# Perception of MP’s by other Military Members?



## Chrispi (30 Jun 2010)

Perhaps this is a redundant question, but as a person currently going through the recruitment process with MP as my 1st choice, I’m curious of the perception from other Military personnel toward MP’s.  
I understand the anti-authority view some have, and I get the whole Navy vs. Army vs. AF bias, but it seems that there is a lot of resentment towards MP’s in general - Even more-so regarding the so called “working in the field” or LDA.

Throughout my recruitment process, which I admit is still in its early stages (Interview and hopefully MPAC in 2010-still to come) I’ve always thought I was applying as a member of the Canadian Forces 1st, and member of the police 2nd.  I’ve read a lot of the threads in the Recruiting, The Recruiting Process, and  Military Police Branch sections on these boards.  I’ve spoken with several persons currently in the Military and I’m starting to see a pattern of general anti-MP personalities.

While this is expected for civilians to show some resentment towards the various policing agencies in the country, I’m surprised to see so much towards the MP’s or as I was told…  “Meatheads”.
Are you all not serving your country under the same Canadian Forces Flag?

Weather I become a MP, or accepted as member of the Canadian Forces at all, I still believe that MP’s are soldiers first and foremost.  They deserve the same respect I would give anyone in a uniform…  Be I a Civilian, or member of the CF in another trade.


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## kincanucks (30 Jun 2010)

Who gives a crap about what other people think.  Do you want to be a MP?  Then don't worry about what other people think.  I am sure that MPs don't care if some dick head calls them meatheads as long as they obey the rules.  Stop stirring the pot and concentrate on getting through the process and doing well.  For future reference the word is whether not weather.


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## SeanNewman (30 Jun 2010)

IMO I think MPs generally get a bad rep that is for the most part un-earned.

On operations I have seen some very useful and keen ones attached to the Infantry to take care of detainee-type issues.

In Garrison I have been in a few situations that weren't necessarily illegal but the MP could have gone either way about it, and every time the MP has given me the benefit of the doubt so I have a lot of time for them.  I'm not talking about them not doing their job or anything and looking the other way as something bad happens, but more like getting pulled over for doing a couple over and not getting a ticket.

That being said, a lot of the bad taste comes from the perception that MPs don't have much to do other than look for troops to do things that they can be caught for (partying in the shacks, speeding, etc).  While I make no attempt to speak for every soldier, the ones I have heard talk about MPs seem to feel as if MPs only exist to make their lives harder.  Perhaps they feel like they should get a free ride on base and never be punished (?)

But as I wrote, every MP I have dealt with seems to understand the difference between someone who has just had a few too many and needs to be shown the way to a bed and someone who is dangerously drunk and out to hurt someone.  And the difference between someone going a bit too fast too or from work and someone who is doing burnouts and 100 km/h wheelies on base.

One area I think the MPs deserve a lot of credit for is what they have done in Cyprus during the soldiers' decompression.  If there isn't a feeling of "same team" while in Canada, I certainly got that feeling there when the MPs went out of their way to provide top cover for the troops who went too far.


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## dogger1936 (30 Jun 2010)

I got nothing but the utmost respect for them personally. They deal with all the problem children here on the base. Drug users, drunks and general morons. I have NEVER had a issue with a MP. I have broken the law and have gotten warnings from MP's (rolling stop) but really who's fault is that? I'm glad there there on base. Otherwise it would be like too "fast too furious" around here.

Are there idiot MP's? I'm sure there is...just like moron tank drivers and section commanders etc.

I respect them and their job, same as  I would a clerk, firefighter etc. They do a difficult job I wouldn't  want to do and keep things safe here on the homefront. 

On deployment nothing but good things to say.


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## greentoblue (30 Jun 2010)

Nobody really likes those who enforce the rules.  Look at the stereotype of internal affairs cops on TV shows.  That said I have had numerous interactions with MPs in garrison, the field and ops, and the ones I dealt with were all professional.  Where they tend to get a bad rap from is those MPs who are overzealous and tend to make even the slightest infraction a capital case.   Most of these guys tend to be new to the trade and direct entry from civvie street without the benefit of prior service in another trade.

But really soldiers are always grousing about some other trade.  If its not the MPs as glorified mall cops, its the clerks screwing up their claims, the air force staying in hotels, etc....


