Royal Air Force Police

The Royal Air Force Police (RAFP) is the service police branch of the Royal Air Force, headed by the provost marshal of the Royal Air Force. Its headquarters are at RAF Honington, and it deploys throughout the world to support RAF and UK defence missions.

The RAF Police was formed on 1 April 1918, when the RAF was formed by the merger of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service. By the end of World War II there were 500 officers and 20,000 NCOs in the RAF Police. In January 1947, the RAF Provost Branch became a Specialist Branch within the RAF. In December 1950, George VI approved the badge and motto Fiat Justitia. By 2009, the RAF Police had served in 66 countries around the globe.

RAF Police non-commissioned officers and warrant officers are noticeable by their white-topped caps (giving rise to their nickname of "Snowdrops"), which they have worn since 1945, and by black and red flashes worn below their rank slides. RAF Police commissioned officers wear the standard peaked cap of all RAF officers, with the red and black flashes. In dress uniform, all RAF Police wear a red and black brassard on the left arm, reflecting the flashes worn with normal working dress. In tactical dress, RAF Police personnel wear red "MP" badges, the internationally recognised symbol for military police.

"I do solemnly and sincerely declare and affirm that as a member of the Royal Air Force Police I will well and truly serve His Majesty the King, acting with fairness, integrity, diligence and impartiality, upholding fundamental human rights and according equal respect to all people; and that I will, to the best of my power, maintain service law and investigate independently and impartially all service offences against people and property; and that while I continue to be a member of the Royal Air Force Police I will, to the best of my skill and knowledge, discharge all the duties of that appointment faithfully according to law."

The RAF Police are responsible for the policing and security of all service personnel, much like their Royal Navy and British Army counterparts.

Provision of policing, counter-intelligence and specialist security support to the RAF includes:

In addition to policing, the RAF Police has security investigators tasked with the investigation of non-criminal conduct offences involving security threats.

The Special Investigation Branch has been disbanded and replaced with the tri-service Defence Serious Crime Unit.