Security police usually describes a law enforcement agency which focuses primarily on providing security and law enforcement services to particular areas or specific properties. They may be employed by governmental, public, or private institutions. Security police are generally considered distinct from security guards as security police personnel typically hold some level of law enforcement authority. The exact powers held by security police vary widely between jurisdictions. Examples of these types of agencies include the United States' DoD Police and FBI Police, the Indian Central Industrial Security Force, and the British Civil Nuclear Constabulary.
In some countries, security police is the name given to the secret security and intelligence services charged with protecting the state at the highest level, including responsibilities such as personal protection of the head of state, counterintelligence, and counter-terrorism. Examples of these agencies include the Japanese Security Police and the Georgian Security Police Department.
Types of security police agencies Types of security police may include:
Airport police, who provide law enforcement and security services to airports Campus police and school police, who provide law enforcement and security services to specific public and private schools, colleges, universities, and other educational institutions Housing authority police, who primarily protect publicly-owned housing or housing projects Hospital police, who provide law enforcement and security services to specific medical institutions and their facilities and properties Park police and park rangers, who primarily protect parks facilities and their grounds Capitol police, who protect state properties such as legislative, executive buildings, state/national capitol buildings, and their grounds, and can also include executive protection functions Company police and private police, who provide law enforcement and security services on company or private property (working either directly for the company/private entity or for a third-party entity which provides law enforcement services by contract), where local law permits private organizations to establish their own law enforcement agencies
Generally, any law enforcement agency dedicated to the security of a particular property or properties may be considered a security police agency.
Security police powers and authority Security police differ from security guards in that personnel of security police agencies are considered law enforcement officers, while security guards generally are not. Even where security guards hold some form of policing powers beyond that of the average individual they are not generally considered "security police." The powers and authority of security police vary by jurisdiction, but at a minimum they generally hold detainment and arrest powers.
Some security police agencies enjoy enhanced authority in certain circumstances. For example, the Belfast Harbour Police of Northern Ireland may, in addition to having authority to enforce the law of Northern Ireland and of the United Kingdom, enforce the Belfast Harbour Commissioners’ by-laws.
Security police are generally trained to a similar — if not identical — standard as other law enforcement officers of their nation, though standards do vary widely between jurisdictions.
Security police around the world Australia The RAAF Security Police is responsible for base security and policing the RAAF and they work closely with the Airfield Defence Guards. The Military Working Dog Unit also provides a further security function.
Most state police force in Australia employs a team of officers known as Protective Services Officers (PSOs). Stationed in and around public or government buildings, these PSOs are armed (to varying degrees) and wear slightly different uniforms. They are also called upon by regular police officers if the need arises. They generally undergo training at the state police college and share many resources. Some police officers have used the PSO path as a stepping stone to their current roles.
In New South Wales, an armed internal unit of the New South Wales Police Force is staffed by special constables who hold identical powers and immunities of police officers at the rank of constable. Special constables wear similar uniforms to police officers, carry arms and appointments and are issued warrant cards and badges. Special constables provide security services to select government and police complexes.
Germany The Polizei beim Deutschen Bundestag (Polizei DBT, commonly known as Bundestagspolizei) is the smallest and least known police agency in Germany. It is responsible for the protection of the premises of the Bundestag in Berlin. Because the chief of the Bundestagspolizei is the president of the Bundestag (Federal Parliament of Germany) and not the minister of the interior, it can not be called a federal police agency. The number of their officers is not published yet. The Bundestagspolizei recruit their staff from all German police agencies.
Hong Kong A special division of the Hong Kong Police Force, known as the Airport Security Unit (ASU), has been engaged by airports in Hong Kong (HK), to provide security services. These personnel have higher fitness standards and are issued with heavier firepower, than ordinary HK police officers.
India The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) is the primary federal security police agency of India. It has a strength of more than 365,000 personnel and is responsible for protecting over 300 government industries, 66 of the 137 civilian airports of India and all the 13 major seaports of India. It also protects the Delhi Metro, the Visva-Bharti University, certain Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) buildings and 11 private establishments. In addition to this, it also provides consultancy services for more than 150 government and private establishments.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) is responsible for protecting the Indian Railways and ensuring safety of citizens in trains. It has a strength of around 75,000 officers.
