The formation, called the "Military Police", is in almost all countries. And everywhere it performs approximately the same functions - it monitors the observance of laws by the active military personnel. The list of powers, form and other phenomena that determine the status of the military police differ depending on the country of location.

Despite objective differences, the main purpose of this structure in all countries is to maintain law and order, etc.

What is military police

In Russia, the military police did not exist until 2010. It was then that the decision was made to create it on the basis of a network of commandant's offices, however, it was implemented a little later in 2014.

At the moment, the legal basis for the activities of the police of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is the Federal Law "On Defense" and the Charter, acting instead of the Regulations "On the Military Police". This document regulates in detail and completely the activities of the service.

Separate regulations are being developed for territorial and regional bodies, as well as for the commandant's offices in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

The training of specialists is carried out in the combined-arms command schools. In particular, the first recruitment of cadets took place in Moscow in 2017. It is also possible to train personnel in the framework of retraining and retraining. Not all officers are accepted, but only those who graduated from command, combined arms and engineering schools.

Structure

Few articles are devoted to the structure of this organization, from which not too much information follows, in particular, paragraphs 14-18 of the Charter.

This formation is subordinate to the Ministry of Defense. The head of this particular department is competent in matters of the composition, structure and size of the staff.

According to general information, the structure is as follows:

• central office;
• regional offices;
• territorial offices;
• disciplinary units;
• guardhouse.

Territorial offices are located near major locations of the Armed Forces. Their number depends on the total number of military personnel in a particular territory. If necessary, separate formations can be created within large divisions.

The commandants of garrisons in 2 cities of federal significance (Moscow and St. Petersburg) have a special position; they are also city commandants.

Main tasks

The tasks of the department are quite extensive. They involve a lot of work, both direct and paper-based. Among the main functions of the military police are the following:

• Ensuring and maintaining order, discipline and legality, prevention of offenses. This task is realized through the deployment of a military police patrol. As a rule, patrolling is carried out in the most crowded places: train stations, airports, squares, parks. The patrol has broad powers: to check the correct wearing of uniforms, to detain and deliver to the commandant's office, to issue directions for studying the regulations, and to use physical force.
• Conducting an inquiry. The procedure is possible for a limited number of persons: men and women serving, and civilian personnel.
• Implementation of administrative investigations. Perhaps, when the misconduct was revealed by the forces of the commandant's office or the VAI, it was committed by a person brought to the commandant's office, or if a corresponding statement was received.
• Providing assistance, searching for "evaders" and persons from among the civilian personnel suspected of committing a crime. It implies the examination of places and premises where the wanted persons may be, obtaining certificates and characteristics, interrogation, pursuit, cordoning, and more.
• Execution of punishments: keeping in the guardhouse and in the dispatch battalion. Security in the guardhouse is carried out by the forces of the guard, an officer is appointed as its commander. In disciplinary battalions, the personnel are divided into permanent and variable. Variable - punished persons serving their term, permanent - serving there and ensuring the maintenance of order. The indicated persons are kept separately from each other.
• Security and convoy of military personnel. It is necessary for the delivery of a soldier to the guardhouse, to the dispatches, to the court. The convoy ensures the safety of the escorted person himself, and prevents attempts to escape. The number of escorts is calculated on the basis of a 2/1 ratio: two guards for one escorted. A reinforced convoy implies a larger number of employees involved.
• Protection of objects determined on the personal instruction of the Minister. The premises of the investigating authorities are also among the protected places. The organization of this task is carried out on the basis of the general Charters.
• Protection of victims, witnesses and other participants in the process is carried out in the presence of real threats to the life, health or property of investigators, prosecutors or witnesses.
• Control over observance of traffic rules is carried out by the forces of the VAI. This unit was specially created to ensure the safety of traffic of vehicles registered in the units. VAI has broad powers related to the registration of vehicles, traffic restrictions during exercises, and vehicle clearance.
• Garrison service.

The military police are best known among the military for such tasks as patrolling, which makes it possible to check documents and comply with dress requirements. In some cases, its employees have the right to detain citizens who are intoxicated.

Authority of the structure

The tasks of the police are very diverse, and require an extensive network, otherwise the effective performance of the functions assigned to it is reduced to a minimum. Allocated about 10 directions of work of the department. These functions are performed by different structures, which are vested with powers sufficient for the effective execution of the assigned task.

Police powers are subdivided according to whom they apply to. Thus, the powers applicable to:

• military personnel;
• conscripts serving in the FSB;
• other persons and general.

The number of powers in relation to military personnel includes the requirement to stop the commission of a misdemeanor or crime. The action may violate the Charter, the Criminal Code, other laws, and have signs of an administrative offense.

Verification of documents is possible upon detection of a crime or if there are grounds for detention. In this regard, another function is envisaged, such as the arrest and delivery of suspects to the commandant's office, the conduct of personal and clothing searches.

A referral for an examination is possible when there are grounds for suspicion of a prohibited act, or the results of this study are necessary to establish an objective picture of what happened.

An internal investigation into the circumstances of actions that violate the law is carried out by an interrogator in the police of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

Similar powers are granted to members of the military police in relation to conscripts serving in the FSB.

Powers in relation to third parties

Third parties are understood as citizens who are not listed above, but who have come to the attention of law enforcement officers as a result of their illegal actions that infringe on the rights and interests of civilian personnel of units and military personnel.

