Arresting reopening for MPs

Contact: MPs conduct a fighting withdrawal during a capability demonstration at Gallipoli Barracks.

Unveiling: CO 1 MP Bn Lt-Col Cheryl Pearce and Maj Damien Hick do the honours at the official reopening of Williams Lines. Photos by WO2 Graham McBean

By WO2 Graham McBean

MODERN military police capabilities took centre stage as part of the official reopening of Williams Lines at Gallipoli Barracks as a purposedesigned military police facility.

Past and present “red hats” took in the specialist capabilities of 4 MP Coy to welcome home the disparate elements of the company to a single central location.

Specialist 4 MP Coy roles such as its close personal protection capability and the Army’s military working dogs took centre stage along with the traditional roles of traffic control, SIB and defensive policing tactics.

OC 4 MP Coy Major Damien Hick said the facility was purpose-built for the military police in 1984, but restructures throughout the 1990s ultimately meant that the facility was shared with 1JSU.

Maj Hick said he owed much to CO 1JSU Lt-Col Dan Webster, who had agreed to relocate signals elements to allow the return of MP platoons.

“I could have asked for this as much as I wanted, but without [Lt-Col Webster’s] assistance this wouldn’t have happened,” Maj Hick said.

“He understood the dilemma I was in by having three separate components on the barracks and I would like to thank him and the members of his unit as well.”

The facility is named after Lt-Col John Williams, the first Provost Marshal of the 1st AIF. CO 1 MP Bn Lt-Col Cheryl Peace and Maj Hick unveiled the facility in his name.

Lt-Col Pearce said the corps had evolved in the past 21 years – including the raising of 1 MP Bn – and had central roles in the present operational climate that often didn’t get visibility in the wider Defence community.

It has MPs with Secdet in Baghdad and one member with the AMTG in Al Mathunna.