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## Northern Ranger (30 Jun 2010)

I had time for them up until I got a speeding ticket for doing 39 in a 35 school zone and was used as a training aid for the ojt wanna be that was riding with him. Yes 4 km over the limit in Shilo on a Sunday (1993).  I do wish that I was a bit older and wiser as I would have dealt with it differently, but as it was only something like a 54 dollar fine I paid it.

Unknown to me, as I had just gotten back from Germany, I had only one merit point on my licence, the ticket made me loose that one point, as such my insurance went up 300 bucks for two years.  So for a long time I had no time for meatheads, however that has changed.


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## Fotoshark (1 Jul 2010)

Northern Ranger said:
			
		

> I had time for them up until I got a speeding ticket for doing 39 in a 35 school zone and was used as a training aid for the ojt wanna be that was riding with him. Yes 4 km over the limit in Shilo on a Sunday (1993).  I do wish that I was a bit older and wiser as I would have dealt with it differently, but as it was only something like a 54 dollar fine I paid it.
> 
> Unknown to me, as I had just gotten back from Germany, I had only one merit point on my licence, the ticket made me loose that one point, as such my insurance went up 300 bucks for two years.  So for a long time I had no time for meatheads, however that has changed.



No offence but u were in a school zone.  If it weren't for the school zone I would'a kept ur side as I completely agree and see the stupidity behind it.  Bad luck, foce of habit, unfortunately no break was given.  Live and learn I suppose right ?  We all make mistakes.

- T.


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## Loachman (1 Jul 2010)

Fotoshark said:
			
		

> No offence but _*u*_ were in a school zone.  If it weren't for the school zone I would'a kept _*ur*_ side as I completely agree and see the stupidity behind it.  Bad luck, foce of habit, unfortunately no break was given.  Live and learn I suppose right ?  We all make mistakes.



And a gentle reminder from your friendly Site Police that MSN speak is against Site policy - proper spelling, punctuation, capitalization, etcetera, please.

As for the original question, there is always going to be a suspicion of those in a police function regardless of the environment. Attitudes of others towards you will depend largely upon your attitudes towards them as well.


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## Northalbertan (1 Jul 2010)

Fotoshark said:
			
		

> No offence but u were in a school zone.  If it weren't for the school zone I would'a kept ur side as I completely agree and see the stupidity behind it.  Bad luck, foce of habit, unfortunately no break was given.  Live and learn I suppose right ?  We all make mistakes.
> 
> - T.


No offense, but *you* were in a school zone.  *If it weren't for being in the school zone I would have agreed with your side as I can see the stupidity behind the ticket.*  Bad luck,* force * of habit, and unfortunately they didn't give you a break.  *Live and learn I suppose, right? *  We all make mistakes.

Yup, we do.


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## Michael OLeary (1 Jul 2010)

Now that the self-righteous literacy lesson is over, please return this thread to its original topic.

Milnet.ca Staff


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## Kat Stevens (1 Jul 2010)

My perception of MPs is that they live in underground burrows, survive exclusively on a diet  of road killed coyotes and dugout water, and mate with their cousins.


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## Northern Ranger (1 Jul 2010)

Fotoshark said:
			
		

> No offence but u were in a school zone.  If it weren't for the school zone I would'a kept ur side as I completely agree and see the stupidity behind it.  Bad luck, foce of habit, unfortunately no break was given.  Live and learn I suppose right ?  We all make mistakes.
> 
> - T.



No offence but if you need to pipe in and agree with a 4km over the limit ticket, you would probally make fine MP. ;D


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## Container (1 Jul 2010)

Kat Stevens said:
			
		

> My perception of MPs is that they live in underground burrows, survive exclusively on a diet  of road killed coyotes and dugout water, and mate with their cousins.



Huh...I did not know that MP's had underground burrows.  ;D

As an aside- When I was in the CF I had no issues with MP's. In fact one night I and some other rowdies were picked up. In the morning it was fine as it was I who was in the wrong. 

They ve always been okay in my books.


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## MP 811 (1 Jul 2010)

Chrispi said:
			
		

> I’ve always thought I was applying as a member of the Canadian Forces 1st, and member of the police 2nd.



Always remember this young lad and you'll do fine in the CF!!


