DG 1110-3-146
Design Guide: Military Police Facilities
Example Components
December 1979
functional character of administrative activities re-
c. OPERATIONAL ACTIVITY COMPONENTS The
quires that from the point of public entry, visitor
concept design for operational activity components de-
circulation should be personally directed or directed
veloped in this section indicates basic planning and de-
by signage either to the provost marshal office or
sign guidance for operational activities. This guidance il-
to the public side of the MP Desk for further assis-
lustrates space organization principles that interrelate and,
tance, without unnecessary contact with other mili-
where requirements are compatible, combine individual
tary police activities. While access to Zone 3 activities
functional activities into cohesive operational components.
is open, the MP Desk may restrict further public cir-
The hypothetical programs and the intensity of opera-
culation to Zone 4 activities. Where this traffic is
tional activity shown responds to the functional require-
frequent, corridor doors may be used to control.
ments which might be typical of military police facilities
circulation; these doors may be equipped with auto-
serving large installations. The concept designs also
matic opening and closing devices.
exemplify generic physical relationships applicable to a
variety of operational intensities.
for administrative component activities establish the
(1) Functional Character The typical functional re-
scope of physical and environmental requirements
quirements for activities located in Zones 4 and 5
for Zone 1, 2 and 3. The physical relationships of
involve the supervision and execution of primary
individual spaces required by the characteristics of
military police functions. The functional character of
administrative activity and by the desire to create a
Zone 4 activities can be described as administrative
cohesive organization of space suggest a need for
in nature, and one best provided for in a general office
extensive building perimeter. This requirement usu-
type setting. The need for privacy and visual and
ally leads to a linear building; however, by providing
acoustic isolation in most operations sections is at-
interior natural light and by using interior courts and
tributable to the private nature of military police oper-
skylights, the development of a more compact build-
ations. The functional character of Zone 5 activities,
ing form can be achieved. This approach is particu-
especially on-duty activities, is reflected in an ar-
larly appropriate in moderate and extreme climates.
rangement of space that allows the operational side
It allows solar gain from increased fenestration, can
of the MP Desk area to be in full visual and physical
be adequately modified by other than mechanical
control of visitor access and general circulation in
means, and provides a ratio of building perimeter to
and around the entire facility. This is a basic security
total building space that is beneficially low. Small in-
and service requirement that can be met in a number
terior courts with windows located to avoid direct
of ways depending on the scale of operations staffing
southern exposure will reduce and may eliminate the
patterns, and personnel compositions. To stabilize
need for solar screening.
basic security requirements, the communications
room, staffed on a 24-hour basis with stationary
responsibilities, should be consistently located and
(3) Components Relationships Considering the
oriented toward the public access areas. This is so
scale of operations as well as the physical and func-
tional relationships that administrative components
that quick and continuous response to any serious
have to other component activities, space organiza-
incident can be directly provided by the MP Desk.
tion concepts should emphasize a concise and co-
During normal duty-hours the public side of the MP
hesive organization of functional activities. In most
Desk controls visitor circulations and where need be
cases, a pavilion type arrangement of components
can direct visitors to a private waiting room closer to
will not be suitable since its inherent character tends
operational activities. Information and reports can be
to isolate components. In a low intensity space con-
taken by desk personnel in relative security while
figuration, where the staffing pattern and level of so-
maintaining their primary orientation toward the po-
phistication reflect the more direct characteristics of
lice entrance and lobby and also toward the prisoner-
a simplified and concentrated organizational struc-
processing area CRT monitors will typically provide
ture, component relationships should be as direct as
critical back-up security surveillance throughout the
possible. For medium intensity activities, component
building, providing the opportunity to move prisoner/
relationships can be somewhat more extended. Large
offender detention facilities away from the main cir-
scale activities may, of necessity, require more separa-
culation and activity areas which are directly adjacent
tion of function than either low or medium scales of
to the desk area. During normal duty-hours, physical
operation. Compatible administrative activities should
surveillance should be the responsibility of staff mem-
be made between functional activities and zones at the
bers who process, confine or who are otherwise
subordinate element level. This gradual consolidation
specifically concerned with the custody of detainees
of compatible activities and a decrease in physical
An absentee control of Special investigation (con-
articulation and organizational sophistication is reflec-
trolled substances) Team, whose routine workload
ted in the illustrated examples contained in Chapter 6.
involves frequent contact with offenders, is a likely
candidate for this responsibility. The example design
shows a typical allocation of space for such a team.
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