division for Identification and Arrest. It is responsible for catching deserters (generally, those AWOL for over 45 days) and 'shirkers' (those who haven't shown to military duty at all),^[9] as well as protecting military policemen during major discipline supervision operations. In the CID, they are generally responsible for protecting the actual investigators and intelligence collectors, as well as searches and other order execution.

[edit] Security examination

Security examinators (Me'avhenim Bithoni'im or Ma'ab, a.k.a. Checkpoints - Ma'avarim) is a sector founded in 2004, although the order for its founding was laid down on January 13, 2003. Its soldiers check Palestinians at Israel Defense Forces checkpoints. It has expanded rapidly in its initial few years, with a new headquarters built especially for it (but now used only by the Ta'oz Battalion) between April 2004 and 2006 in Camp Mota Gur, next to Bahad 13. It is considered a combat support unit with high risk. It is considered a low-level unit within the corps, but is much more respected by other soldiers.

The first security examination course at Bahad 13 took place in November 2003. The course lasts four weeks plus a week of basic Arabic lessons.

The sector is divided into two battalions - Erez, which monitors most checkpoints around Jerusalem, and Ta'oz, manning all other military police-run checkpoints. The Erez battalion lists three companies; Alef (A), Bet (B) and Gimel (C). The Ta'oz battalion lists the following companies: Eyal (אייל), Maccabim (מכבים), Reihan (ריחן), Sahlav (סחלב) and Shomron (שומרון).

Since its founding in 1995, the Erez Battalion was under the jurisdiction of the West Bank Division and was operated by multiple corps, with the military police sending some soldiers. What is currently known as the Ta'oz Battalion was, in turn, called the Checkpoints Unit (Hebrew: יחידת המעברים‎ Yehidat HaMa'avarim). During 2005-2006, Erez was transferred to the military police and included in the sector, while the prior MP checkpoint unit was renamed to Ta'oz Battalion.

The ma'avarim shoulder insignia was unveiled in a ceremony in July 2004. The two hands on it symbolize the striving for co-existence between the two sides. The eye represents the constant watch for those who wish to harm this co-existence. This insignia is now only used by the Ta'oz Battalion, with Erez having a different emblem.

[edit] Sectors and operations during emergency

During an emergency such as war, when there is a general reserve call-up, the Military Police Corps changes many of its designations and its structure. Although the reserve force in the corps is comparatively small (approximately 4,000-4,500 troops at any time), the reservists take up most of the emergency positions and many of the regular units are incorporated into the reservist force.

While regularly, the corps serves under the Human Resources Directorate, during an emergency it moves to the Logistics, Medical, and the Centers Directorate. There are two types of military police units during an emergency: frontal and rear. The frontal units serve under five of the six regional logistical support units (Hebrew: אגד לוגיסטי מרחבי‎ Egged Logisti Merhavi), while the rear units are under the direct command of the three regional commands.

Emergency operations of the corps mainly include directing traffic at major roads and intersections, law enforcement, erecting road signs in conquered territory, and the guarding and transfer of POWs.

[edit] Frontal units

Organization chart of the Military Police Unit and its sub-units

Each frontal military police unit is the size of a battalion, commanded by a lieutenant colonel. It is called Military Police Unit (Hebrew: יחידת משטרה צבאית‎ Yehidat Mishtara Tzva'it, abbr. Yahmatz), and exists in four of the six logistical support units. It is completely absent in Regional Logistical Support Unit 5004 (belonging to the Central Command), because there is no front in the IDF Central Command since the peace treary with Jordan. In Regional Logistical Support Unit 5003 (southern Golan Heights), only the law enforcement and traffic directing company of the Military Police Unit is present.

The Military Police Unit is divided into two companies: the law enforcement and traffic directing company, called Military Police Company (Hebrew: פלוגת משטרה צבאית‎ Plugat Mishtara Tzva'it), and the POW transfer and guarding company, called Frontal POW Company (Hebrew: פלוגת שבויים קדמית‎ Plugat Shvuyim Kidmit).

[edit] Military Police Company

The Military Police Company is responsible for all the law enforcement and traffic directing missions, as well as erecting road signs, assisting troop movement, and operating Frontal Supervision Points (Hebrew: נקודת פיקוח קדמית‎ Nekudat Piku'ah Kidmit, abbr. Napak), which allow combat troops to receive orders and directions in conquered territory.

