Royal Air Force Police
The service police branch responsible for policing, investigation, security and force-protection duties for the Royal Air Force.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Royal Air Force Police (RAFP) is the service police branch of the Royal Air Force and part of the United Kingdom’s military policing system. Its personnel provide law-enforcement, investigative, protective-security and operational force-protection capabilities for RAF personnel, installations, aircraft and deployed missions. The branch is led by the Provost Marshal of the Royal Air Force, who also commands the wider Air Security Force framework covering RAF Police, the Military Provost Guard Service and associated civilian personnel. Its headquarters are at RAF Honington, while RAF Police flights and detachments operate at stations in the United Kingdom and alongside RAF units overseas. The organization was created on 1 April 1918, when the Royal Air Force was established through the merger of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service. During the Second World War its scale expanded considerably, and by the end of the conflict it included hundreds of officers and many thousands of non-commissioned personnel. In 1947 the RAF Provost Branch became a specialist branch of the RAF. Its badge and motto, Fiat Justitia, meaning “Let justice be done,” received royal approval in 1950. RAF Police non-commissioned officers and warrant officers are traditionally identifiable by white-topped caps, which led to the nickname “Snowdrops,” as well as distinctive red-and-black insignia. Its responsibilities extend beyond conventional military policing. Core functions include frontline response, law enforcement, criminal and security investigation, aircraft and station protection, counter-intelligence, protective security, cyber and information security, covert operations, close protection and the management of military working dogs. RAF Police personnel may deploy individually, with the aircraft or force they support, or as formed tactical police units. The branch has supported British operations in locations including Iraq and Afghanistan, where its duties have included patrols, detainee handling, airbase security and specialist search activities. RAF Police personnel also supported the United Kingdom’s 2021 evacuation from Afghanistan under Operation Pitting. The branch has a distinctive role in the British armed forces because it manages the RAF’s military working dogs and is the only UK service-police branch described as operating police dogs within the United Kingdom military. Its handlers and dogs undertake patrol, explosive-search and other specialist tasks in Britain and on deployed operations. Specialist RAF Police and security personnel also contribute to counter-intelligence and protective-security work across wider defence organizations, including roles under Strategic Command. RAF Police authority derives from service law, including the Armed Forces Act 2006. Its personnel are not under the direct command of the RAF station commander at the location where they work; operational command remains within the RAF Police chain led by the Provost Marshal. The branch is subject to inspection by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in a manner comparable to civilian police forces. Serious and complex criminal investigations formerly conducted through single-service Special Investigation Branch structures were transferred to the tri-service Defence Serious Crime Unit in 2022. The organization underwent a major structural change during 2021–2022. Traditional force-protection arrangements were replaced by the Air Security Force model, with capability-focused police and security wings and squadrons aligned with RAF operational groupings and force structures. The change was intended to integrate policing and protective-security capabilities more closely with the RAF’s operational forces, including the Typhoon, Lightning, intelligence-surveillance-target-acquisition-and-reconnaissance, air mobility, training, battlespace-management and space communities.
History
The Royal Air Force Police was established on 1 April 1918 with the creation of the Royal Air Force from the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service. It became the RAF’s dedicated service-policing organization, responsible for maintaining discipline, investigating offences and protecting RAF personnel and facilities. Its wartime responsibilities expanded substantially during the Second World War; by the end of that conflict the branch had grown to approximately 500 officers and 20,000 non-commissioned personnel. In January 1947 the RAF Provost Branch was redesignated as a specialist branch within the Royal Air Force. The branch’s visual identity developed during the post-war period. Non-commissioned officers and warrant officers began wearing white-topped caps in 1945, a feature that produced the enduring nickname “Snowdrops.” In December 1950 King George VI approved the RAF Police badge and the motto Fiat Justitia. Red-and-black flashes, brassards and military-police markings continue to distinguish the branch in different forms of dress. RAF Police training has moved between several locations. Training was conducted at RAF Netheravon during the 1950s and RAF Debden during the 1960s. By the mid-1990s trade training had moved to RAF Newton, followed by RAF Halton. In 2004, United Kingdom service-police training was consolidated at the Defence School of Policing and Security at Southwick Park in Hampshire, where RAF Police recruits train alongside Royal Navy Police and Royal Military Police personnel. Further specialist preparation is provided for investigative, covert-operations, security and protective roles, including training delivered with civilian police forces and specialist providers. The branch’s operational role broadened over time from station policing into an integrated military-security function. Its work now includes frontline response, criminal investigation, security investigation, aircraft protection, counter-intelligence, covert activity, cyber and information security, close protection and force protection on deployed operations. RAF Police personnel have supported British military activity in numerous overseas locations. In Afghanistan, they provided security at Camp Bastion, supported frontline patrols, handled detainees and performed weapon-intelligence and specialist-search duties. The branch also deployed in Iraq and other operational theatres, including through its military working-dog capability. The RAF Police operates within the statutory and command framework of British service law. Its authority to act as service police is linked to the Armed Forces Act 2006, and its personnel can issue lawful commands to service personnel regardless of rank or trade. Although flights and detachments may be located at RAF stations, they remain within the RAF Police command chain rather than being directly subordinate to the local station commander. The Provost Marshal leads the branch, supported by deputy and wing-level structures. RAF Police work is subject to inspection by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary. A significant institutional change occurred in 2021–2022. The RAF began aligning police and security structures with operational groups and forces rather than relying primarily on geographical arrangements. In November 2022, the former force-protection framework was replaced by the Air Security Force, commanded by the Provost Marshal of the RAF, who also holds the title Commander of the Air Security Force. At the same time, the RAF Police, the Military Provost Guard Service and associated civilian staff were brought into the new force structure. Three broad police-and-security wings and nine capability-focused squadrons were described for the new model, including formations supporting tactical policing, counter-intelligence and security, reserves, Typhoon, intelligence-surveillance-target-acquisition-and-reconnaissance, Lightning, air mobility, training, battlespace management and space operations. The 2022 reform also altered serious-crime investigation. Single-service Special Investigation Branch capabilities were consolidated into the Defence Serious Crime Unit under a newly created Provost Marshal for Serious Crime. Consequently, the RAF Police retained important policing, security and investigative functions but no longer maintained the previous standalone RAF Special Investigation Branch arrangement for serious and complex criminal investigations. The modern branch therefore combines traditional service policing with operational security, counter-intelligence, protective security and specialist support to RAF missions in the United Kingdom and overseas.
