Myanmar Police Force

The Police Force in Myanmar have an extensive history; the police force also includes local police and regional police in different jurisdictions.

The primary police force in British Burma was the Burma Police. In addition, there was a paramilitary Burma Military Police, the Railway Police, and the Rangoon Town Police. From roughly 1891, most executive positions within the Burma Police were filled by members of the Indian Imperial Police cadre.

In 1872 the third mayor of Mergui District, Sir Ashly Din (1870–1875) assigned the first police officer to be stationed at Maliwan, a village 24 miles north of current Victoria Point.

Perhaps the most famous policeman in Burma from this period is the author George Orwell, who in 1922 joined the Indian Imperial Police in Burma. Another famous colonial policeman in Burma was Hector Hugh Munro, known as Saki.

 

On 16 March 1988 following the killing of two students during the pro-democracy demonstrations, students marching on Prome Road were confronted near Inya Lake by the security force riot police and many beaten to death or drowned.

Despite controversies and corruption accusations, the Burmese police and the Home Affairs Ministry play an important role in the country, solving numerous crimes.

 

The national police are made up of several smaller entities, including

• Myanmar Railways Police
• Intelligence division

The current director general of Myanmar Police Force is Major General Zin Min Htet with its headquarters in Naypyidaw. Its command structure is based on established civil jurisdictions. Under the command of police headquarters, state and region police forces have been established in respective territories of states and divisions with headquarters in their capital cities.^[3]

There are 14 state and divisional police forces and three additional state/division police forces commanded by police brigadiers or colonels. Their jurisdictions are divided according to the Civil Administration. The states and divisions, additional states have the same status.

Each state and divisional police force consist of four components.

• Office of the Commander of the State and Divisional Police Force
• Office of the Commander of the District Police Force
• Office of the Commander of the Township Police Force
• Police Stations

In previous time, the district police forces are classified into two classes depending on the area, population and development, namely A and B Class. Commanders of the A Class District Police Forces are police lieutenant colonels, and B Classes are police majors, but there is no classification and all districts assigned with lieutenant colonel. Commanders of township police forces are police majors, and police station officers are police captains.

There are four Special Departments, in which the first ten departments are headed by the police brigadier generals and the remaining two are by police colonels.

• Security Police Force
• Border Guard Police Force
• Special Intelligence Department (Special Branch)
• Criminal Investigation Department (CID)
• Railways Police Department
• Anti-human Trafficking Police Force
• Maritime Police force
• Aviation Police Force
• Drug Enforcement Division
• Financial Investigation force
• Myanmar Traffic Police
• Tourist Security Police Force
• Oil Field Security Police Force
• Forestry Security Police Force
• Highway Police Force
• Municipal Police Department

There are three main Training Centers, one Central Training Institute of Myanmar Police Force and Three Police Training Depots. The State and Divisional Police Forces have their own training centres for refresher courses and Junior Leader (NCO) Courses.

Bachelor's degree holders from Distance Learning University were disqualified from sitting the SIP exam. Thus vast numbers of Bachelor holding police personal were concerned for their future.

The No.1 Police Training Depot is commanded by a Police Lieutenant Colonel and undertakes:

The No.2 Police Training Depot is also commanded by a Police Lieutenant Colonel, and undertakes only Basic Training Course for Constables, which normally takes around 6 months to complete.

The Taung Lay Lone Police Training Depot is commanded by a Police Lieutenant Colonel and undertakes:

There are sixteen Police Battalions to carry out general security duties under the command of Battalion Control Command. The Battalion Commandants are Police Lieutenant Colonels. As the populace of the cities including Yangon and Mandalay have been increased day after day, problems on social, economy and politics are risen up that could lead to emergence of civil unrest and sabotage. It is necessary to prevent from destruction and harassment, VIP and project factories and workshops, security of diplomats and their embassies. Seven of these Police Battalions are situated in the Yangon Divisional areas and two in Mandalay and three in Arakan, one in Sagaing, one in Mon State, one in Pegu, one in Prome.