Ideally, each Military Police Company consists of 3 platoons, each consisting of 3 squads. A squad has a commander, an all-terrain vehicle driver and two ATVs, and six military policemen. The company also has one medic and one mechanic.

[edit] Frontal POW Company

The Frontal POW Company is responsible for taking prisoners of war from the combat units, transferring them to temporary camps (each camp is erected by the company in four days and can contain up to 500 POWs), then sorting and transferring them to permanent regional (command) POW camps within 72 hours.

Each company lists 3 platoons: a transfer platoon, an absorption platoon which sorts prisoners (this platoon also has medics, intelligence gatherers and translators for correct absorption and sorting), and a platoon responsible for the temporary POW camp.

[edit] Rear units

The rear unit of the Military Police Corps during wartime is called the Command Law Enforcement Unit. It is a brigade-level unit headed by a colonel. There is such a unit in the Northern, Central and Southern commands. In the Central Command, the unit is subordinate to the Regional Logistical Support Unit 5004. Each Command Law Enforcement Unit cosists of three battalions:

Law Enforcement Battalion: headed by a lieutenant colonel, this unit is responsible for all law enforcement duties on the inside of the country. It functions similarly to the regular law enforcement units.
Command POW Camp: headed by a lieutenant colonel. Each POW camp is permanent and can contain up to 3,500 prisoners. The Northern Command camp is located at Camp Elyakim, the Central Command camp is in Ofer Prison, and the Southern Command camp is in Ktzi'ot Prison.
Military Police Command Unit: one of the three regular, non-reservist law enforcement units (390, 391 and 392), headed by a major in an emergency. In the central command, this unit (391) is not subordinate to the Command Law Enforcement Unit.

[edit] National POW Camp

The National POW Camp is a unit which takes in all POWs from the Frontal POW Company who are either injured or are considered quality soldiers (officers, pilots, senior NCOs, etc.). The quality POWs are sent to the national camp in Prison Six. The 393rd Battalion is responsible for guarding them.

The injured POWs are sent to one of four hospitals: Kaplan Hospital (Rehovot), Asaf HaRofe Hospital (Rishon LeZion/Be'er Ya'akov), Tel HaShomer Hospital (Ramat Gan/Tel HaShomer) or Barzilai Hospital (Ashkelon).

[edit] Insignia

The military police pin, called Khamatson

The Israeli Military Police wears a blue beret, introduced in 1998,^[10] and its symbol is a flame. On the beret, the flame is surrounded with a banner-like curve, which says Heil HaMishtara HaTzva'it (military police corps). The military police pin image consists of blue bricks and the letters Mem and Tzadik (Mishtara Tzva'it, i.e. Military Police).

The shoulder insignia varies based on the soldier's position, although it is always on a blue and red background (See Shoulder insignia below).

Most military policemen also wear a blue and red aiguillette, which has two forms - vertical (for law enforcement, investigations, etc.) and horizontal lines (for the prison service sector). Some wear a green aiguillette (indicates a commander, also formerly used by the prison sector). The aiguillette is worn over the left shoulder, and attached to the left shirt pocket.

[edit] Uniform

Military police helmet, used before the modern peaked cap came into being

The ceremonial dress of the Military Police Corps is a regular uniform, with a white peaked cap, a brassard with the letters Mem and Tzadik on the left arm, and a white belt. This dress is also worn on duty, mostly by MPs preforming discipline patrols in public places (train and bus stations, entrances to large bases, etc.) In the past, a white helmet with the letters Mem and Tzadik was used in place of the peaked cap.

Jail instructors on duty wear only the brassard, as well as a black leather belt, along with a work uniform and optionally a prison sector cap, with sergeants wearing a similar blue brassard. The security examination (checkpoints) sector wears a sector cap, as well as a black brassard with "MP" written in Hebrew, English and Arabic.

[edit] Flag and emblem

Flag of the Military Police Corps.

The military police flag is a standard 3:4 banner, divided into blue and red halves with a diagonal line.^[11]

The military police emblem, designed in 1949, consists of a shield and five flame tongues which, according to the creators, represent the five unbreakable truths of the military police:

Purity of the arm
Purity of arms
Purity of heart
Purity of action
Purity of the eye

Interestingly, the military police pin, or hamatzon, has only four flame tongues. A sixth flame tongue is sometimes added to specific unit insignia, symbolizing the purity of scale.

