The Police Force of Montserrat was a division of the Leeward Islands Police Force, which served Antigua, St Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla, Montserrat and the British Virgin Islands, with Headquarters in Antigua. The Leeward Islands Colony was dissolved in 1959 and the Montserrat Police Force became a division of the Antigua, Montserrat, and British Virgin Islands Police Force. The Royal Title was bestowed on the force in 1966, and The Royal Montserrat Police Service became autonomous on the 27 February 1967. Between the years 1967 and 2007 there was one Chief of Police and ten Commissioners of Police from countries such as United Kingdom, Guyana, St Kitts-Nevis and even native islanders. The police service also ran a football team that played in the Montserrat Championship, the top level of football on the island. They were the most successful club winning the league four times. The RMPS celebrated its 50th anniversary in February 2017, having been disbanded from the Leeward Islands Police Force in 1967.
Structure and Duties
The RMPS is a civilian, local police force and has authority to uphold the Queen's peace throughout the territory. The RMPS website states that their duty is:
The RMPS employs Special Constables to assist regular constables, or to act as specialists and support regulars on 'Special Duty Police Assignments', if necessary.
Uniform
The uniform of the RMPS follows that of a typical British Caribbean Overseas Territory and thus incorporates typical British police and military customs and pieces of uniform. The uniform of the RMPS can be roughly divided into several categories:
Formal Dress
This is worn for the most formal of occasions, such as police pass-out/graduation parades: Males
Pith helmet with chinstrap
White tunic with silver buttons and a high standing collar
Black belt with silver front buckle and bayonet scabbard
Black trousers with silver/white piping on the sides
White gloves
Black polished shoes/boots.
Females
Bowler cap
White tunic with silver buttons and an open collar, with white shirt & black tie worn underneath
Black belt with silver front buckle and bayonet scabbard
Black skirt with silver/white piping on the sides, worn with stockings
White gloves
Black polished shoes.
For all Constables, no rank insignia is worn, but 'collar numbers' are worn on the breast/chest. Rifles, typically the No. 4 Lee Enfield or Self Loading Rifle are carried when on formal parades by junior ranks. A police whistle on a chain is carried in the top left pocket, with the chain connected to a button. Officers with the rank of Sergeant wear a dark blue shoulder sash over the right shoulder and three chevrons on the arm. Sergeants may carry either a pace stick, or swagger cane/stick. Officers with the rank of Inspector and above, carry swords in place of rifles, as is customary in British Overseas Territories police services and Commonwealth police and military forces. A cross belt, with rear pouch, in black is worn, as well as a sword sling and scabbard to house the sword when sheathed.
Everyday Dress
For general police duties a simpler uniform is worn, but keeping the main parts of the police uniform. Males
Stone/grey coloured shirt with black plain epaulettes, silver buttons and whistle on chain. The collar number is worn on the right chest.
Black trousers
Black shoes and boots.
Females
Black bowler cap with RMPS capbadge
Stone/grey coloured shirt with black plain epaulettes, silver buttons and whistle on chain. The collar number is interestingly worn on the right chest.
Black skirts
Black shoes and boots.
For traffic duties, yellow high-visibility jackets may be worn.
Bush Jacket
For males and females, there is both a white and a grey 'bush jacket', which is a more relaxed and longer form of the tunic. This uniform is often worn by senior officers, when not on formal parade. For males) it is worn without a belt, with an open collar, lanyard on the left side and no undershirt and either black or grey trousers.
Marine Unit uniform
Because of the very different nature of its duties, the Marine Unit wears a different uniform when carrying out such duties:
If any medals have been awarded, the medal ribbon is worn the left breast of most shirts, bush jackets and tunics. The medals themselves are only generally worn on formal occasions. Rank is worn in every order of dress, although for constables, there is no actual insignia. Senior officers wear them on the shoulder and Sergeants wear them on the sleeve. For females it is the same, but with a waist belt and the trousers are swapped for a skirt. The headdress and footwear are a peaked and smaller peaked cap.
