Regimental Police Regimental Police ( RP ) , sometimes called Regimental Provost Staff , are soldiers responsible for regimental discipline enforcement and unit custody in the British Army , some other Commonwealth armies and some armed forces structured in the British tradition . They belong to the regiment or corps which they police instead of to the Royal Military Police or its equivalent . United Kingdom . Most Army battalion s and regiment s and the Royal Marines Commandos have an RP section , usually headed by the Regimental Provost Sergeant , who operates under the authority of the Regimental Sergeant Major ( RSM ) . They are normally responsible for the maintenance of good order and military discipline , with more serious offences being passed to the specialists of the Royal Military Police . Members of a regiment ' s Provost Section can be identified by the brassard s they wear , which carry the letters " RP " . Unlike Service Police , RPs carry no warrant card ; however , they do have the power to arrest soldiers of the same or lesser rank under the Army Act 1955 . Singapore . The roles of the Regimental Policemen in the Singapore Armed Forces are similar , in that they too enforce discipline and are responsible for the security of the base they are assigned to . RPs are usually Full - time National Servicemen , and are be broadly divided into two different groups . Army Regimental Policemen usually work office - hours ( 8am - 5pm ) . The responsibility of night security is usually assigned to the unit ' s guard duty personnel , although a Duty RP may stay on in a supervisory role . Depending on the individual soldier ' s medical and combat rating , an Army RP may be allowed to guard the gate with rifle and live ammunition , or with just a baton and shield . Army RP training takes two weeks and formerly , it was held at the Military Police Training School ( MPTS ) , but now , it is held at the 2 PDF Training Centre . Air Force and Navy RPs are called Field Defence Troopers , and are organized at the squadron level . In contrast to Army Regimental Policemen , Field Defence Squadron ( FDS ) troopers have much higher appointments and responsibilities . Trainees undertake the three - month Field Defence Course ( FDC ) , which includes rigorous physical and mental training , as well as teaching advanced security and fighting techniques . They are trained in small arms , less - lethal weaponry and crew - served weapons . In the final theory exam in FDC , trainees must pass the Military Security Knowledge Exam ( MSKE ) in order to pass out . FD Squadrons are organized at the battalion level during wartime , and normally field reinforced company - sized units . In both cases , military installations with higher security requirements are normally assisted by Military Policemen seconded from the Singapore Armed Forces Military Police Command , who have greater powers of arrest and detention . These MPs operate in a manner dependent on the local base security , carrying out normal duties within the unit according to their rank , or deployed solely to perform access control into the base at key entry points . Members of the Regimental police are always dressed in battle fatigues when on official duty and wear an armband , with the letters " RP " in orange . Belgium . Most units at battalion level have a small Regimental Police detachment . In the Belgian forces , duties tend to be limited to providing access control and ensuring general base security during normal working hours , with special security teams taking over out of hours . Belgian Regimental Police belong to the unit they police and wear a black brassard bearing the red letters ' RP ' on the left upper arm together with a white webbing belt .