Can MoD cops get you for speeding?

‘They don’t have jurisdiction over the public’

I live next to the Army training base in Bovington, Dorset. The main road through is a 30mph limit and is a public road. Often police and safety vans operate cameras on this road. However the other day, as we went through (legally) we noticed the RMP (Royal Military Police) conducting speed checks on all vehicles, using hand-held radar guns.

The question that I have is: what legal powers do the RMP have on a public road? Can they prosecute you for speeding like civilian police and are you required to stop by law? Also, what would happen if you didn’t?

This is the first time in 10 years on base that I have seen them operating on the main thoroughfare.

Roy Fox, email

AThe RMP is the corps of the British Army responsible for the policing army service personnel. They are not police constables under UK law and don’t have jurisdiction over the public. They should not be confused with Ministry of Defence (MOD) police who have the same powers as the general civilian police.

As such, the RMP have no powers to stop a member of the public on a public road and seek prosecution; other than as a ‘citizen’s arrest’ for an indictable offence, like you and I could. Speeding is not an indictable offence. I can only assume the RMP were out to catch their own, maybe as a result of local complaints.