MP's Hated By Everybody???

[Sapper6]

I remember one Friday night while leaving CFB ValCartier, I was with a buddy heading back to Montreal for the weekend when an MP pulled us over because he had a cracked tail light...

Reminds me of a similar incident in Edmonton a few years back when I was pulled over one night because of a cracked headlamp.  I suspected that was the reason and when the young MP came to my window and said, "You know sir why I stopped you" and I replied, "Yes, I do - it's because of the headlight".  He replied, "Yes. [pause] OK." Then he turned and went back to his cruiser and sat down.  After five minutes of waiting, I naturally assumed that I was free to go as he never indicated to me to wait, nor did he take my driver's license, etc.

Well.    Wasn't I a little surprised a few seconds later when the MP and his partner were in hot pursuit after me with all the bells and whistles going!  Of course, I pulled over again and waited.  However, this time before he could say anything to me I countered with, "Look, if you wanted me to stay put you should of said something, how am I to read your mind as to what you wanted from me?  If things were not "OK" then you shouldn't say "OK" and walk away!"  After a few blinks, he said, "I'm sorry sir, I'm new and still don't have my procedure down.  Please get your headlamp fixed right away and have a good night."

That incident, and the number of times they have let me off going 48 km in a 40 km zone [Do you know how slow 40 km/h is?], has led me  to believe MPs are "OK" and are just trying to do their job.

Finally, I agree that MPs should always remember that they are part of the military and that driving around in a white Volvo wearing the black uniforms is like a posting to NDHQ for the rest of us - it should only last for the shortest time possible and you should be begging to get back to a field unit as soon as possible.

S6

 

[Acorn]

Interesting, this was my point in this idea.   What do you think about it?

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/29313.0.html

At some point I might reply to that thread. I see the most critical roles of MPs as Mobility Ops and Security. this is in relation to what the CF does today. If I have some time this weekend I'll try to expand on why I take that position.

Acorn

 

[Kurhaus]

People as a whole generally dislike law enforcement personal because we stop you from doing the things that you should not be doing in the first place. But as it was previously mentioned in this forum CF members tend to down play their "MP encounter" by telling their buddies how the "MP's screwed up".  This turns into MP bashing and Urban Legends etc.  But in my experience I found that the CF public generally understands the MP's have a job to do, like everyone else.  As long as you are professional in your dealings with the CF public you should have few problems.  However, you will always run into a******s (all rank levels BTW) that no matter how professional you are in dealing with them, they lose their cool because of one thing or another (not calling them by rank, vehicle stop, etc)  Just remember not to sink to their level, maintain your professionalism, try to deescalate the situation and, most importantly, document the encounter for a future Professional Misconduct report.  A senior Cpl (now Sgt) who I partnered with as a new QL3 MP over 13 years ago, told me "The most important weapon on your person is your mouth: how you talk to people"  and he was right.    I have seen many guys deescalate a combative subject with words alone.  But I have also seen some MP's escalate a passive subject into a combative subject by being arrogant and overbearing.  It is all how you talk to people.

Now on a different point:

At some point I might reply to that thread. I see the most critical roles of MPs as Mobility Ops and Security. this is in relation to what the CF does today. If I have some time this weekend I'll try to expand on why I take that position.

Acorn

Acorn, I agree.  The actual role of the MP's (short version) is "to support commanders on operations by conducting Mobility Ops, Police Ops, Security Ops and Detention Ops."  (It is maptac'd inside my O Group book which is not with me right now or I would provide the word for word version).  As a new QL 3 MP I once thought the we were mP's (policemen first/only) and I see this trait in many of the new guys today.  I now believe that we have to be MP's (both Military members and Policemen) and I am trying to bring the young guys into this line of thinking.  The problem is that the new guys no longer receive field training at the QL 3 level, so they come into the forces thinking they are cops, not realizing that they could wind up in Afghanistan in a year or two.

 

[qor556]

Unfortunately most of my experiences with MPs have been negative... maybe because it is Meaford, who knows. ie - while marching "move farther off the side of the road" , no, "TOO CLOSE TO THE GRASS"  : haha

Wait, other than the guy on my course that became an MP, nice guy for sure.

 

[Gramps]

MP's do definitely get a bad Rap and are generally disliked by most of the military as a whole. A lot of people forget that they have bosses to report to as well as the rest of us and in many cases they are just doing their jobs. By the way I usually don't get along with Law Enforcement types but I do have a few friends that are Mp's. Just don't tell anyone okay.