[edit] Training

Recruits in the military police, as all IDF recruits, wear shoulder tags to indicate their platoon. Until 2006, The male Pashatz company wore single-colored bands (orange, red, yellow, green, black or blue), while the females (Plugat Shotrot) wore dual-colored bands (e.g. red and white, blue and green). The male company's symbol was a dragon, while that of the female company was a lioness' head. As of February 2006, the Pashatz wears single-colored bands (both sexes), while Palmas (a checkpoint company) wears special yellow or green bands.

During professional training (course), soldiers wear dual-colored or decorated bands, depending on the course.

[edit] Shoulder insignia

Most units or major bases in the military police have their own shoulder insignia:

Bahad 13 - a book with a sword and flame. This is worn by the personnel at the Bahad 13 base as well as all soldiers who take a professional course at Bahad 13.
Me'avhenim Bithoni'im (Ta'oz Battalion) - an eye with two hands and a flame. This is worn by all personnel in the Ta'oz Battalion, a unit which checks Palestinians at Israeli checkpoints not encompassing Jerusalem.
Me'avhenim Bithoni'im (Erez Battalion) - an eye with two hands and a flame, as well as an ornament at the top, which represents the mountains of Jerusalem and the walls of the old city. This is worn by all personnel in the Erez Battalion, a unit which checks Palestinians at checkpoints encompassing Jerusalem.
Prison service (Kli'a) - the hamatzon's brick background with a book and a flame. Worn by all personnel in military jails.
Criminal Investigations Division (Metzah) - an eye with weighing scales, a magnifying glass and a key. Worn by all policemen in the investigations department.
Headquarters (Mekamtzar) - a regular flame on a red and blue background. Worn by all personnel working in the Mekamtzar (military police command headquarters). Also worn by Yamlat soldiers.
Northern command - the symbol of the northern command (a deer) on a red and blue background. Worn by military policemen (law enforcers) in the northern command.
Central command - the symbol of the central command (a lion) on a red and blue background. Worn by military policemen (law enforcers) in the central command.
Southern command - the symbol of the southern command (a fox) on a red and blue background. Worn by military policemen (law enforcers) in the southern command.

Headquarters, Yamlat, Military Police General Staff	Northern Command (390)	Central Command (391)	Southern Command (392)
Criminal Investigations Division	Security examination sector (Erez Battalion)	Security examination sector (Ta'oz Battalion)	Prisons Four and Six

[edit] Vehicles

Ford E350 "Econoline"

Harley Davidson

[edit] Patrol cars

[edit] Motorcycles

Harley Davidson with Evolution engine (883)

[edit] General purpose vans

Ford Transit
Ford E350 "Econoline"

[edit] Prisoner transfer

International DT 466
International RE Series bus

[edit] Units and bases

[edit] Regional units

The following units are part of the corps, but are only professionally subordinate to the Chief Military Police Officers's headquarters. Instead, they are under the jurisdiction of the regional Alufim (chiefs of the northern, central and southern commands). The units are headed by officers ranked lieutenant colonel, and deal mainly with law enforcement and the arrest of AWOLs, but also employ small detention centers for Israeli and (in the case of the central command) also Palestinian prisoners. Each unit is divided into several bases: its headquarters, and territorial MP stations spread out across the country.

The military police base at the General Staff (Matkal) base (Camp Rabin/HaKirya) in Tel Aviv is also only professionally subordinate to the corps's headquarters, and directly serves the commander of Camp Rabin, ranked colonel.

[edit] Northern command

Northern Command (390) headquarters
Military Police Golan Heights (Camp Filon), Golan Heights
Military Police HaAmakim (Camp Shimshon)
Military Police Haifa (Camp Jalame), Haifa

[edit] Central command

Central Command (391) headquarters (Camp Anatot), near Jerusalem
Military Police Dan (Camp Yaakov Dori), Tel HaShomer
Military Police HaSharon (Camp Mota Gur), near Kfar Yona
Military Police Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria (Camp Anatot), near Jerusalem
Military Police Yoav (Camp Bar Lev), near Kiryat Mal'akhi

[edit] Southern command

Southern Command (392) headquarters (Camp Nathan), Beersheba
Military Police Beersheba (Camp Nathan), Beersheba
Military Police Eilat (Camp Yotam), near Eilat
Military Police Urim (Home Front Command South Headquarters), near Ofaqim

[edit] Units subordinate to the corps commander

Structure of the Military Police Headquarters

The following units are headed by lieutenant colonels (except the Yamlat, which is under a major), who are in turn directly subordinate to the Chief Military Police Officer.