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## Fotoshark (1 Jul 2010)

Northern Ranger said:
			
		

> No offence but if you need to pipe in and agree with a 4km over the limit ticket, you would probally make fine MP. ;D



Thanks, ironically applying for MP  lol

- T.


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## Pusser (1 Jul 2010)

The biggest problem with the Military Police, with respect to their relationship with the rest of the CF, is with those that seem to think of themselves as police and not soldiers.  In fact, some leadership in the past instilled this in their psyche to the point where some of them no longer believe being a soldier was important.  This has led to some problems.  Fortunately, with the Afghanistan experience, the tactical military function of military police has come back to the fore and this seems to be changing.

Although military police work has similarities with what civilian police do, there are also some significant differences.  Be sure you understand those before you decide which route you want to go.  If all you want to do is be a cop, join the RCMP.


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## Fotoshark (2 Jul 2010)

Pusser said:
			
		

> The biggest problem with the Military Police, with respect to their relationship with the rest of the CF, is with those that seem to think of themselves as police and not soldiers.  In fact, some leadership in the past instilled this in their psyche to the point where some of them no longer believe being a soldier was important.  This has led to some problems.  Fortunately, with the Afghanistan experience, the tactical military function of military police has come back to the fore and this seems to be changing.
> 
> Although military police work has similarities with what civilian police do, there are also some significant differences.  Be sure you understand those before you decide which route you want to go.  If all you want to do is be a cop, join the RCMP.



Very well put.  I would be under the impression that if one were to apply to be a military police officer they're still considered a soldier, if they were not they would not be in the military they'd be a regular PO or RCMP   
Basically the way I see it, is if you're wearin camo you're a soldier regardless of trade. 

- T.


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## Loachman (2 Jul 2010)

Fotoshark said:
			
		

> if you're wearin camo you're a soldier regardless of trade.



Or an airman/airwoman or sometimes a sailor.


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## Fotoshark (3 Jul 2010)

Loachman said:
			
		

> Or an airman/airwoman or sometimes a sailor.



lol I just generalize and consider every aspect of the military the same (obviously with limitations as to each difference if we're goin into specifics).  Aka a military uniform implies you're serving your country in the military.  Not as a city/provincial police officer.


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## time expired (3 Jul 2010)

Oh Meathead ,oh Meathead  if you were a man

you would take down your armband and go to Pusan

where the whizbangs are flying and comfort are few

and good men are dying for bast§%ds like you.

I think that this anti MP thing is traditional and is part of the frontline pigs view of all REMF,s and is

rooted in the WW2, Korean war attitudes ,where front  soldiers felt they were being preyed upon

by the MPs when in the rear.

My generation,the "Staving off the Commie hordes in the foreign lands" gang, had a lot of respect 

for our Meatheads,after all they were all 6 foot tall and carried no guns or clubs, they were free with

their fists but also always gave you a break if you showed even the slightest desire to cooperate.

The destruction of the C Pro C and formation of the MP Branch  seemed to me to change them 

completely, they reminded me of a shorter version of the US Army MPs and the limited  experience

I had with them impressed me not at all. Another thing that I noticed was a change of attitude,

the whole world consisted of MPs and potential perps,the attitude one finds in big city police forces.

                                                  Regards


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## CorporalMajor (10 Jul 2010)

I'm a junior NCO with only four years in. 

The perception among my peers is that MPs are only there to ruin their fun, make things more difficult on their already "tough" lives  : by enforcing speeding laws, noise laws (i.e. DOING THEIR JOB) and otherwise.   Once they grow up some,  they will realize that rules put in place & enforced for a reason.   I haven't heard of someone getting injured in a speeding incident on base, and I appreciate my peace and quiet, so good job MPs.  

On a personal level.  I've met some of them in the shacks while doing courses in Borden.  Some of the junior ones do have Chipontheirshoulderitis, as well as Douchebagitis, but even they get humbled eventually, and the rest of them are still decent folks.   You should also realize there are unlikeable people in any trade.  

I've seen civi cops be slack and idle.  I haven't seen MPs be anything BUT professional.  I've been pulled over, and been told to stop the loud music while on course, but I know they got a job to do and they generally do it fine.   So I decide to follow lawful authority, which itself is part of what you agree to when you swear-in. 

Best of luck in the CF.  Keep our people safe.


