It provides professional, civilian, federal police officers to serve and protect U.S. Army personnel, properties, and installations.

Although the Army Criminal Investigation Division employs civilian special agents, it does not fall-under the DACP nor DoD Police umbrella.

According to the Department of the Army Regulation 190-56 (2013),[7] both the Department of the Army (DA) Civilian Police (CP) and Security Guards (SG) have the authority to apprehend individuals who are found to have committed felonies, misdemeanors, breaches of the peace, threats to property of welfare, or actions that are detrimental to good order and discipline.

The authority for AR 190-56 originates from the US Constitution, which provides Congress the power to impose rules and regulations over the property of the United States (U.S. Const.

Apprehension is the equivalent to arrest in civilian terminology (Joint Service Committee on Military Justice, 2019, Rule 302 [10]).

DACPs and DASGs are also limited on aid to civilian law enforcement (Posse Comitatus Act, 18 U.S. Code § 1385 [11]).

A newly hired officer can expect to perform a variety of law enforcement roles including patrol, crime-prevention, investigations, special reaction team, and police administrative functions.

One major function of a Department of the Army Civilian Police officer is to conduct force protection duties.

Officers patrol the installation and check that physical security measures such as fences and lighting are in good working order.

Each base adopts the surrounding state's motor vehicle laws under the Assimilative Crimes Act (see Federal Jurisdiction).

A major requirement of any potential Department of the Army Civilian Police officer is to pass a medical exam.

As of 2014 the Department of the Army no longer grants waivers to any patrol level officer, all interested candidates must now attend a 9-week academy at Fort Leonard Wood, MO.

They give an overview of topics such as IED detection, basic patrolling techniques, the Uniform Code of Military Justice, physical security concepts, and other police skills.

Officers selected for a position on an installation's special reaction team (SRT) must attend the same training as their military counterparts.

Department of the Army Civilian Police officers are highly trained and skilled professionals, many of whom have prior law enforcement and military experience.

DACP Police Officers are armed with a Beretta 92, designated as M9 service pistol, or the Sig Sauer P320 designated M17 in Level 3 retention holster, spare magazines in pouches, as well as a Taser stun gun,[14] baton, OC spray, handcuffs in pouch, radio, torch, first aid kit and notebook & pen.