“It comes as no surprise that former military cops who become state, county, or city police officers are controlled, confident, and psychologically endowed to handle things when the stuff hits the fan.”
As Memorial Day 2017 remains in our thoughts and commemorative actions such as laying wreaths at military gravestones symbolize deep respect for the military, the cadence of soldiers’ boots strides on. If you observed police officers during the Memorial Day weekend, you likely saw municipal cops who were taught by field training officers (FTOs) who, at one time, were military police. As with any time spent in the US Armed Forces, a wealth of expertise such as leadership, tactical wit, mentorship, weapons skills, strategic adaptability, discipline, team cohesion, physical conditioning, security clearances, and chain-of-command tenets are readily translatable ingredients. These attributes enliven the “paramilitary” police profession.
Local police personnel who come from military backgrounds or are indoctrinated by military police gurus are a proverbial win-win. When broad tactics and skills are fused with those in any given locale, police institutions are enabled to deliver the top-tier protection and service the American public deserves and expects.
Military Police Forces
Adhering to and enforcing the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), military police officers undergo rigors beyond basic boot camp. Nothing to sneeze at, boot camp instills the essentials for military service (and thus service to nation) while MPs, Shore Patrol, Security Forces, and Maritime Enforcement train in and deploy police functions under the multifaceted umbrella of military service.
The US Army has military police officers (MPs) who are guided by and ensure that soldiers comply with UCMJ.
For its law enforcement cadre, the US Navy has Shore Patrol officers who are, by default, both land and seafaring cops. Shore patrol cops also have law enforcement jurisdiction over US Marines and work in tandem with the US Coast Guard.
Our nation’s aviation soldiers who have eyes and wings in the sky, the US Air Force employs Security Forces to police those in the airborne component of our armed forces.
Supplementing the Navy is the US Coast Guard, a Department of Homeland Security branch whose Maritime Enforcement Specialists police the seas to abate piracy, human trafficking, drug-running, and many other violations of maritime law. The USCG also aids other nations on the seas, in law enforcement, during search and rescue operations, and for navigational channeling (ice-breaking expertise).
So, as one can surmise, a vast wealth of experience, know-how, discipline, and training is prevalent in our US Armed Forces—and our uniformed police personnel in the states stand to reap hordes of military police expertise.
Stateside Police Forces
Many state, county, and municipal law enforcement agencies specifically scout out former military police officers. The reasoning is not scientific, and the rationale is pure. “Military preference” is commonly cited on police job bulletins across the country for a valid reason. Former soldiers who had law enforcement as their MOS readily pillar non-military police candidates and specialized units (K9, SWAT, bomb squad, intelligence, Marine).
For example, when my department endeavored to launch its canine unit years ago, the newest hire—a recently-discharged Security Forces canine handler—was chosen as the “canine cop” whose military know-how provided comprehensive experience and unit success from the get-go.
Some departments, like San Antonio PD, have former military police among their cadre of recruiters. Monetary incentives for SAPD police candidates whose military experience affords them VA GI Bill benefits are instituted and structured based on service criteria. A military-police-to-city-police success story can be found here at SAPD.
Chris Wagoner, an OpsLens senior contributor, epitomizes the essence of this article. After spending time in the US military as an MP with the 981st Military Police Company, Wagoner went on to a police career equating to almost four decades. Technically, he is still in service, currently holding status as the academy commander at a police academy in North Florida. Police academy instruction is another venue in which former military cops continue to serve, instilling vast knowledge in police recruits studying to be law enforcement practitioners.
Values of Experience
It comes as no surprise that former military cops who become state, county, or city police officers are controlled, confident, and psychologically endowed to handle things when the stuff hits the fan. I watched an officer-involved shooting recently in which three city cops did everything possible to avoid having to shoot a knife-wielding assailant. With the advent of body-worn cameras, the footage enabled seeing and hearing a leader among the three cops involved.
Scene safety was assessed and reassessed. To both the suspect and back-up officers, directions were given in a stern yet calm voice. Pitted, concave, earthy terrain was considered, followed by advice to get upon more level, solid ground. The police triad shifted right in formation, as a group, until all were on asphalt. Variable possibilities were voiced by the lead officer, including only one police voice so as to avoid talking over each other. “One voice, one voice” was spoken by the lead. This way, command and control over the scene was achieved. At no time was any policeman on a different page. All this while never losing sight of the target suspect who, opposing orders to drop the knife and stop advancing, was ultimately shot and killed.
The calculus of control and the barometer measuring when to turn up the heat or not was spot-on.
Even in the immediate aftermath, all three cops worked together under the informal command of an obviously experienced and balanced officer. After the knife was secured, first aid was administered, fire/rescue was summoned, communications to command staff were made, and, by way of cohesion and control, not even a scratch was had by any cop. The post-shooting tonal inflections were non-hysterical—not an easy feat after taking a life in a dustup created by a knife-toting drunk who disobeyed lawful orders. The decedent, a senior man, could have been the grandfather of any of the involved officers.
Logically, former soldiers can more readily relate to actual, physical gun battles, especially those who experienced active conflicts in war-torn countries in which the US engaged. Hard lessons galvanize performance and reputations. The aforementioned incident is as solid as it gets.
The perspective regarding the value of experience was elaborated by Chris Wagoner. From the military, he served a mere two years before becoming an FTO in a Florida police agency. He emphasized that honorably discharged former military members seeking to become certified in the state of Florida are “actively recruited.” With military experience, a one-week “Equivalency of Training” course is the main requirement before a recruit is then certifiable as a Florida cop.
The transference of military justice is honorable and formidable in every jurisdiction, ensuring all brothers and sisters in uniform go home at the end of the tour. Nothing like paying it forward, the way good guys and gals are trained.
