http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=65348
Civilian police officers might soon be walking the beat at many U.S. overseas Army bases as combat missions continue to stretch the military police thin, according to one of the top military policemen in Europe.
So far, U.S. Army Garrison Grafenwöhr, which includes Vilseck’s Rose Barracks, is the only overseas garrison patrolled by civilian police. Grafenwöhr provost marshal Lt. Col. Shawn Driscoll predicted the program, known as the Department of the Army Civilian Police, could expand to other Army bases in Europe.
The civilian police officers, who wear tan uniforms, have manned desks at garrison MP stations all over Europe since 2006. In May, USAG Grafenwöhr started hiring civilian patrol officers, called watch commanders, to head out on the road with MPs.
In the U.S., more than 3,000 civilian police already patrol Army installations, Driscoll said.
