The British Indian Ocean Territory Police serve in the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) (situated in the Indian Ocean halfway between Tanzania and Indonesia). BIOT is a territory which does not have a permanent civil population, like some other British Overseas Territories. The population are mostly members of the British Armed Forces and United States Armed Forces.
British Indian Ocean Territory Police | |
---|---|
Abbreviation | BIOT Police |
Jurisdictional structure | |
Operations jurisdiction | UK |
General nature | |
Operational structure | |
Headquarters | Diego Garcia, BIOT |
Service Polices | 10 |
Parent agency | MOD |
Website | |
biot |
As such the BIOT police consists of Royal Overseas Police Officers (ROPO), that are all currently members of either the Royal Marines or Royal Navy.[3]
The BIOT police (as of 2015) consists of:[1]
The duties of the ROPOs are typical of service police, but they also act as customs officers for the island of Diego Garcia in the British Indian Ocean Territory, as well as prison officers, as the Senior Police Officer acts as 'superintendent of prisons'.
The offences dealt with by BIOT police have included:[4]
The ROPOs have epaulettes with collar numbers to identify them, similar to UK civilian police uniforms.[6] BIOT police use 4x4/SUV vehicles to patrol and respond to emergencies, they are painted with the typical British Battenburg Pattern and have "BIOT POLICE" markings on the vehicles.[7][8]
The BIOT Police also has a dog unit (also known as K-9) that provides support to other ROPOs.[7]
The United States Navy (USN) has Naval Support Facility at East Point Plantation and entry to it needs a police permit.[9]