NATO Military Police Centre of Excellence

In December 2009 the Chief of General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces declared to the Supreme Allied Command Transformation (SACT) the initiative of creating on the territory of Poland a Military Police Centre of Excellence. Responding to the offer, the Commander of the Allied Command Transformation (ACT) accepted the concept for the NATO MP COE, with Poland as the Framework Nation. The MP COE will be an independent International Military Organization which will be open to all NATO countries and PfP countries. By the definition the COEs are predominantly multinationally sponsored organizations that provide NATO with a tool to enhance interoperability in specific areas. The COEs operate as independent centres under the direction and guidance of the Steering Committee. The Centres are not in the C2 of the NATO Command Structure. HQ SACT`s Transformation Network Branch (TNB) is responsible for the coordination of the Centre and for providing the centre with the annual Request for Support on behalf of NATO. The COEs provide tangible improvement to NATO and Nations by developing new capabilities. The Centres do not duplicate any existing NATO core functionalities and competences, but may improve and expand the capacities that already exist within NATO Command Arrangement. The NATO MP COE will conform to appropriate NATO procedures, doctrines and standards. It can put forward improvements and propose amendments to doctrines, procedures and standards. The COEs, in their Programme of Work, are focused on transformation and interoperability. They are platforms for expertise, subject matter experts and cohesive organizations to experiment, prepare, develop and disseminate products of experience of Alliance`s troops on every level. Their level of work ranges from tactical up to strategic level and they work to establish a common multinational or joint perspective in their areas of interest. COEs are co-ordinated by SACT in a supporting network, thereby encouraging internal and external information exchange to the benefit of the Alliance. SACT`s subordinate entities will participate in this network as well as in other networks. Moreover specialists or subject matter experts are included in the network. A close relationship between the COE and the appropriate agencies, schools of non-NATO countries and external entities is highly desirable in order to avoid duplication of effort and to fully profit from the synergy that can be reached by working in close harmony. Poland has offered to establish the Military Police Centre of Excellence in order to enhance the NATO`s military police or gendarmerie interoperability. Poland will be the Framework Nation. The future MP COE will be located in Bydgoszcz. The COE mission is to enhance the MP capability of NATO and its member Nations in order to support military transformation, the SNs and other customers, thus improving the Alliance`s interoperability in the field of MP. The NATO MP COE will harmonize its mission with the efforts of other national and NATO entities in enhancing the MP capabilities. In order to enhance NATO`s capabilities in the field of MP, the following products and services are envisioned:

Doctrine and Concept Development
Education and Training
Research and Development
Analysis and Lessons Learned
Consultation

COEs will maintain relationship with SCs, NATO Agencies, NATO Schools. These relationships are to be managed by the Sponsoring Nation(s), keeping SACT informed and taking security aspects into account. The Director of the MP COE will be subordinated only to the Steering Committee which consists of Framework Nation, Sponsor Nations and HQ SACT representatives (a SACT representative is only an observer and advisor with no rights to vote). The MP COE will work in close cooperation with SACT through Transformation Network Coordination Cell and will support national military police or gendarmerie.