Police officers have the right to demand the termination of the commission of an unlawful act if events occur on the territory of a unit, or in relation to personnel, civilian or military, as well as state property. These persons who committed the misdemeanor may be detained pending their transfer to civil law enforcement agencies.

Military police officers guard some important facilities designated by the head of the security department. In this regard, they are given the right to detain those who tried to illegally enter the protected area. The term of detention is limited to 3 hours, after their expiration, the detained citizens should be transferred to other structures or released.

The police have the right to check the identity documents, but only if the person is suspected of committing an illegal act and is at the disposal of the unit.

Separately, the obligation to ensure the safety of traces of a crime, evidence, and other evidence relevant to the investigation is indicated.

Have you served in the military police or commandant's office? Share your impressions in the comments below the article.

Officials specially appointed by the military police department carry out the duties of a patrol: they ensure law and order, military discipline, counteract crime, carry out personal protection or protection of the home, as well as property, office premises or investigative bodies, and the like.

DPS VAI

Two or more inspectors of the road-checkpoint service of the military traffic police perform the duties of a patrol in the prescribed manner. They must ensure the safety of road traffic at the control post of the traffic police of the VAI or on a certain patrol route so that aircraft vehicles move along common roads and areas without incidents. The duties of the patrol DPS VAI include or escort aircraft transport.

Patrolling also includes the constant survey of designated (defined) sections of the route or routes of movement through systematic observation from patrol vehicles or on foot. First of all, control over the observance of traffic rules by drivers of vehicles belonging to the Armed Forces is carried out, as well as the implementation of regulations that regulate the use of aircraft transport. All this is part of the duties of the SAI traffic police patrol.

Garrison patrol

In order to maintain order and control over the observance of discipline by military personnel in public places, at train stations, ports, railway stations, airports, in settlements adjacent to the garrison, patrols are organized by order of the head of the garrison. At the military commandant's office there is a reserve patrol - with a vehicle, and the duties of the garrison patrol are carried out by appointed military personnel from the garrison units. They can be on foot, in cars or motorcycles.

The patrol consists of two or three patrolmen and the chief - an officer, warrant officer or midshipman, sergeant or foreman. Areas of a port, airport or railway station are patrolled by a group under the command of an officer (usually). Patrolmen are assigned from a number of smart, physically developed, demanding and disciplined soldiers from the same unit (also, as a rule). The duties of the patrol commander include maintaining order, correct service, and discipline by the troops entrusted to him throughout the patrol route.

Patrol chief

Also, the duties of the patrol chief include arriving exactly at the appointed time for instructions and to study the necessary documents to the military commandant. Understand the task and competently manage the patrol service. Monitor the implementation of discipline and compliance with all rules by military personnel, including those on wearing military uniforms.

Remind of the order both to those of equal rank and to junior servicemen who violate military discipline, to check documents if necessary, to detain them and send them to the military commander's office if required. Check the availability of telephones on this route for communication with the guard duty officers in the military commandant's office, with police posts. At the appointed time, report to the military commandant or the guard on duty on the progress of the patrol.

Military Police Patrol Service

The duties of a military patrol include a whole range of measures to ensure military discipline and law and order, to combat crime not only among military personnel, but also among civilian personnel. The military police can exercise their functions with the help of the following powers.

It is the duty of the military police patrol to demand discipline from the military. And also the patrol must demand the cessation of interfering with the activity of the patrol or other illegal actions. It is necessary to take measures that are provided for by federal laws, legal norms of the Russian Federation, which is what the military patrol is authorized to do. Duties The Charter prescribes specifically, including offenses, crimes and disciplinary offenses committed by military personnel.

Other responsibilities

The patrol is obliged to demand from civilians, personnel and outsiders on the territory of the military unit, the cessation of interfering with the activities of the military police or other illegal actions. The duties of the chief of the military police patrol include the suppression of crimes that are committed on the territory of the military unit by military personnel or civilians, and it is he who takes the measures that are provided for by the Charter of the Military Police of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, federal laws or other legal acts.

Persons of civilian personnel who have committed a crime against military personnel of any troops, formations or bodies, as well as property of the Armed Forces, should be detained by a military police patrol and transferred to the appropriate law enforcement agencies. The duties of the chief of the police patrol also include checking the identity documents of both military personnel and civilian personnel, if there are grounds for doing so.

Detention

The patrol detains and delivers to the military police persons of civilian personnel or military personnel in cases of their committing a crime, gross violation of discipline, an administrative offense in order to prevent the possibility of these persons committing new crimes. If there is resistance or disobedience to the demands of the military police patrol, detention is necessary. The same happens in the absence of documents confirming the legality of the presence of a conscript outside the unit.

If a conscript serviceman arrives on the territory of a unit from another garrison, then even if there is a letter of leave, he is still subject to detention pending clarification of the circumstances. In addition, there are and are provided for by the Charter of the Military Police in many other cases when there are grounds for detention, and it should take place.

Personal inspection

A personal search is carried out, as well as an examination of things that are with a soldier in order to find documents, tools or items used to commit a crime, items on which traces of an offense could remain.

Inspection is also mandatory if there is evidence that a soldier has psychotropic substances, narcotic drugs, explosive devices, explosives, cartridges for weapons, other ammunition, as well as the weapon itself, if there are no legal grounds for storing or carrying it.

