Military Police
As a Military Police Sailor, you’ll be a critical component of the Military Justice System. Your role will be to maintain military effectiveness, protect the reputation of the ADF and ensure that discipline and order is upheld at sea and ashore. You’ll also work in a variety of environments, including joint military police units, Navy shore establishments and onboard ships.
Your role will also include assessing and managing security risks to ADF assets, people and facilities. In Navy shore establishments, you’ll work as part of the emergency and incident response team combining your policing and security skills.
What you'll do
Your role involves 3 primary functions, policing, security and emergency management. Along with general policing duties and law enforcement, you’ll be trained in a range of police specific operational safety techniques including non-lethal use of force. As is the nature of policing and military service, many roles involve working outside of a normal working day.
As a sailor, you’ll learn additional skills and duties to become highly trained and efficient in supporting the whole ship. This may include ship security, firefighting team, flood repair, flight deck duties, ammunitioning, first aid or line handling.
Your duties may include:
- general duties policing and law enforcement
- crime scene preservation and management
- conducting investigations, including interviews and evidence collection
- anti-piracy, including the seizure of illicit drugs or weapons
- liaising with domestic and foreign police and authorities
- conducting prisoner and detainee handling
- security risk analysis and management
- emergency management and coordination.
You'll also perform additional general duties that support the whole ship, including:
- ship security, firefighting and replenishment at sea
- boarding party, first aid, flood repair and flight deck
- assisting with medical, ammunitioning or ceremonial duties
- shift work, or on-call duties as required.
You’ll have plenty of opportunities for progression including undergoing the Intermediate Career Course prior to promotion to Leading Seaman rank, followed by the Advanced Career Course prior to promotion to Petty Officer rank.
Opportunities for progression and upskilling continue throughout your career. As you progress, the Navy will provide you with development opportunities to assist you with your increasing leadership responsibility, as well as further education and specialised training within your chosen role. This will set you up to run a highly skilled team of sailors in a variety of tasks, both at sea and ashore.
Following training, you could be based at one of the many Navy facilities located around the country. Depending on your job, you’ll work at sea with periods spent ashore at your vessel’s home base. You’ll serve in fleet units and shore establishments, including Army and Air Force bases on a rotational basis.
Discover where the Navy operates across Australia on our base locations map.
My role is to serve and protect the Navy.
My role is to serve and protect the Navy.
Requirements and training
You must be an Australian citizen to serve in the ADF. However, Australian permanent residents may be eligible. For more details, visit the "Citizenship" tab on the Eligibility Requirements page.
You can apply for a role in the ADF from 16.5 years of age and must be at least 17 to join. The maximum age to join is 58 years.
For this role, you’ll need an Australian state or territory full, provisional or probationary C Class licence. If your licence is suspended or cancelled, you won’t be eligible until that suspension or cancellation has been lifted or has expired.
All ADF members require a security clearance. As an ADF member, you’ll need to obtain the appropriate level of security clearance for your role. You’ll need a collection of relevant information including background checks and/or interviews so the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) can make an informed assessment to ensure the protection of Government resources and information. Your Careers Coach will explain what level of clearance is required for the career you are considering.
For more information or to learn about how security clearance will apply to you, view the eligibility requirements page.
Completion of Year 10 (or equivalent) education required with passes in English and Maths. If you haven't completed Year 10 but are interested in joining, the ADF may be able to support your application.
To join the Navy, it's important that you meet the necessary medical and physical requirements. Regular exercise prior to joining will set you up for success as it is an important part of training and service life.
Once you join, Navy will support your physical conditioning to ensure you're prepared to serve. You'll also have access to chef-made meals, gyms, sports and fitness sessions run by physical training instructors. Throughout your Navy career, you’ll be expected to conduct an annual fitness test which includes a plank as well as either a beep test or run/walk or swim.
During the application process you’ll be assessed through a questionnaire about your medical history and a physical examination.
The Navy swim test
During Navy Military Training, whether heading to the New Entry Sailor Course (Recruit School) or the New Entry Officer Course, you'll need to pass a swim test wearing your uniform to graduate. This includes:
- safety jump off a 3m tower
- 10m underwater swim
- 50m swim using survival strokes
- treading water or floating for 15 minutes.