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## Klinkaroo (10 Jul 2010)

With what CorporalMajor was saying, I also see that alot from peers, these peers tend to be the ones in the Shacks that like to have blasting music until 2 in the morning and the MPs shut them down. What alot of these people don't get is there are other people in the building who like there peace and quiet. The MPs don't stop you from doing anything legal. If they are stopping you from doing something is because someone somewhere said that you can't do it. Stop being a whinny ***** and grow up, if you are going to party, party downtown then come home quietly and go to bed.

Having also shared barracks and spoken with a few of the junior MPs, I have seen some that get a little "I'm a Police Officer, I Can Tell You What To Do" attitude which hopefully I think get's quickly rectified. What they have to understand, if it's not a police matter you are not my boss or in my chain command.

I have always received respect from the MPs that have stopped me for minor things (haven't we all done a rolling stop...) and have been let off with a warning. Thing to understand here, if you respect him, he will respect you. I think being a Police Officer, especially a Military Police is a tough job, with a special note to the guys dealing with detainees and the such in Afghanistan. Good Job.


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## Eye In The Sky (10 Jul 2010)

Lets not confuse Military Police with Military Police Officers.  

MPs are _not_ Officers.


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## CorporalMajor (10 Jul 2010)

Klinkaroo said:
			
		

> With what CorporalMajor was saying, I also see that alot from peers, these peers tend to be the ones in the Shacks that like to have blasting music until 2 in the morning and the MPs shut them down. What alot of these people don't get is there are other people in the building who like there peace and quiet.


UYeah  it's also us CFSAL students who are drinking outside  :nod:  also a no-no.

Usually it's people crying about being pulled over.  Bunch of god damn whiners.   :crybaby:

I like to party like anyone else, but people forget there are folks who do shiftwork or trying to sleep.  You want your kegger, do it on your own property, the base does not belong to you.


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## Trueblue (20 Sep 2010)

I realize I am bringing up a dead thread here but I thought I'd touch on something really quick in here I would like to see others opinions on.

In my very short time in the CF I have never had a run-in with MP's that has ended badly for me, but that being said I have had to deal with them FAR to often.

I have been at Borden now for about 2 years and I've seen and noticed quite a few things.

In this thread I've seen quite a bit of "MP's can be good guys, they let people off quite often etc.", one thing I've seen here is for privates or student cpls, this *never* happens. I have seen guys get thrown in the drunk tank for the night for simply walking home from the Jr. Ranks drunk and stumbling a bit, guys getting written up for speed tickets for doing 10 over etc.

My father has been in the military 33 years and I have lived on bases for most of that, and I have seen older members get away with much worse... seemingly because of their age.

In Borden the MP's regularly do checkpoints on weekends at night to check for drunk drivers, but they will ALWAYS be outside the students shacks, god forbid they catch a major or a chief driving after having a few too many (which now a days is basically nothing).

So that being said, I think the reason you hear a lot of young guys complaining about MP's is that I have seen they are quite a bit harder on the young privates... who knows maybe it's easier for a 23 year old MP to ticket a guy just starting off in his career than it is for him to ticket someone who's old enough to be his dad?

Just my 2 cents.


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## George Wallace (20 Sep 2010)

Trueblue said:
			
		

> In Borden the MP's regularly do checkpoints on weekends at night to check for drunk drivers, but they will ALWAYS be outside the students shacks, god forbid they catch a major or a chief driving after having a few too many (which now a days is basically nothing).



Hate to say it, but this is wrong and has been brought up before in the CF.  It is a Human Rights Complaint of sorts.  The same thing used to happen in CFE where the Snr NCOs and WOs Mess was in a compound outside of the Airfield, and the Officers Mess was on the other side of the city.  The MPs would only do RIDE programs at the Jnr NCO Mess.  Some "Legal Beagle" caught up on this and the MPs were given a very serious slap on the wrists.  If this is what the MP School is teaching their students, to ignore all the Messes except the JRs and the JR Shacks, then they are WRONG.


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## mover1 (20 Sep 2010)

Borden...harumph...listen you got a lot of bored people on pat platoon or whatever making a bad name for everyone on that base. Stop crying about the MP's giving you a hard time. 

As for MP's. I don't trust any of them. I might be paranoid but it seems like they are always trying to cop you when you have a conversation with them. Always trying to get an angle on some wrong doing. 
But...(which meas disregard everything I said until now.) I have met a few of them that are really bang on. A couple of them I would even go so far as calling friends. 