According to the Charter

The patrol must ensure the safety of all found documents, funds and substances, objects, weapons, and also ensure the protection of the crime scene. In addition, the military police patrol ensures the preservation of traces and other evidence of a crime committed on the territory of a military unit by military personnel or civilian personnel.

Send or deliver servicemen for a medical examination to determine drugs or alcohol in the body, if the result of such examination is necessary and associated with the commission of an administrative offense, crime or disciplinary offense. This is necessary in order to objectively establish all the circumstances of the offense. Aircraft drivers can also undergo a survey at the request of the military police patrol.

Fire patrol

The military units have both full-time and non-staff fire brigades. From their composition, a special squad is assigned daily, subordinate to the head of the fire protection service and the person on duty in the unit. Such an outfit (fire patrol) includes at least two people. The time of service, the location of fire posts and their placement, as well as the appointment procedure, is determined by the head of the corresponding fire service, and its development is approved by the unit commander.

The patrols include: control on the territory of the military unit of the implementation of fire safety rules, checking all fire protection equipment and devices, calling the fire department if a fire is detected. In addition to patrols, in certain situations on the territories of military units, there are fire posts, whose duties include monitoring the fire regime for special cases, such as: when carrying out activities or work at hazardous facilities in terms of fire; during a thunderstorm; when unloading or loading fire and explosive materials, during events in the clubs of military camps.

Fire post

Fire posts can be temporary and permanent, it depends on the importance, as well as on the fire hazard of the objects of protection and the time allotted for service. The fire post unites everything assigned to the assigned personnel of the unit for protection and the provision of fire protection in this military unit. However, a fire post can be a specific place or area where a fire patrol performs its duties. Fire posts are set up to prevent fires, to monitor the serviceability of extinguishing agents and their readiness for action in the event of a fire source.

They also monitor the fire fighting equipment, the availability and serviceability of all tools. The fire patrol is also responsible for the sources of fire water supply - reservoirs, hydrants, approaches and entrances to them. The fire patrol calls the fire brigade in a timely manner and participates in the elimination of fires or fires using the available fire protection equipment - sand, water, fire extinguishers, and the like. Storages, structures, workshops, workshops, barracks, work stations with property and military equipment are guarded by fire brigades.

Duties of a military patrol officer

The patrol officer must be vigilant, observant, and immediately report any violations of discipline to the officer or the person appointed by the patrol chief. The orders of the latter must be carried out quickly and accurately by the patrolmen. You cannot go anywhere without the permission of your boss. Also, nothing can be done without his permission.

From persons delivered to or delivered to the military commander's office, do not accept or transfer anything to them, only with the permission of the head of the military patrol. Their requests should be reported immediately. The military patrol in the performance of its duties is an example of military discipline.

08.08.2015 13:10

When you visit various events held in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, you constantly come across representatives of the military police. I suppose the readers of my blog will be interested even often outwardly to see how the military police differ from the cops of their colleagues in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.

The military police are designed to combat crime, to ensure in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation legality, law and order, military discipline, road traffic safety, to ensure the protection of especially important and special-mode military facilities, garrison facilities and military towns, as well as, within their competence, to protect other protected by law legal relations in the field of defense.

Servicemen of the military police have the right to use physical force, including fighting techniques, special means, firearms, military and special equipment in cases and in the manner provided for by federal constitutional laws, federal laws, general military regulations and the charter of the military police.

Organizationally, the military police units in the field are locked into the Main Directorate of the Military Police of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

2. Head of the Main Directorate of the Military Police of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Major General Igor Sidorkevich.

4. VAI - an integral part of the military police.

8. For the transportation of personnel of the VAI.

9. VAI escort cars.

Recently, a guest of my author's program "General Staff" on the Russian news service was the deputy head of the Main Directorate of the Military Police of the Ministry of Defense of Russia, Colonel of Justice Vladimir Kovalev. It turned out to be a very informative interview.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Let's talk today about a relatively new structure in the RF Armed Forces, about the military police. We remember many conversations that accompanied the birth and emergence of military police bodies, today the discussion has already ended, this new body in the structure of the Armed Forces has been created and has begun to fulfill its functional duties.

And yet, citizens have formed an understanding of the functionality and the need for the police, as an instrument of the state that ensures their rights and security. What is the essence of the military police, whose interests it is supposed to protect, and how can the emergence of the military police be explained today? Until recently and throughout the Soviet period, there were no such bodies in the Armed Forces.

V. KOVALYOV: This is a new phenomenon for the Armed Forces, for the Russian army. I want to say that in the short time of its existence, the military police have confirmed the correctness of the decision to create it.

Despite its existence for two years, it has established itself during the period of the exercises, in working with the troops at the training grounds, in ensuring the events that are held: tank biathlon, aviadarts and others, measures to maintain law and order on the territory of the garrisons, during the parades, processions.

The recently held Vostok-2014 exercise, which received fairly good coverage in the media, was also shown the action of the military police. For the first time during the exercise, the military police carried out tasks to combat sabotage and reconnaissance groups of a simulated enemy, together with drug control units carried out special measures to prevent the penetration of a group of drug couriers into the disposition of troops, and also during a mobilization call from military commissariats, the conscription contingent was checked for the use of drugs ...

I. KOROTCHENKO: What is the size of the military police?

V. KOVALYOV: Currently, there are about 6.5 thousand people. These are conscripts, so we are talking about the military police as a professional body that builds its foundation on the assumption that people work for us on a permanent basis, conscious, already trained specialists.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Are there no conscripts?