For further details on medical and physical fitness standards, refer to physical fitness standards for entry into the ADF and medical Process for entry into the ADF.
You’ll be enlisted for an Initial Minimum Period of Service (IMPS) of 2 years. Subsequent periods of service may be offered subject to the requirements of the ADF and your suitability for further service. You’ll have a Careers Coach who can advise on how IMPS will relate to your chosen occupation and personal situation.
You may request discharge at any time provided you do not have an outstanding IMPS obligation.
Course: New Entry Sailor Course (NESC)
Duration: 10 weeks
Location: Recruit School at HMAS Cerberus, Vic
You’ll conduct your initial sailor training at the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Recruit School prior to commencing specific category training. The NESC course is designed to prepare you to conduct basic duties as a sailor.
NESC Course
- Physical fitness: General fitness and the Navy swim test.
- Military life: General service knowledge including drill and ceremonial procedures.
- Specialty skills: Weapons training, workplace safety, first aid and sailing.
- Navy skills: Seamanship, corrosion control, survival at sea and fire and flood control.
After successfully completing all components of the course, you’ll participate in a Graduation Parade to mark the occasion. You’ll have the opportunity to invite family and friends to view the parade.
On completion of your NESC course, you’ll proceed to your respective employment training.
Course: Initial Seamanship Course
Duration: 2 weeks
Location: Maritime Skills Training Centre, HMAS Cerberus, Vic
Training covers all aspects of basic seamanship, including:
- launch and recovery of sea boats
- working with all types of cordage and understanding the characteristics and splicing techniques of these materials
- use and maintenance of most forms of rigging, blocks, slips and shackles
- maintenance of ships and boats anchors and cables and acting as a member of a ship's cable party
- major seamanship taskings including replenishment at sea, Refuelling and Stores (RAS) and towing
- a working knowledge of a ship’s organisation, routines, line handling and erecting awnings
- Watch On Deck (WOD) duties, including lookouts, Quarter Master Assistant (QMA), life buoy sentry and helmsperson (steering the ship) skills.
Course: Military Police Initial Employment Training Program
Duration: 16 weeks
Location: Defence Force School of Police, Lamia Barracks, Holsworthy, NSW
Phase 1: Common Phase
Training includes:
- ADF legislation and jurisdiction
- law enforcement
- patrolling
- crime prevention
- operational safety skills techniques, service pistol and non-lethal use of force
- traffic management, accidents and speed detection.
Phase 2: Military Police Investigator Phase
Training includes:
- minor criminal investigations
- investigative interviewing (cognitive interviewing and conversation management)
- photography
- investigative briefs of evidence.
Phase 3: Naval Police Coxswains Basic Phase
Training includes:
- maintenance of unit level discipline
- prosecution of service offences
- alcohol testing
- prohibited substance testing.
Intermediate Career Course
Prior to promotion to Leading Seaman rank, you’ll be required to undergo another level of training to prepare for the roles and responsibilities of Leading Seaman in Joint Policing, security and Maritime Operations.
Advanced Career Course
Prior to promotion to Petty Officer rank, you’ll be required to undergo further training to prepare for the roles and responsibilities of a Senior Sailor in Joint Policing, Security and Maritime Operations.
Sub-Specialist Options:
Investigator Stream Option
At the Leading Seaman rank, you can apply for specialisation as an ADF Investigator. Selection is by merit and advanced investigative training is provided to conduct investigations into serious, sensitive and complex matters domestically and overseas. Further specialisation training is subsequently available, such as forensics, fraud and crime scene management.
Commissioning Pathways
At various stages throughout the Naval Police Coxswain Sailor mastery career pathway, opportunities exist to Commission to Naval Police Coxswain Officer. As an officer, you’ll lead the Navy and ADF Military Police (MP) community in the delivery of policing, security and emergency management tasks domestically and in operations.
You’ll have the ability to apply for a variety of tertiary education in relation to police, security and intelligence.