But like like that lot in PAT platoon causing trouble. It only take one or two to make a bad name for everyone.


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## Nauticus (20 Sep 2010)

MPs, in my experience, have been nothing short of excellent at their jobs. Considering the environment of their profession, and the profession they work, I think they go beyond just doing a fine job.


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## Kat Stevens (20 Sep 2010)

We had MPs in Chilliwack in the early 80s whose sole reason for living was to ruin the careers of young Sappers on TQ3 & 5A courses.  I learned not to trust them very early on, and my opinion did not improve greatly over the years.


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## chrisf (20 Sep 2010)

While I've met and dealt with a few good military police men and women, I have to say, overall, I have had several very negative experience with meatheads and their arrogance souring the lot of them for me...

One particular incident in Gagetown springs to mind... we had a student who'd been knocked unconcious after a fall... I was stabilizing her head/shoulders, while emergency services personnel were preparing a spine board... a meathead who appeared on the scene literally shoved me out of the way, and began to attempt to take a statement from the injured party (I did mention that said injured party was unconcious and I was in the middle of stabilizing her head/shoulders?)

I'll be the first to admit, that it's a minority ruining the image of the majority... but one of the major issues that I've always had is that there's very little recourse when absurd situations such as the above happen...


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## George Wallace (20 Sep 2010)

Makes you wonder what course we can take to get rid of these "Meatheads" who are nothing more than buffoons who make a mockery of any professionalism that they are supposed to have?  Who outside the MP Trade has the power to give their superiors a proper evaluation of their work........Towards PDR, PER, Recorded Warning, C&P, and Release as an Administrative Burden?  These cowboys are the buffoons giving the MPs a bad name.


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## ballz (20 Sep 2010)

I always thought the whole anti-MP thing was just the same kind of punks that are all "cops are pigs dude" in the civie world. I was pretty confident that MPs were probably well-trained and professional just like our other trades.

However, I've had a few small incidents now in a relatively short time in the CF (stayed on a base now for a grand total 25 weeks) where I just felt like we were being harassed by bored MPs. One of which I was actually quite scared I was going to get thrown in jail over for a piece of heavy equipment that I knew damn well I hadn't commandeered 5 minutes prior to the MPs showing up.

Since the couple incidents I have started to wonder if they were just bored...


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## xo31@711ret (21 Sep 2010)

About 1991, a couple of years after I had LOTPed I was posted to Chatham. Myself & a couple of other buddies were heading to the winter carnival on a saturday afternoon. We were on the stairway in the guy's single quarters heading down laughing & giving each other a nudge & the elbow.  I stumbled & hit the concrete wall (didn't fall or anything). Just basically stumbled against the wall. One of the young pte MP's, a casual friend, was coming into the shacks. We all said hey, & where was he coming from, etc. 
Monday morning I was doing sick parade & the sgt, the hospital warrent officier calls me into his office saying the MP's want to see me right this instant. I ask why, the sarg doesn't know. I head over thinking WTF?? Has there been a death in the family?? etc. I meet my other two buddies on the way over; wer'e trying to figure what the hell is going on. We get there & are brought in back one by one. There's two cpl MP's questioning me playing 'good cop, bad cop'; I sh*t you not. I finally ask (after I piece together they yapping about some barrack damages). They finally tell me the time, date, what, where etc & they have a 'witness' about a humongous crack in the starwell wall. After all is said & down I am told to sign a piece of paper. I said no; I'm basically threatened to sign. I say & released. After work my buddies & I get together. The same crap happened to all of us. We go back to our shack to look at the damage. We look & look. All we can find is an old hairline crack about 25 feet up by the top of the building in a +50 year old shack!! Un-freakin'-believable....needless to say our old 'friend' the meat-head is no longer 'our friend'.  A Couple mondays later, I'm back at the MP's by myself because I'm accused of more damages. Thank God I have my leave-pass, witnesses, and bus ticket stubs to & from Moncton for that long weekend at my girlfriends place who had gotten posted to Moncton a few months previously...so, can't say my self I havemuch respect for young meat heads...


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## Fishbone Jones (21 Sep 2010)

Enough of this.

Milnet.ca Staff


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