Military police battalions (BPM) are combat units belonging to the military police of the

National People's Army The National People's Army (german: Nationale Volksarmee, ; NVA ) were the armed forces of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) from 1956 to 1990. The NVA was organized into four branches: the (Ground Forces), the (Navy), the (Air Force) an ...

(ANP) in

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...

History

The military police have existed since the establishment of the

(ANP) in 1962, and these units were the basis of the small units in all regiments. These units at the base were to stand guard at the regimental level, and their main purpose was to hunt down recalcitrant conscripts who deserted or sought to escape from national service, and they also had the task of maintaining law and order within the regiments. However, they do not have judicial power, which is reserved for the national gendarmerie. From the beginning of the 1990s, the ANP established its first military police battalions, the 85th, the 90th BPM in Beni-Messous, and 93rd. Their men are also trained at the ESTS in Biskra. The military police units were anti-terrorist units, like the Serbian or former Yugoslavia military police units. These three units were part of the ''Centre de conduite et de coordination des actions de lutte anti-subversive'' (CCC/ALAS, or, abbreviated, CLAS) during the 1990s and have participated on a large scale in the fight against Islamic extremists. Today military police units protect and secure installations and organise and move large combat units.

Structure

Military police battalions are present at each headquarters in the military region. They also provide security at the level of the six military courts and are attached to the Directorate of Military Justice. There are ten military police battalions, or one per military region, but the largest military regions have several battalions. In addition, the BPMs work jointly with the transport and road control regiments, such as the 571éme Régiment de Contrôle Routier and all regiments of all corps that need an escort for manoeuvres or other activity. List of Military Police Battalions (''Battalions de police militaire'', BPM): * 90th BPM, 1st Military Region ( Beni-Messous) * 91st BPM, 1st Military Region (

Blida Blida ( ar, البليدة; Tamazight: Leblida) is a city in Algeria. It is the capital of Blida Province, and it is located about 45 km south-west of Algiers, the national capital. The name ''Blida'', i.e. ''bulaydah'', is a diminutive ...

) * 92nd BPM, 2nd Military Region (

Oran Oran ( ar, وَهران, Wahrān) is a major coastal city located in the north-west of Algeria. It is considered the second most important city of Algeria after the capital Algiers, due to its population and commercial, industrial, and cultural ...

) * 93rd BPM, 3rd Military Region (

Béchar Béchar ( ar, بشار) is the capital city of Béchar Province, Algeria. It is also a commune, coextensive with Béchar District, of Béchar Province. In 2008 the city had a population of 165,627, up from 134,954 in 1998, with an annual growth ...

) * 94th BPM, 4th Military Region (

Biskra Biskra ( ar, بسكرة ; ; Latin Vescera) is the capital city of Biskra Province, Algeria. In 2007, its population was recorded as 307,987. Biskra is located in northeastern Algeria, about 248 miles (400 km) from Algiers, 71 miles (115&nbs ...

) * 95th BPM, 5th Military Region (

Constantine Constantine most often refers to: * Constantine the Great, Roman emperor from 306 to 337, also known as Constantine I *Constantine, Algeria, a city in Algeria Constantine may also refer to: People * Constantine (name), a masculine given name ...

) * 96th BPM, 2nd Military Region (

Tlemcen Tlemcen (; ar, تلمسان, translit=Tilimsān) is the second-largest city in northwestern Algeria after Oran, and capital of the Tlemcen Province. The city has developed leather, carpet, and textile industries, which it exports through the por ...

) * 97th BPM, ''4e Region militaire'' (

Ghardaïa Ghardaïa ( ar, غرداية, Mzab-Berber: ''Taɣerdayt'') is the capital city of Ghardaïa Province, Algeria. The commune of Ghardaïa has a population of 93,423 according to the 2008 census, up from 87,599 in 1998, with an annual growth rate ...

) (may be a 'fantome' or 'shadow' unit) * 98th BPM, ''6e Region militaire'' (

Tamanrasset Tamanrasset (; ar, تامنراست), also known as Tamanghasset or Tamenghest, is an oasis city and capital of Tamanrasset Province in southern Algeria, in the Ahaggar Mountains. It is the chief city of the Algerian Tuareg. It is located an alt ...

) * 99th BPM, 1st RM (

Chlef Chlef ( ar, الشلف, Berber: Clef) is the capital of Chlef Province, Algeria. Located in the north of Algeria, west of the capital, Algiers, it was founded in 1843, as Orléansville, on the ruins of Roman ''Castellum Tingitanum''. In 1962, i ...

