In the UK, service police[1] are the formations of the British Armed Forces responsible for policing armed forces personnel.
Each of the services has its own service police branch, a standalone unit responsible for policing, close protection of VIPs[2] and, in the case of the Royal Military Police and Royal Air Force Police, other matters such as traffic control.
In December 2022 the separate SIBs were amalgamated into a single joint service unit called Defence Serious Crime Unit (DSCU).
[5] There are several civil police forces responsible to the Ministry of Defence.
They each have specific roles and are staffed by police officers who are not part of the armed forces and have the powers of a constable.