V. KOVALYOV: No.

I. KOROTCHENKO: What does the structure look like? There is the Main Police Department of the Ministry of Defense, and then how is the vertical structure built?

V. KOVALYOV: For the Ministry of Defense, this is a typical structure, it consists of three levels. In the central office, as you rightly said, the Main Directorate of the Military Police of the Ministry of Defense.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Can you give the name and military rank of the leader?

V. KOVALYOV: Yes, Major General Igor Mikhailovich Sidorkevich is in charge. The main department consists of the main structural divisions - the law enforcement department, the military traffic police, and there are independent departments that ensure the work - organizational-planning and information-analytical. At the regional level, at the level of military districts, we have independent regional military police departments, which are locked into the Main Directorate, that is, this is a trunk that is completely subordinate to the leadership carried out by the Minister of Defense. At the territorial level, these are the military police departments and the territorial military traffic police.

I. KOROTCHENKO: That is, the commanders of the garrisons, the commanders of the troops of the military districts do not have the right to interfere in the activities of the military police, because these are directly part of the central subordination? I understand correctly?

V. KOVALYOV: Yes, you are absolutely right.

I. KOROTCHENKO: You mentioned that in the course of the exercises, the tasks of the military police were being worked out in the fight against the sabotage and reconnaissance bodies of the enemy. Is it some kind of functionality during exercises, or is it a functionality that is provided, among other things, in a special period or in wartime, or is it already spelled out in one of the activities of the military police?

V. KOVALYOV: Good question.

I. KOROTCHENKO: I am drawing such an analogy - the SMERSH organs, that is, the fight against espionage directly by the structures of the Ministry of Defense, the military in their own ranks.

V. KOVALYOV: Of course, during the period of daily activities in peacetime, the troops practice what they will do in the war. Of course, the military police are not the body that was created for peacetime. Together with the troops, he will also carry out certain tasks aimed at ensuring the actions of the troops in order to free the troops from unusual functions as much as possible, to take over them, because the troops must fight. To draw a parallel with SMERSH, I think, somewhere it is quite appropriate.

I. KOROTCHENKO: In wartime?

V. KOVALYOV: Yes.

I. KOROTCHENKO: What kind of weapons do the military police have?

V. KOVALYOV: Small arms: machine guns, pistols. In connection with the adoption of the charter on the military police, which we will dwell on later, the powers for the use of weapons, both lethal and non-lethal, are spelled out there, including rubber sticks, handcuffs, special means in order to prevent criminal acts as much as possible. inflict less harm on a criminal and save human life.

I. KOROTCHENKO: The task of the military police is to ensure law and order, discipline among servicemen, or can you in some cases perform more advanced functionality?

V. KOVALYOV: In the Russian Federation, there is an integral system of law enforcement agencies, and in the formation of the military police, we had to find a certain niche that we would occupy without invading the competence of other bodies. And this niche is, of course, the military. We only act against members of the Armed Forces and against civilian personnel on two occasions.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Civilian personnel of the Ministry of Defense?

V. KOVALYOV: Yes. in two cases: this is when they committed an offense in the line of duty, or on the territory of a military unit. In general, the purpose of the military police is spelled out in the federal law on military police, which the president signed last year, this is 7FZ of February 3, 2014, and the charter of the military police, which was approved by the president by decree on March 25, 2015. The mission of the military police is to protect the life, health, interests, rights and freedoms of military personnel, civilian personnel, to ensure the protection of facilities of the armed forces and also other functions to maintain law and order in the Armed Forces.

I. KOROTCHENKO: You mentioned small arms. Is the technology provided in the states?

V. KOVALYOV: At the present time, vehicles are envisaged to carry out the tasks of traffic police to escort convoys and ensure road safety in garrisons, and vehicles in the military police departments are Caravelle and Ural vehicles for transporting personnel.

I. KOROTCHENKO: And what about armored vehicles?

V. KOVALYOV: There are no armored vehicles yet, but in the future, of course, we are considering the issue of including such well-established armored vehicles as the Tiger into the states.

I. KOROTCHENKO: By distinctive features, can we understand by the appearance of a soldier that these are officers, sergeants, privates of the military police, and not ordinary military personnel?

V. KOVALYOV: In the context of the budget, the Ministry of Defense pays great attention to the economically feasible spending of funds. In this regard, the cost of the uniform was not planned. We are currently developing experimental designs for this form of clothing. Currently, to distinguish a military policeman, you can look at the armband, it says "VP" on a black background in white, there is a heraldic sign of our military police and a red beret, as well as a badge worn on the left side of the chest - a token.

I. KOROTCHENKO: You mentioned in your conversation that the military police charter was adopted and approved by the president. Tell us in a little more detail what kind of document it is, what it is for and what it provides.

V. KOVALYOV: For us, this is a very important document that regulates the main areas of activity of the military police, the rights and powers of military police officers in the performance of duties to suppress crimes and offenses committed by military personnel and civilian personnel. This is a fairly new document, it was developed and adopted in a short time, literally, within one year. The approval of this charter is provided for by the federal law of February 3 last year, it directly states that the main directions of activity and powers are provided for by the charter of the military police. It passed an agreement with all federal executive authorities, an anti-corruption and legal examination of the Ministry of Justice of Russia was carried out, an agreement was obtained in the state legal department, the government - we have passed all the necessary stages.