)

Tasks

The military police provide security and law enforcement within the regiments of the National People's Army (NPA). Its action is limited only to the army and the military. The missions of the military police battalions are : * Security of military infrastructure * Protection of officers and VIPs * The management of military prisoners, prisoners of war and deserters * Traffic control and supply * Regimental Guard * The search for individuals * The hunt and search for deserters * The fight against terrorism * Commandos actions (in times of war)

Weapons and equipment

Armament

The soldiers of the BPMs are equipped with the basic equipment of the Algerian army units, namely:

Handgun

Caracal The caracal (''Caracal caracal'') () is a medium-sized wild cat native to Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and arid areas of Pakistan and northwestern India. It is characterised by a robust build, long legs, a short face, long tufted e ...

Assault rifle

AKMS The AKM () is an assault rifle designed by Soviet small arms designer Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1959. It is the most ubiquitous rifle of the Kalashnikov rifles. It was developed as a replacement to the AK-47 introduced a decade prior. Introduced ...

AKM The AKM () is an assault rifle designed by Soviet small arms designer Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1959. It is the most ubiquitous rifle of the Kalashnikov rifles. It was developed as a replacement to the AK-47 introduced a decade prior. Introduc ...

Machine gun

RPD RPD may refer to: People * Robert Prentiss Daniel, American psychologist * Rahul Peter Das, German professor * Rajendra Prasad Das, Indian archaeologist * Royal Page Davidson, American scholar * Richard Paul Davies, English priest * Richard Pe ...

RPK The RPK (russian: Ручной пулемёт Калашникова/РПК, Ruchnoy Pulemyot Kalashnikova, link=no, English: "Kalashnikov hand-held machine gun"), sometimes retroactively termed the RPK-47, is a Soviet 7.62×39mm light machine ...

* PKM

Precision rifle

* Zatsava M93 Black Arrow *

SVD ''Svenska Dagbladet'' (, "The Swedish Daily News"), abbreviated SvD, is a daily newspaper published in Stockholm, Sweden. History and profile The first issue of ''Svenska Dagbladet'' appeared on 18 December 1884. During the beginning of the ...

Shotgun

* SR 202P

Others

* RPG 7 *

Tonfa The ''tonfa'' ( Okinawan: , lit. ''old man's staff'' / ''"crutch"''), also spelled as ''tongfa'' or ''tuifa'', also known as T-baton is a melee weapon with its origins in the armed component of Okinawan martial arts. It consists of a stick ...

Tear gas Tear gas, also known as a lachrymator agent or lachrymator (), sometimes colloquially known as "mace" after the early commercial aerosol, is a chemical weapon that stimulates the nerves of the lacrimal gland in the eye to produce tears. In ad ...

Handcuffs Handcuffs are Physical restraint, restraint devices designed to secure an individual's wrists in proximity to each other. They comprise two parts, linked together by a Link chain, chain, a hinge, or rigid bar. Each cuff has a rotating arm whi ...

Individual equipment

* DPM lattice of the Algerian army * Algerian army uniforms * Rangers *

Bullet-proof vest A bulletproof vest, also known as a ballistic vest or a bullet-resistant vest, is an item of body armor that helps absorb the impact and reduce or stop penetration to the torso from firearm-fired projectiles and fragmentation from explosions. ...

* Tactical vest * Armband (or it is written on it "PM" or "Military Police" with the battalion insignia) * Spectra helmet (white, or with a white coloured military police band) * Radio * Walkie-talkie * Decorative elements (white fodder, white belt, white holster, white overshoes, white sleeves...) * Grey and red white high-visibility vest (where it is written "Military Police" or "PM") * Cap * Black biker outfit with helmet (for bikers)

Vehicles

Mercedes-Benz G-Class The Mercedes-Benz G-Class, sometimes colloquially called the G-Wagen (as an abbreviation of Geländewagen) is a four-wheel drive automobile manufactured by Magna Steyr (formerly Steyr-Daimler-Puch) in Austria and sold by Mercedes-Benz. Originall ...

(in 4x4 and troop carrier configuration and radio) *

Land Rover Defender The Land Rover Defender (initially introduced as the Land Rover 110 / One Ten, and in 1984 joined by the Land Rover 90 / Ninety, plus the new, extra-length Land Rover 127 in 1985) is a series of British off-road cars and pickup trucks. They c ...

(in 4X4 and troop transport and radio configuration) *

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is a light commercial vehicle (van) built by Mercedes-Benz Group AG of Stuttgart, Germany as a large van, chassis cab, minibus, and pickup truck. In the past, the Sprinter had been sold under the Mercedes-Benz, Dod ...

* SNVI M120, M230 and M260 * Mercedes-Benz Unimog, Zetros and Actros * BMW R 1150 R

References

{{reflist Military units and formations of Algeria

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...