- 2022
Air Security Force operating model introduced
[1]The RAF reorganized force protection and police capabilities into the Air Security Force and capability-focused police-and-security formations.
- 2022
Serious-crime investigation transferred to tri-service unit
[1]Single-service Special Investigation Branch capabilities were amalgamated into the Defence Serious Crime Unit.
- 2021
Operation Pitting deployment
[1]RAF Police deployed during the evacuation from Afghanistan, supporting screening and security for approximately 122,000 people.
- 2017
Participation in Mobility Guardian
[1]RAF Police personnel supported the Mobility Guardian air-mobility exercise.
- 2004
Service-police training consolidated
[1]United Kingdom service-police training was consolidated at the Defence School of Policing and Security at Southwick Park.
- 1950
Badge and motto approved
[1]King George VI approved the RAF Police badge and the motto Fiat Justitia.
- 1947
Provost Branch becomes a specialist RAF branch
[1]The RAF Provost Branch was designated a specialist branch within the Royal Air Force.
- 1945
White-topped caps introduced
[1]White-topped caps became a distinctive part of RAF Police non-commissioned personnel’s uniform and later contributed to the nickname “Snowdrops.”
- 1918
RAF Police established
[1]The RAF Police was formed on 1 April 1918 when the Royal Air Force was created through the merger of the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service.
Products and positioning
A specialist military-policing and security organization that protects RAF people, infrastructure, aircraft and operations while providing independent service-law enforcement and investigative capability.
Service policing · 1918
Military policing and law enforcement
RAF Police flights and detachments provide frontline response, station policing, enforcement of service law and support to RAF personnel and units. Their authority operates within the United Kingdom’s service-law framework and is separate from the direct command of local RAF station commanders.
Investigation
Criminal and security investigation
The branch conducts policing and security investigations and provides specialist investigative support. Since 2022, serious and complex criminal investigations formerly associated with single-service Special Investigation Branch structures have been handled through the tri-service Defence Serious Crime Unit.
Operational security
Force protection and aircraft security
RAF Police personnel protect aircraft, airbases, deployed locations and RAF forces. Duties can include patrols, access control, detainee handling, tactical policing and support to operational units in hostile environments.
Security intelligence
Counter-intelligence and protective security
Specialist personnel investigate security breaches, gather intelligence and support protective-security activity. The capability also includes information-security and cyber-related responsibilities and can be delivered in the United Kingdom or overseas.
Specialist capability
Military working dogs
The RAF Police manages RAF military working dogs and their handlers, with detachments at selected RAF stations. Dogs support patrol, specialist search and deployed operational missions, including work in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Protective services
Close protection
Qualified RAF Police personnel provide close protection for senior personnel, VIPs and other dignitaries, including in environments where operational or hostile-environment risks are present.
Marketing campaigns
- 2021Operation Pitting
Afghanistan · United Kingdom
RAF Police personnel deployed with 16 Air Assault Brigade during the United Kingdom’s evacuation operation from Afghanistan. Their tasks included screening and securing evacuees and supporting the wider protection of the evacuation effort.
Outcome. The operation helped enable the evacuation of approximately 122,000 people between 14 and 28 August 2021.
- RAF operations in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
As part of RAF force-protection activity, RAF Police supported security at Camp Bastion and provided patrol, detainee-handling, weapon-intelligence and specialist-search capabilities for frontline operations.
Outcome. The branch maintained policing and protective-security support for RAF and wider British defence activity in the theatre.
Brand decisions
2022
Creation of the Air Security Force modelStrategyBackground
The RAF undertook a broad operating-model change affecting force protection, policing and security capabilities.
Action taken
The former force-protection force was disbanded and RAF Police, the Military Provost Guard Service and associated civilian personnel were organized under the Air Security Force, commanded by the RAF Provost Marshal.
Aftermath
The new model introduced three police-and-security wings and nine capability-focused squadrons supporting RAF operational communities.
2022
Transfer of serious-crime investigation to the Defence Serious Crime UnitStrategyBackground
The RAF and other services changed how serious and complex criminal investigations were organized.
Action taken
Single-service Special Investigation Branch capabilities were amalgamated into the tri-service Defence Serious Crime Unit.
Aftermath
The RAF Police retained policing, security and other investigative responsibilities but no longer operated the former standalone RAF serious-crime branch structure.
2021
Reform of RAF Police operating arrangementsStrategyBackground
The RAF planned to replace primarily geographical arrangements with structures aligned to RAF groups and operational forces.
Action taken
Police and security headquarters and squadrons were reorganized around operational capabilities and RAF force groupings.
Aftermath
The reform continued into 2022 and formed the basis of the Air Security Force model.
Sources2 sources
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