I would like to thank those people who took part in the development of this charter. In my opinion, in the opinion of the management of the main department, it turned out to be very, very good. It remains only to realize the powers and ideas that are laid down there.

I. KOROTCHENKO: When the tasks of the military police were discussed, there were many different ideas, proposals - what was left of them and what was not, I would like to know. In terms of investigations, crimes, incidents in military units, the possibility of conducting operational-search measures there - what is the functionality, what is left for you, what can you do in the units, and what do your subcontractors carry out?

V. KOVALYOV: The military police are a new player in the field of maintaining law and order, and when we occupied our niche, it was quite difficult. One of the powers that was originally proposed to be vested in the military police is the authority to conduct operational-search activities. Here we were unambiguously told, let's put off this for now, this is not a function of the military police. And the next area of ​​activity, which was considered inappropriate to transfer to the military police, is the investigation of war crimes of small and medium severity, because a harmonious system of investigative bodies has developed in the Armed Forces, which carries out this task quite professionally.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Who oversees the activities of your structures?

V. KOVALYOV: Supervision, as in the entire state, is carried out by the prosecutor's office, in this case, in the Armed Forces, this is the main military prosecutor's office. I want to say that in many respects, in cooperation with this structure, the charter of the military police was developed. The most acute areas that are necessary to strengthen the legal order in the Armed Forces were determined, and the emphasis was placed on this. The prosecutor's office has been supervising us, starting with how we did this charter, and for this we are grateful to them, colleagues provided good assistance.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Do you interact with the military counterintelligence agencies?

V. KOVALYOV: Yes.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Let me explain for listeners who are not aware that military counterintelligence agencies are part of the structure of the federal security service of Russia.

V. KOVALYOV: The military counterintelligence bodies carry out measures in the Armed Forces provided for by the law on the federal security service, and in fact, the information that is transmitted to the military police, which we transfer to the military counterintelligence bodies, it finds its application precisely in the fight against crime , with those illegal manifestations that, unfortunately, exist in the Armed Forces.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Is the search and detention of deserters your function? Especially those who left the military units with weapons in their hands?

V. KOVALYOV: Yes, of course. To this end, next week we will have an organizational meeting with the main military investigation department, we are creating an interdepartmental working group to search for servicemen who have left military units without permission and are on the federal wanted list. Yes, we are doing this.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Are military police bodies provided for in Russian military bases outside the Russian Federation?

V. KOVALYOV: The leadership of the military bases, including the recent example - this is the case in Armenia, says that it is necessary to create such units there, because this will be real help to maintain law and order. The tasks that are being solved on the territory of Russia, of course, in the near future the military police will also be solving outside its borders.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Are military police officers provided for on ships that carry out long-distance sea voyages?

V. KOVALYOV: In the future, yes.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Recruitment and vocational training - where do you recruit the contingent from? Separately for the officer corps and separately for contract soldiers, and are there plans to create a faculty, perhaps at one of the Russian military universities, where officers for the military police would be trained in a targeted manner?

V. KOVALYOV: The specialty of a military policeman is new for the Armed Forces, and, unfortunately, there is no targeted training in the universities of the Ministry of Defense. At the same time, a system of advanced training and retraining of officers has been organized, who graduated from combined arms, engineering, command schools - after retraining, they come to the military police.

Proposals have been prepared on the basis of two military educational institutions of the Ministry of Defense to train specialists for the military police - this is the Military Institute of Physical Culture in St. Petersburg, where it is planned to train platoon commanders, chiefs of guardhouses for the military police and interrogators for the military police.

I. KOROTCHENKO: As regards the functions of the bodies of inquiry, were the commanders of military units engaged in this before?

V. KOVALYOV: Yes. At the same time, last year's federal law of February 3 amended the Code of Criminal Procedure, and the chiefs of the military police also began to exercise the powers of the bodies of inquiry. In order to develop a regulatory framework, the Chief Military Prosecutor issued Order No. 150 approving the instructions of the inquiry bodies of the Armed Forces and other federal bodies where military service is envisaged. According to this instruction, it is stipulated that military police officers with a legal education will be interrogators. They will apply to all servicemen of the Armed Forces.

In order to exercise this power, the Minister of Defense issued order 50 of January 31, 2015, and from December 1, 2015, it is planned that this function will mainly be performed by the military police. This is important because professional legal officers will do this and the separation of platoon, battery and company commanders from conducting inquiries will be reduced. As a rule, it is they who are appointed as non-staff investigators, who must engage in training with subordinate personnel.

I. KOROTCHENKO: What are your requirements for contractors?

V. KOVALYOV: The first and second professional psychological category, the requirements for physical training are, in principle, the same as those imposed on servicemen entering military service under a contract. Taking into account that we are now empowered to use special equipment and weapons, we will hold special courses in which knowledge on the procedure for using these special equipment will be given.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Do you plan to have a training center or where are these or other issues of real application being worked out?

V. KOVALYOV: In the future, we plan to take one of the training centers in the Armed Forces. We are considering a dog training center in Dmitrov. The experience of the military police of foreign armies shows that dogs are widely used by the military police. Were in Slovakia, in other foreign countries - dogs are used very effectively. See how any intruders react to the dog? Of course this is very good. And on the basis of this center, military specialists will be trained both for the patrol service units and for the units.