Prison Four - Confinement Base 394 (Camp Yadin), Tzrifin (prison sector)
Prison Six - Confinement Base 396, Atlit (prison sector)
Erez Battalion (security examination sector)
Ta'oz Battalion (security examination sector)
Bahad 13 (Camp Mota Gur), Kfar Yona (training base)
Yamlat 8225 (Camp Yadin), Tzrifin (law enforcement sector)

[edit] Erez Battalion

Headquarters (Camp Anatot), near Jerusalem
Bitunya Checkpoint
Hizma Checkpoint
Hol Checkpoint
Minharot Checkpoint
Qalandia Checkpoint
Sawahra Checkpoint
Az-Za'ayyem Checkpoint
Zeitim Checkpoint

[edit] Ta'oz Battalion

Azon Checkpoint
Bayt Iba Checkpoint
Beit Porik Checkpoint
Elyahu Checkpoint
Eyal Checkpoint
Gilbo'a Checkpoint
Huwwara Checkpoint
Maccabim Checkpoint

Rantis Checkpoint
Reihan Checkpoint
Sha'ar Efraim Checkpoint
Shomron Checkpoint
Tapuah Checkpoint
Tarqumiya Checkpoint
Te'enim Checkpoint

[edit] Corps headquarters

The Chief Military Police Officer's headquarters (Hebrew: מפקדת קצין משטרה צבאית ראשי‎ Mifkedet Ktzin Mishtara Tzva'it Rashi, abbr. Mekamtzar, a.k.a. Unit 171) is located in Camp Ya'akov Dori (Tel HaShomer). Aside from the aforementioned units directly subordinate to it, there are a number of units within the headquarters, which mainly oversee the professional side of the corps.

There are 2 main brigade-level military police units in the headquarters (the Operations Division and the Criminal Investigations Division (CID)) and a number of staff units common to most corps. The Criminal Investigations Division is both a professional and operation unit, while the Operations Division is a professional guiding unit. The internal investigations unit, headed by a lieutenant, is also directly subordinate to the Chief MIlitary Police Officer.

[edit] Staff units

Following are the staff units present in most IDF corps which are also present in the military police corps' headquarters (the commander's rank is in parentheses):

Human resources branch (lieutenant colonel)
Computers sector (major)
Communications sector (major)
Logistics sector (major)
Hasbara department (captain)

[edit] Operations Division

The Operations Division is headed by a colonel and comprises 3 main branches, which are further divided into specialized departments (the commander's rank is in parentheses):

Law enforcement and operations branch (lietenant colonel)
- Law enforcement and traffic department (major)
- Security examination department
- Crime department
- Deserters department (lieutenant)
- Military police operations room
Prison service branch (lieutenant colonel)
- Confinement bases department (major)
- Detainees department
- Prison sector headquarters/operations room
Doctrine, training and computers sector (major)

[edit] CID (Metzah)

The Criminal Investigations Division is a single unit (Unit 6015), both professional and operational, subordinate to the Chief Military Police Officer. Under the CID however, there are regional sub-units, similar to the regional units of the law enforcement sector, which are further divided into territorial stations, often within close proximity to the corresponding law enforcement bases.

[edit] Northern Command

Metzah Biranit (91st Division), Biranit
Metzah Haifa (Camp Jalame), Haifa
Metzah North Headquarters, Haifa
Metzah Ramat HaGolan (Camp Filon), Golan Heights

[edit] Central Command

Metzah Center Headquarters (Camp Yadin), Tzrifin
- Central Unit (Hebrew: ימ"ר מרכז‎, Yamar Merkaz)
- Central Traffic Accidents Unit
Metzah Dan (Camp Yadin), Tzrifin
Metzah Jerusalem (Camp Anatot), Jerusalem
Metzah Sharon VeShomron (Camp Mota Gur), Kfar Yona
Metzah Yoav (Camp Bar-Lev), near Qiryat Mal'akhi

[edit] Southern Command

Metzah Arava (Ovda Airforce Base), Arava
Metzah Be'er Sheva (Camp Nathan), Be'er Sheva
Metzah South Headquarters (Camp Nathan), Be'er Sheva
Metzah Urim, near Ofaqim

[edit] Central Unit for Special Investigations

Yamlam, Green House (Jaffa)