Canadian Forces Provost Marshal presides over the NATO Military Police and Gendarmerie Type Forces Chiefs Conference

October 20, 2025 – Defence Stories

Estimated read time – 2:00

This September, Brigadier-General (BGen) Vanessa Hanrahan, Canadian Forces Provost Marshal (CFPM), took up the role of President of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Military Police (MP) Community of Interest (CoI) and Chair of the NATO Military Police and Gendarmerie Type Forces Chiefs Conference. This marked a significant milestone in Canada’s continued leadership within NATO’s multinational defence community and highlights the trust afforded to and credibility of Canadian Military Police by our NATO allies.

This position, which is elected by NATO peers, is key to maintaining the cohesiveness of the MP CoI. A shared and cooperative approach is essential to overcoming current and future challenges faced by allied defence organizations, and Canada remains committed to standing shoulder to shoulder with its NATO allies and global partners.

This year’s conference was held in Stockholm, Sweden. The areas of focus were the use of drone technology by Military Police in theatres of war, the continued support to Ukraine through the Military Law and Order Service, and the next steps for the community of Military Police and Gendarmerie Type Forces.

The NATO Military Police and Gendarmerie Type Forces Chiefs Conference occurs once each year to discuss issues affecting the CoI, as well as receive updates on work being done through the official Working Group and Centres of Exellence on Military Policing and Stability Policing.

The MP CoI supports NATO’s strategic objectives by enhancing readiness, strengthening deterrence, and improving coordination among multinational policing forces.

It includes NATO national MP and Gendarmerie forces, MP Force Elements, the NATO MP Centre of Excellence, the Stability Policing COE, Partnership for Peace nations, and allied forces such as, Switzerland, Austria, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Australia, and New Zealand.

The discussions at this year’s conference reflected the evolving nature of military policing and the importance of adapting to new operational realities. The sharing of ideas and strategies between nations allows for mutual growth and improved effectiveness across the Alliance.

Canada will continue to provide the leadership necessary to maintain the cohesiveness of the community, help it adapt to present circumstances, and support a renewed focus on defence and deterrence posture over the next year. With BGen Hanrahan serving as President, Canada will showcase the capabilities and insights of its Military Police while continuing to learn from and collaborate with allied nations.

As BGen Hanrahan guides the MP CoI through the remainder of this term, Canada will remain a driving force for cooperation, modernization, and strategic progress within NATO’s military policing community.