I. KOROTCHENKO: What will the dogs do? Pursuit of violators, perimeter security?

V. KOVALYOV: Yes. This is, first of all, the use when carrying out patrol service in the territory of the garrisons. We have already conducted an experiment - it is in field camps in the field, when a soldier is at some distance and it is clear that he has committed a crime and leaves the scene of the crime, the use of dogs is very effective. And when guarding the perimeters, when guard duty is carried out using dogs.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Are there any plans to increase the staffing of the military police?

V. KOVALYOV: Of course, the tasks assigned by the charter require a certain increase in the number. Let's give some examples. Currently, patrols in the garrisons are carried out by both the military police and patrols that are allocated, equipped from military units - these are soldiers, officers. This statute stipulates that these functions are performed only by the military police.

In this regard, the patrols will not stand out from the military units. Also, in the charter of the garrison of commandant service, the section on military traffic inspection was excluded, when there were garrison military traffic inspections and equipment and personnel were allocated from the number of military units and they performed these functions. Now this will be dealt with by the military traffic police of the military police, and a number is needed in order to perform these functions.

Proposals for the number are being prepared, but we really realize that the tasks performed by the Armed Forces, the military police, the military police provide assistance to the Armed Forces, it was created for them as an auxiliary link to maintain law and order. And the numbers are needed. We talked about an inquiry - at present, in order to form this trunk, a certain number of officers are needed, and the General Staff is now working on these issues, going to a meeting, realizing that this is an important and necessary task.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Do we need the naval military police and what functions could it perform, taking into account the specifics of the Russian Navy?

V. KOVALYOV: The Commander-in-Chief of the Navy asked this question, asked that he needed specialized units to protect the sea areas where ships are based in order to ensure the safety of warships in the mooring areas and restrict the access of other ships to the locations of the Navy.

I. KOROTCHENKO: If these proposals are developed, will there appear specialized naval units and, obviously, boats, other equipment with which you can perform certain tasks?

V. KOVALYOV: Yes, but these are unpromising plans and decisions on all these issues are made by the Minister of Defense. If it accepts, it means it will be created, no, it means that we will resolve these issues in a different way.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Do we need military prisons, as the Americans have? And we still have disciplinary battalions? How many are there and to whom do they report?

V. KOVALYOV: Studying the experience of the United States, we know that there are military prisons where servicemen who have committed crimes are serving their sentences. In Russia, such an analogue is the disciplinary battalion. In Soviet times there were six of them, now there are two of them - this is a disbat in Mulino and in the village of Kashtak near Chita.

According to the law, one of the functions of the military police is the execution of punishments, moreover, the execution of punishments is the whole system of the Armed Forces, this is the execution of disciplinary punishments, such as disciplinary arrest and the execution of criminal punishments. But if we compare it as a whole, it is quite humane here: in the disciplinary battalions, a person who has served a sentence there does not have a criminal record. Upon serving the sentence, this term of punishment can be credited to him during the period of service, if he faithfully fulfilled his duties, or is not counted, and then he returns to the military unit for service.

Speaking about the guardhouses, recently very little attention has been paid to this important element of maintaining military discipline, and as a fact they have fallen into disrepair. But at the same time, in a short period of time, it was possible to restore 15 guardhouses, which are currently functioning in the Armed Forces, but the procedure for imposing this punishment has changed.

I. KOROTCHENKO: We have a soldier who shows malicious disobedience to commanders and superiors, and disciplinary measures, a reprimand, a severe reprimand do not work, an arrest is required - how does this mechanism work to actually place this violator in the guardhouse?

V. KOVALYOV: A protocol is drawn up on the violation of a gross violation by the commander of a platoon or company subunit, and after that he turns to the head of the military police department with this protocol. The chief accepts these documents, prepares an application to the court, and takes the necessary measures with this fighter, he undergoes a medical examination, collects his things.

I. KOROTCHENKO: All this is somehow humane, in contrast to the way our Ministry of Internal Affairs operates.

V. KOVALYOV: This is the order. Of course, it became much harder for the commanders. Previously, according to the charter, he appointed 10 days - and that's it.

I. KOROTCHENKO: And now how much can you appoint?

V. KOVALYOV: Up to 30 days.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Is this being decided in a military court?

V. KOVALYOV: Yes, the court session is underway. A lawyer is involved if necessary.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Even with a lawyer?

V. KOVALYOV: Yes.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Including for a soldier?

V. KOVALYOV: Yes.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Who provides a lawyer?

V. KOVALYOV: There is a lawyer on duty. And the question of the application of disciplinary arrest is being resolved. After that, he is placed in the guardhouse, where he is serving his sentence. An important novelty of the legislation states that the period of stay in the guardhouse is not counted during the period of military service. Therefore, if he served there and returns to the unit, the conscripts with whom he was drafted have already been dismissed, and he volunteers to serve for another month.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Is a guardhouse provided for as a disciplinary measure for officers?

V. KOVALYOV: I think that an officer of the Armed Forces is a category that does not belong there, he has a place in the army.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Do you think that the system of disciplinary battalions should be preserved? Maybe it needs to be modernized?

V. KOVALYOV: The idea of ​​the head of the Main Directorate was that if the military police as a whole are engaged in the execution of sentences, then the execution of criminal sentences should also be in the functionality of the military police. At the end of last year, a government decree was adopted, which amended the regulations, and the disciplinary battalions are subordinate to the military police. Now there is a period of inclusion of disciplinary battalions in the military police.