 

[canadianblue]

I think that is a pretty predominant attitude amongst some of college grads that get in, and I can only imagine it getting worse due to the fact you need a two year degree, even if you are in the forces and want to OT. While I am applying to the Reg force infantry, I may still go MP depending if I have the right qualifications, and if I get the police studies course through correspondance. Or I'll just love the infantry and stick with it.

 

[Infanteer]

"to support commanders on operations by conducting Mobility Ops, Police Ops, Security Ops and Detention Ops."

That's what I was looking for....

 

[S McKee]

Futuretrooper, you were correct in saying making an arrest just for shits and giggles is wrong....being a police officer is about serving your community and not just about making an arrest or ticketing just for the heck of it....i hope you do join for the right reasons, and i'm glad to see that you seem to have some insight into what a portion of the job consists of.   Your young yet, so don't rush anything, gain some life experience and get some more education.   If this is what you want then you will get it. It's the best dang career you can get into, so enjoy!!   (catching bad guys is fun too)   .  

Best of luck.

MILPO

An arrest for "Shits and giggles"??? Obviously you and I are not in the same Military Police because in Canada you need Reasonable and Probable Grounds to arrest someone.

 

[S McKee]

[

 

[54/102 CEF]

most of the responses I got was that if you go in as an MP then pretty well everybody in the army hates you,

Not as much as they hate Airforce Finance Officers 

 

[Dissident]

MP bashing is almost institutional in nature. Most MP haters will usually have a hard time even coming up with the name of a bad MP or recount a encounter when an MP was wrong.

 

[FastEddy]

MP bashing is almost institutional in nature. Most MP haters will usually have a hard time even coming up with the name of a bad MP or recount a encounter when an MP was wrong.

Very well put, thats about it in a nut shell.

If you want the extent of that hate, boy have I got incidents I could relate.

 

[Wizard of OZ]

They hate us until they need us, we attend more wishy washy calls then any other police force in Canada.  Could you imagine TPS (METRO) or any other large city or even regional police force writing a report on someones stolen combats from a barrick room.  Or the dog barking or neighbours music to loud.  And we go in a resonable amount of time and do a file, we may not like it but we do it.  There is not alot of well we will get there if we can, or can you try and deal with it yourself .  I think we do an excellent job of maintaing a positive relationship with the community we serve.  Yea there may be the occasional lead foot out there who does not like us but for every one of them there are 4 or five kids and 2 or 3 parents who apreciate the fact that we are sticklers on speed or imparied or domestics or.........

MOO

 

[DogOfWar]

Could you imagine TPS (METRO) or any other large city or even regional police force writing a report on someones stolen combats from a barrick room.   Or the dog barking or neighbours music to loud.   And we go in a resonable amount of time and do a file, we may not like it but we do it.  

Every police force has to go to "shit" calls.

 

[FastEddy]

Every police force has to go to "crap" calls.

I don't know what "Wizard of Oz" is complaining about. But everyday Police Work (Patrol Car) does not
consist of B & E's, Armed Holdups etc, its 98% mundane calls or hours of of just driving. In all fairness I must admit that this is again subject to the influence of Large Cities, High Crime Areas, Neighborhoods and time of Day.

In my experience, a quite night of those mundain calls, meant you went home alive again.

 

[canadianblue]

I was actaully in contact with an MP from St Jean, and from the sounds of it he's been their for the past 6 month's yet hasn't done anything remotely criminal yet other then a few thefts and auto accidents. Are bases really that slow for MP's or does it differ from base to base?

 

[Dissident]

Thats a question for another topic...

 

[Kurhaus]

It seems like we are going a bit off topic. Futuretrooper, if you post your question in the "Military Police" thread you will probably get answers you are looking for.

MP's hated by everyone???

In 24 years service, I have heard people complain about almost every trade in the CF.  i.e. "The Cooks ran out of food again"  "The medics made me wait an hour to check this growth" etc.  I think it is a military trait to always complain about something.  MP bashing just seems to be part of this trait.  Cops tend to be a common topic that everyone can relate to, as everyone has either had a run in with the police or know someone who has.  Generally, the CF public knows that we have a job to do and except that fact.          

 

[Roy Harding]

In my 25 plus years of service, I've had numerous dealings with MPs. 

When it was personal (always my fault - from fighting in the JRs, speeding, and other shenanigans), they were ALWAYS respectful to me.  Of course, I was always respectful to THEM.  They had me dead to rights, I knew, they knew it, why argue about it??

When it was professional (in the course of my duties as a Chief Clerk in an Inf Bn), they were a valuable and professional resource (rounding up AWOLs, escorting beligerents, etc).

As I said in my second paragraph - like most people, when treated with respect, they'll treat you with respect - and simply do their job.

 

[Poops]

I know in the field you guys are called "Buddy Blades"