MILITARY POLICE AND PHYSICAL SECURITY
INTRODUCTION: Military police played a significant and effective role in the disaster assistance operations. Both Active Component and National Guard military police deployed and conducted mission support in accordance with established doctrine and law. National Guard military police were not federalized, and, therefore, were not subject to Posse Comitatus proscriptions. They performed security and law enforcement missions in support of the operations. There were also missions for Active Component military police short of Posse Comitatus proscriptions.
TOPIC: Military Police (MP) Missions.
DISCUSSION: Disaster assistance operations clearly validated the requirement for the early deployment of MP. MP should be included on disaster assessment teams. They can assist in advising and developing disaster assistance plans and in searching, rescuing, and evacuating disaster victims. They also provide traffic control and physical and area security for disaster devastated areas. Standardized battle-focused training, combined with a focus on deployability and operational readiness, resulted in successful interoperability among MP units. Interagency coordination also went well, demonstrating the importance of MP liaison officers (LOs) with civil authorities. Physical security missions were successful. The conscious efforts by provost marshals and command emphasis at all levels on physical security measures reduced incidents of theft and loss of government equipment. Civilian volunteer agencies, not familiar with security measures, received advice and assistance from MP.
There are important missions for Active Component MP in domestic operations short of Posse Comitatus proscriptions. As Active Component (AC) MP perform missions, Posse Comitatus must be considered. Military necessity is a driving force behind MP support. As an example, AC MP can direct traffic along MSRs to facilitate the movement of military personnel and supplies but cannot enforce civilian traffic laws. Therefore, AC MP traffic control on roads that are not supply routes do not pass the "military necessity" test. Requests from civilian law enforcement officials to control traffic on routes that are not a military necessity should be handled by ARNG MP.
LESSON(S):
TOPIC: Communications.
DISCUSSION: ARNG units deployed with standard Table of Organization and Equipment (TOE) FM communications equipment. It was not compatible with the local civilian law enforcement radio systems. Motorola Inc. donated FM hand-held experimental radios to the ARNG which helped to alleviate the problem. Local police officials provided some radios for ARNG on curfew checkpoints so that direct radio contact between the ARNG and civilian police was possible.
LESSON(S): ARNG units designated to perform security and law enforcement missions with civilian police should bring or have the ability to lease commercial radio systems that are compatible with local law enforcement agencies. The radios should also be programmable to the frequencies of the law enforcement infrastructure within the damaged area(s).
TOPIC: Joint MP Operations - Kauai.
DISCUSSION: Security and law enforcement on Kauai was performed by Hawaii Army National Guard Infantry, MP, and Air National Guard Security Police (SP) units. Security and law enforcement were conducted in coordination with the local civilian police in five different areas. Both static and mobile patrols were conducted around the clock. Missions were based on requirements originating in the county Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and passed to the JTF EOC. The EOC assigned missions to the security elements on the ground.
Infantry units were restricted to static posts because they did not have enough vehicles to perform mobile patrols. This was not the most efficient method of providing security because static patrols are manpower- intensive. MP and SP were the only military forces with the authority to detain and apprehend civilians. Air Force SPs were assigned the primary mission of airport security at Lihue. MPs were employed in the area where looting or theft was probable, and infantry personnel were employed throughout the island in a variety of security missions. The focus of the security and law enforcement effort was simply to display a police "presence." MPs were organized as an armed reaction force to be employed for crisis situations. Only MPs and SPs performed traffic control. Infantry personnel were not trained in this area. Crowd control was nonexistent until the MPs and SPs arrived on the island. Once they arrived, they immediately took control (jointly) of the situation and facilitated the smooth evacuation of tourists.
LESSON(S): Conduct frequent joint exercises to enhance the readiness of MP personnel.
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