As the chairman of the commission, at the end of next week I am flying to Chita to receive another of the disciplinary battalions. Undoubtedly, this function is new, quite interesting and important, because as the work on re-educating a serviceman, on changing his worldview, will be organized, so, accordingly, the attitude towards these disbats will be - either they will work, or it will not be the best institution. I am confident that disciplinary battalions will be an effective measure to reeducate servicemen who have committed a crime.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Many people have a question, what are they doing there, in the disciplinary battalions?

V. KOVALYOV: The best measure of upbringing, in my opinion, is work. Any work makes a person think, and when he produces something useful, he begins to evaluate himself in a different way and look at life.

I. KOROTCHENKO: In Soviet times, they were engaged in drill training.

V. KOVALYOV: Yes. But there were also certain industries, in order to maintain these disbats, they repaired, laid bricks. We are now accepting debates, we will see if we will work out the educational system with disciplines and put them in line with modern requirements and achievements.

I. KOROTCHENKO: This is interesting, because many have forgotten what a disbat is. Most importantly, it will be an effective revitalizing tool for those who are unwilling to serve and do their duty as they should. I would also like to ask a few questions regarding such important points as paraphernalia. We all watch films and see how important it is to people in uniform, it does not matter if they are the police or the military. You mentioned the token - are there any plans in this regard?

And official IDs are also an important topic. To a certain extent, this also works to increase the authority of officers and military personnel of the military police. What plans do you have here?

V. KOVALYOV: In order to exercise certain powers of authority, a document is needed that would confirm the right to use them. Therefore, we are planning numbered badges so that the number will tell you who you are dealing with.

And by the number it will be easy to establish who it was from the military, if there are any misunderstandings when communicating with the military police patrol. We are planning to make a military police certificate, which will contain a photograph, the military position, rank and rights that the owner of this certificate possesses. This is not far off, we will do it in the near future. In addition, according to the charter, special markings are provided for military police vehicles - in the near future, when changes are made to the government regulations on light maps placed on vehicles, cars with the military police inscription will appear.

And the units of the military traffic police will also have an inscription. The military police will be visible and visible. The form of clothing that we talked about is red berets, armbands, besides this, there will also be a color defined on the technique that we use.

I. KOROTCHENKO: There are sometimes resonant incidents, they are rare, but none of the modern armies can do without them, when a soldier leaves the location of a unit with a weapon, deserts, God forbid, at the same time, he can commit any crimes with the weapon that he kidnaps from military units, as it happened in Armenia at our military base.

An important issue here is prompt response. Should there be an air group, aircraft equipment, so that a group of central office officers could urgently fly to the scene of the crime? Is it advisable to use drones to find deserters on the ground? Do you have any thoughts that such a technique should be included in the future?

V. KOVALYOV: It is urgently needed now, there is such a need. We carried out extremely operational training in Novorossiysk and at the training ground practiced an element of military police action using drones and ATVs. In conditions when the troops are at the range, they have proven themselves very well. And in the long term, when there are funds, we will return to ensuring that the military police have modern means: these are ATVs, possibly motorcycles, because this means of transportation cannot be abandoned.

You are right that the most important thing is the prompt response to the facts of crimes and offenses. Now, just in the scheme of work of the military police, it is being worked out that the interrogators and officers who will be introduced to the staff of the military police departments will work around the clock in the call mode. Have worked from 9 to 18 hours during working hours, and are on a phone call. There is a list of investigators on duty, both in the military unit and in the military police department of the person on duty.

A signal is received, the officer arrives at the scene of the offense, and secures the necessary evidence. This is very important for proving guilt and implementing the principle of the inevitability of punishment for committed crimes. And in terms of quick response - the creation of courses for rapid response groups of the military police, which could react with lightning speed to the emerging situation in terms of violation of law and order in military units, is now being worked out together with the Military Institute of Physical Culture.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Aren't you planning your own special forces?

V. KOVALYOV: We are planning, but after we have our own training center, there will be certain areas for training specialists. The military police need special forces.

I. KOROTCHENKO: In the years of my officer's youth, I remember, there was a respected organization - the Military Commandant's Office of the city of Moscow. Officers, cadets arriving at the capital's garrison, on vacation, came to check in, to be registered, there were patrols of the military commandant's office - the famous astrakhan hats in winter, headed by Lieutenant General Serykh then, if I am not mistaken, also a legendary personality. Is there a military commandant's office now? Who is in charge of it: a general or is it a colonel? Are there patrols today that monitor the observance of appearance by the military on the streets of Moscow?

V. KOVALYOV: We have a military commandant's office in Moscow, headed by Major General Seleznev. He has rich experience, he was a division commander, for several years he has headed the military commandant's office in the city of Moscow. All the activities that are carried out to maintain law and order, this is the patrolling of air terminals, and railway stations, bus stations - they are all carried out. We also conduct surprise checks on the whole of the Armed Forces. Military police bodies enter the territory of military units, check compliance with the elements of the daily routine.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Sudden inspections of military units carried out by the military police?

V. KOVALYOV: We have a plan for these checks, approved by the Minister of Defense. All activities are carried out by his decision and under his control. Once a quarter, the head of the main military police department reports to the selectors conducted by the Minister of Defense on the results of these surprise checks.

