Department of Defense police Department of Defense Police , not to be confused with Pentagon Police , are the uniformed civilian security police officers of the United States Department of Defense various branches of the United States Armed Forces ( such as the Department of the Navy ) . They are also referred to as DoD Police . The DoD Police are responsible for law enforcement and security services on DoD owned and leased buildings , facilities , properties and other DoD assets . It is important to note that " Department of Defense Police " is a catch - all phrase that refers to any civilian engaged in police duties for the Department of Defense and its component branches of the US Armed Forces . Pentagon Police . There is a DoD police agency based at the Pentagon named the United States Pentagon Police , which is part of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency . Formerly the Defense Protective Service ( DPS ) , the Pentagon Police have exclusive jurisdiction within the Pentagon Reservation and have concurrent jurisdiction with other police agencies ( state , county , and local ) in an area of approximately around the complex . Through a memorandum of understanding ( MOU ) with Arlington County , U . S . Pentagon Police Officers also possess authority , to enforce laws while on duty in Arlington County , Alexandria , the District of Columbia , and various other areas throughout the National Capital Region . Memorandums of understanding . Furthermore , memorandums of understanding ( MOUs ) that are established in agreement with either the City Police Chief or local Sheriff vary with every DoD facility . Other DoD Police facilities that have MOU agreements include DoD Police in San Francisco , CA , the Los Angeles Air Force Base DoD Police in Southern CA , and the DOD Police at the Norfolk Naval Station in Norfolk , Virginia . Similar to the aforementioned Pentagon Police , the DoD Police ( specifically , Department of the Air Force Police ) stationed on Hanscom Air Force Base in Eastern Massachusetts maintain a MOU with multiple historically significant towns ( Bedford , Lincoln , Concord , and Lexington ) . Civil service series 0083 . A DoD police officer is assigned the federal occupational series code " 0083 " , the code reserved for police and federal protective officers in the civil service . This occupational series code applies regardless of what specific agency of the Department of Defense the officer works for . Individual installations conduct the hiring process based upon local need , thus a person applying for a DoD police officer positions applies to specific installations . Some installations have detectives , which can share the same " 0083 " occupational series code as police officers or " 1811 " series as criminal investigators . These detectives investigate minor crimes that are not pursued by the special agent of each branches ' investigative agency ( such as NCIS , CID , or OSI ) . However , it is crucial to note that based upon the guidelines set forth by the United States Office of Personnel Management . Duties . A DoD Police officer can expect to perform a variety of security roles . One major function of a DoD officer is to conduct force protection duties . This often takes the form of ensuring that only authorized personnel access the installation by performing identification checks at fixed entry control points . Officers at fixed posts ensure that all entry requirements have been met before allowing an individual to proceed . DoD officers also conduct patrols within the installation . An officer can conduct traffic stops for motor vehicle violations . Each jurisdiction adopts the surrounding state ' s motor vehicle laws under the Assimilative Crimes Act ( see Federal Jurisdiction ) . There are two types of citations that may be issued : the DD Form 1408 Armed Forces Traffic Ticket , and the CVN formally known as " DD Form 1805 U . S . District Court Violation Notice " . The DD Form 1408 does not have any monetary fines associated with it and is typically use as a warning or other type of punishment . The CVN ( DD Form 1805 ) can , however , carry a monetary fine or require a mandatory appearance in U . S . District Court . DoD officers also respond to all calls for law enforcement assistance that take place within or surrounding the installation . If the crime is found to be a major felony , then the matter is generally referred to the special agents of the applicable investigative agency ( NCIS , CID , OSI , FBI , etc . ) . There are increasing opportunities for participation in specialized roles . Civilian DoD officers may serve as K - 9 officers or members of a special response team ( SRT ) . On January 2 , 2013 President Obama signed into law H . R . 4310 which clarifies in section 1089 that DoD police are qualified Police Officers and may legally carry concealed weapons . Requirements . Actual requirement vary from between service branches , agencies , and installations . There are , however , a few requirements that are nearly universal . A major requirement of any potential DoD officer is to pass a medical exam . While there is not typically an uncorrected vision requirement , candidates must have normal color vision , depth perception , and sufficiently good corrected vision . Every DoD officer is required to get and maintain a " Secret " clearance . The background investigation must show the candidate to be free of substantial debt or foreign influence . Under the Lautenberg Amendment , officers cannot have any convictions for domestic violence . Departments also require an interview with the candidate . Candidates can be required to take and pass a physical fitness test . This test could take the form of the same type of test that is issued to military members ( as in the case of Department of the Army officers ) or the so - called Illinois Agility Test , a type of obstacle course ( as in the case of some Department of the Navy officers ) . Some installations require the officer pass this test annually , something not typically required of local city or town police officers ( though they may take one in their respective academies ) . There is a great deal of variance between installations on the issue of the physical fitness test . Whether or not a candidate has to attend a DoD academy ( see " Training " section below ) depends on both the installation and the officer ' s experience . A candidate transferring from another agency who has attended a state certified or FLETC academy is occasionally excused from attending a DoD academy . Training . With the singular exception of those Officers of the Pentagon Police . DoD agency sends their officers to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center ( FLETC ) certified academies in Maryland , Missouri and Whitesands ( Fletc . gov ) . DoD Police training outside of the Department of Defense itself may or may not be standardized and each military service ( Army , Navy , & Air Force ) may choose other academies and / or training regiments that satisfy their needs and requirements . The Department of Veterans Affairs Law Enforcement Training Center ( LETC ) often serves as a training program that is able and willing to meet the training requirements for DoD Officers and their respective installations . There are also various specialized government and private entities that supply specialized training to DoD Officers on an as needed basis . Some DOD Police Officers have concurrent jurisdiction , meaning they can enforce state laws off base and the city police can enforce state laws on the base . Equipment . DoD officers wear typical police style uniforms , more often than not in a shade of dark " L . A . P . D " blue . Many installations now issue solid blue or black BDUs / TDUs for officers with cloth badges and name tapes . Badges and patches vary widely between agencies and installations . The US Navy Police is the only DOD police agency who require their civilian police in the southeastern Virginia area to wear the smaller , less expensive Navy ' s Master at Arms military uniform badges instead of the more common full size police badges . This often confuses other military members and civilians into thinking the civilian police officers are in the military . DoD officers carry pepper spray , a police baton ( typically an expandable ASP ) , a taser , handcuffs , radio , spare ammunition , latex gloves , and other commonly seen police equipment . Bulletproof vests are also issued . During higher threat conditions , officers could be equipped with Kevlar helmets and other protective equipment . The vast majority of officers working for the branches of the Armed Forces are armed with the M - 9 pistol . The military does not normally use hollow - point ammunition due to the Hague Convention of 1899 . However , some DOD Police agencies have authorization for hollow point ammunition . DOD officers can also be armed with the M11 pistol . Other firearms that may be issued include the Mossberg 500 shotgun , the M - 16 rifle , or M - 4 carbine . DoD police vehicles vary widely , with vehicles ranging from Chevy Silverado s to Ford Explorer s and even Dodge Charger s . However , most installations and agencies use the Chevy Impala or Ford Crown Victoria . Vehicles may be marked or unmarked and utilize emergency blue and red lights and sirens .