The Defence Security Corps (DSC) protects military installations and property belonging to the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
In addition, many states may have their own police units or government agencies responsible for providing security for industries not protected by the CISF. These include various State Industrial Security Forces (SISF).
Japan
In Japan, security police, also known as "SP" are law enforcement officers that provide security for domestic and foreign dignitaries. Their role in dignitary protection is similar to that of the United States Secret Service.
Malaysia
The Royal Malaysia Police are generally responsible for protecting and policing the airports, seaports and government sites in Malaysia. Unlike several other countries, there is no state police for individual states.
Portugal The () is a small security police force responsible for protecting several of the facilities of the Portuguese Navy, including the navy central administration buildings, the Lisbon Naval Base and the Navy Museum.
The Navy Establishments Police is a non-military service, in contrast with the Naval Police (Polícia Naval) which is the Portuguese Navy's military police.
South Africa During the 1960s the South African Security Police were known for detaining and interrogating members of the public, often leading to the victims death or disappearance, especially in the height of the Apartheid era.
Sri Lanka During the 1990s the Sri Lanka Police created a sub unit with its members known as police security assistants. They were mostly limited to protection of police and governmental facilities.
Sweden
An ordningsvakt (”order-guard”) is a person deputized by the Swedish Police Authority to act as a law enforcement officer with limited police powers. Their main mission is to assist in maintaining public order.
An ordningsvakt may carry a baton, firearm, and handcuffs, may use a police dog, and is authorized to use force if necessary to maintain order. An ordningsvakt may reject, remove and, if necessary, detain, a person who disturbs the public order in his area of responsibility. He may also detain persons suffering from alcohol intoxication, seize alcoholic beverages, make a citizen's arrest (as everyone else), seize evidence after a citizen's arrest, and search a detained person. Detained persons and evidence are to be turned over to the police, who has a general command authority over him. An ordningsvakt carries a special badge, and, since 2012, wears a standardized uniform (irrespective of employer)."Ordningsvakter." Polisen. Retrieved 2018-02-12.
In February 2021, there were 7,830 persons deputized as ordningsvakter in Sweden. Of these, about 4,100 were employed by security companies while the rest had personal assignments from private or public clients. Previously, the assignments were mostly on a persona basis keeping public order at public events of a short duration such as soccer games and dances.
Nowadays they also serve as employees of security firms on a permanent basis in the Stockholm Metro, in courts and at public meetings in municipalities and regions.Government of Sweden (2021). En ny lag om ordningsvakter m.m. (SOU SOU 2021:38). Stockholm, p. 53. The number of sworn police officers in Sweden were at about the same time 20,942. "Ny statistik visar på rekordnivåer av antalet polisanställda." Regeringskansliet. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
Taiwan The special police (保安警察, Bao-an Jingcha) is known as the Security Police of Taiwan.
United Kingdom
Northern Ireland The Northern Ireland Security Guard Service (not to be confused with MOD Police or MPGS) is a civilian armed guard service in which all civilian security officers are armed. They provide security at Ministry of Defence establishments in Northern Ireland.
The Belfast International Airport Constabulary is a small, armed, specialised police force responsible for policing Belfast International Airport, Northern Ireland.
United States In the United States, the laws concerning peace officers vary widely from federal / state / city. Each state legislature with approval from the governor has the ability to modify the powers of peace officers in their state through legislation.
Federal Most of the federal government's uniformed police officers are security police who primarily serve to protect federal property and personnel. An example is the Federal Protective Service who protect federal buildings and the various agencies of the Department of Defense Police in protecting military installations and properties.
By states Some major cities such as Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco and Boston have a security police service separate from their city police. These may be employees of a public agency or private contractors.
California In California, peace officer powers are granted by the California Penal Code under a number of different code sections. Cities, counties and special districts are authorized to form their own law enforcement agencies. Peace officer training is regulated by a state agency, Peace Officer Standards and Training or POST. This training can consist of as little as a 40-hour PC 832 course (for park rangers, probation officers or fire investigators who might make an arrest in the course of their duties), or as much as a 700-hour POST Basic Academy (for entry level peace officers).