The minister pays great attention to combating drug trafficking. Last year, he signed a protocol on interaction with the director of the Federal Service for Combating Illicit Drug Trafficking, the Federal Drug Control Service, and on the basis of this protocol we are organizing joint work with the Federal Drug Control Service. Moreover, this work is very effective, given that the Federal Drug Control Service is the body that carries out operational-search activities, we give them the information that we have on those servicemen who use drugs. Fortunately, these are just a few, drug addiction. The Armed Forces are not affected. These are isolated cases that we are struggling with.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Do people come from civilian life?

V. KOVALYOV: There is a selection system when a good shield is put up through military commissariats, testing of servicemen is carried out, there is a certain system of work - this is the most important thing.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Are there any attempts by the drug business to penetrate the territory of the garrisons? After all, this is very dangerous, our servicemen are also allowed to control strategic nuclear forces, these are facilities of 12 GUMOs, other important life support facilities and combat activities of the Armed Forces.

V. KOVALYOV: According to the information that I have at the present time, there are no facts of drug use by those servicemen who are allowed to operate high-precision nuclear weapons. There are servicemen, these are, as a rule, those who perform auxiliary functions, are not engaged in real combat training. Unfortunately, there are cases, but if you do not fight them, you can make trouble.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Does disciplinary practice need to be improved?

V. KOVALYOV: Yes. The system, when the commander is assessed by the number of sticks, has probably already outlived its usefulness, you need to evaluate the commander by the real measures that he takes to maintain law and order, and this is enshrined in the law.

I. KOROTCHENKO: What does the military traffic police do in practical terms?

V. KOVALYOV: This is an integral part of the military police, which escorts convoys, conducts technical inspection of the condition of vehicles, and carries out administrative practice. It is no secret that there are many garrisons where there are no traffic police units, and the military traffic police exercise these powers there.

I. KOROTCHENKO: Thank you for such a direct, frank, detailed dialogue.

In the Russian Federation, as in other countries, there is a special military police. Its units are designed to protect conscripts and contract servicemen, as well as all civilians who are at military training. The military police is a component and subdivision of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and performs tasks and functions to protect any legal relationship in the defense sphere. Its tasks include the protection and control over the observance of law in military units, control over military discipline, as well as the protection of law and order at all facilities of the Armed Forces.

Military police units recruited with career officers with a higher legal education, as well as contract workers. There is still an opportunity to get into the ranks of the military police, even without having a compulsory or contract service in the army. However, this is quite difficult to do, since the military police are an elite unit of the RF Armed Forces. Therefore, a competition is usually announced to select candidates for military police service. You can learn about him from the messages on the website of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, in the military commissariats at the place of residence, as well as in the regional directorates of the military police of the Russian Federation itself.

Who can become a military police officer?

Recruitment of citizens into the ranks of the military police carried out exclusively in the positions of privates and sergeants. At the same time, the ranks received during the passage of compulsory and contractual service in ordinary military units are preserved. To become a military police officer, a citizen must necessarily meet a number of requirements, both general for contract service and specific for the military police:

• Be a citizen of the Russian Federation between the ages of 19 and 35;
• Be at least 175 centimeters tall;
• Do not have citizenship of foreign states;
• not have medical restrictions and contraindications for military service;
• not to be tried in the past and not to act as an accused or suspect in criminal matters in the present;
• not to be a close relative of active members of the military police, if in the future it is possible for him to be directly subordinate to these persons;
• have completed secondary education;
• pass all the necessary standards for physical fitness with a minimum mark - "good";
• pass tests for professional aptitude with the result - 1 or 2 category.

In addition, it is desirable for a candidate to join the military police to have an adult rank in any sport .

If the candidate meets all the criteria and has passed the necessary tests, then a final interview with the commandant of the military police awaits him. After passing which the new employee will be offered the title and position. They will, first of all, depend on how well he is physically prepared, educated, as well as on whether such an employee has a military rank and any achievements.

As mentioned above, the lack of military service is not an obstacle to entering the military police. However, her absence will make it more difficult to pass the selection. Legal education will become a clear trump card for passing the competition, and all other things being equal and physical data, preference will be given to the candidate who has already been in the army.

The order of service in the military police

The Charter of the Military Police of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation was approved by Decree of the President of Russia of March 25, 2015 N 161. In accordance with this document, a serviceman of the military police of the Russian Federation must perform the functions and exercise the powers of the military police in accordance with the military position replaced by him, as well as the official instructions within the territory of the area of ​​responsibility of the military police body in which he serves. Outside this territory, a military police officer can perform functions only in the manner determined by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. Each military police officer must have an identity card, a personalized badge and an armband. He has the right, while exercising his official powers, to freely enter the territory and premises of military units, as well as to exercise his powers without a special order. No one, except a military policeman, has the right to perform his official duties.

In addition to providing assistance and maintaining law and order among military personnel, a military police officer is obliged to help all persons who have suffered from crimes, administrative offenses or accidents, as well as those citizens who are in a helpless state or in a state that is dangerous to their life and health.

The military police are endowed by the President of Russia with the broadest powers - they must fight crime and ensure proper order in military units and formations. The military police even have the right to arrest FSB representatives on suspicion of committing crimes. However, the most important function prescribed in the Military Police Charter is the fight against non-statutory military personnel and the theft of army property. The military police have the right to conduct surprise checks in garrisons in order to ensure law and order in their territories.