These specially-trained and combat capable battalions are formed with personnel from former Riot Security Police, better known as "Lon Htein" Units. Each battalion consists of 500+ personnel and these battalions are supported by two support battalions, which include signal and medical units. These battalions structure are similar to that of Army's Light Infantry Battalions and they are subordinate to their respective Regional Military Commands.^[1]

• 1st Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Hlawga)
• 2nd Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Maungtaw)
• 3rd Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Shwemyayar)
• 4th Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Shwesaryan)
• 5th Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Hmawbi)
• 6th Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Shwepyitha)
• 7th Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Kyauktan)
• 8th Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Mingaladon)
• 9th Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Hlaingthaya)
• 10th Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Pyay/Prome)
• 11th Combat Police Battalion
• 12th Combat Police Battalion
• 14th Combat Police Battalion (HQ at Pa Lake, Mandalay)
• 15th Combat Police Battalion
• 16th Combat Police Battalion

26 special anti-narcotic task forces have been established under the direction of the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control.

Myanmar Police Force uses a wide range of weapons and ammunitions, ranging from Second World War vintage weapons to modern sophisticated ones. Most of the weapons are either seized from ethnic militias and criminals or are locally-produced copies of the G3 and other weapons phased out by the army.

• Enfield revolver
• Colt Detective Special
• Ka Pa Sa MA5 MKI
• Ka Pa Sa MA5 MKII

• Heckler & Koch MP5 (Norinco made NR-08)
• Ka Pa Sa BA-52
• Sten Gun
• BA93
• BA94
• MA13 MKI
• MA13 MKII

• Greener GP 12 Gauge Shotgun ^[4]

• M1 carbine
• Type-56 Carbine
• Type 63 assault rifle
• M1 Garand
• Lee–Enfield Rifles^[5]
• AK-47 series (Including Chinese Type 56)
• M16 rifle^[4]
• M4 carbine
• Norinco CQ
• Norinco QBZ 97
• Ka Pa Sa BA63
• Ka Pa Sa MA11
• Ka Pa Sa MA3

• Bren Gun
• Ka Pa Sa BA64
• Ka Pa Sa MA12
• Type 81 lmg (seized from ethnic militias)
• Type 56 lmg (seized from ethnic militias)

• M40 rifle (seized from ethnic militias)
• Ka Pa Sa BA100
• Ka Pa Sa MAS MKII

• Taser
• Pepper Spray cans
• Pepper-spray projectile gun
• Pepperball
• Rubber, beanbag, & plastic bullet
• Baton
• Riot shield
• M84 stun grenade
• Tear gas
• M6/M7 series chemical grenade
• Sting grenade

• Chevrolet Suburban (confiscated item),
• Range Rover donated by Foreign Organisations for Anti-drugs Enforcement,
• Mercedes Benz C-Class sedan (confiscated item),
• Toyota Dyna paddy wagon (Private-owned vehicles are commonly called volunteer patrol cars),
• Toyota closed double cab (confiscated item, used by escort team, patrol),
• Mitsubishi double cab (confiscated item, used by Police Col, Yangon),
• Mitsubishi pickup (confiscated item, used by Township Police Station, Yangon),
• Mitsubishi pickup (confiscated item, used by Police Lt Col, Yangon),
• Toyota pickup (confiscated item, used by Township Police Station, Yangon),
• FAW pickup,
• Honda Saloon, Patrol car,
• Jeep, Used by police station,
• Mazda B pick-up, Used by police station,
• Toyota Celica, used as a police lead vehicle and as a high-speed police car to arrest sport cars,
• Nissan Fairlady Z, used as a police lead vehicle and as a high-speed police car to arrest sport cars.

Photo	Model	Type	Quantity	Origin	Notes
Armoured vehicle/Armoured personnel carrier
	ZFB-05	Armoured personnel carrier	10[6]	China	Received by 2011, they were transferred to police from Myanmar Army.[6]
	Sinotruk HOWO	Water cannon truck	unknown	China	One of the most widely used against protesters in February 2021 Myanmar.
	BAAC-87	Armoured personnel carrier	unknown	Myanmar	One of the most widely used against protesters in February 2021 Myanmar.

Class	Builder	Serial Number	Year Entered Service	Armament	Note
PGM class	Myanmar	331 332 333 334	2012	machine guns

Class	Builder	Serial Number	Year Entered Service	Armament	Note
PCE class	Myanmar,   China	171 151 152 153 154 156 001 002 003 161 162	2013	machine guns

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