page_title: History of the Ministry of Defence Police
section_title: 1974: Female police officers
hierarchical_section_title: History of the Ministry of Defence Police / Ministry of Defence Police / 1974: Female police officers
caption_attribution_description: English: Female MDP officer with SA80A2
context_page_description: The Ministry of Defence Police in the United Kingdom can trace its origins back to 1686, and has gone through a number of evolutions over the centuries to achieve its present-day form. Until late 1965, the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force were controlled by separate departments: the Board of Admiralty, the Army Board and the Air Ministry respectively, each had its own Cabinet Minister. In that year it was decided that the three services should be placed under the control of one Minister of State for Defence, and the present Ministry of Defence was formed.
  The oldest centrally controlled military force in Britain is the Royal Navy; it was in 1686 that Samuel Pepys instigated a force of civilians to protect the Royal Naval dockyards. Although it wasn't until the early 19th century that Great Britain had an organised civilian police force, in 1834 the Royal Navy Dockyards were given their own uniformed police service.
  As Britain's armed forces became more centrally organised in the late 19th century, other service establishments were allocated a police presence.
context_section_description: Despite HDPFs having female police officers since 1915, there were no female police officers in the MDP until 1974.
  In that year two female sergeants transferred into the MDP, one from Strathclyde Police and one from British Airports Police.
  The first four female MDP recruits started their training on recruit course in January 1975. Skirts and tunics had to be made to measure for them as there was no stock of female uniforms held. They were issued with truncheons, but they found that they had no pockets to put them in. At this time trousers were not issued to female officers and rent allowance was only paid at half rate.
  The present day force has over 340 female officers.
caption: Female MDP Officer on duty with L85A1 Assault Rifle
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