His Majesty's Customs (Gibraltar) | |
---|---|
Common name | HM Customs |
Abbreviation | HM Customs |
Agency overview | |
Formed | 14 May, 1750 |
Jurisdictional structure | |
National agency (Operations jurisdiction) | GIB |
Operations jurisdiction | GIB |
HM Customs' jurisdiction (beige) | |
Size | 6.8 km² |
Population | 34,000 |
Legal jurisdiction | As per operations jurisdiction |
Governing body | Government of Gibraltar, Ministry of Finance |
General nature | |
Specialist jurisdiction | |
Operational structure | |
Headquarters | Customs House, Waterport |
Agency executive |
|
Parent agency | Ministry of Finance |
Facilities | |
Prisons | His Majesty's Prison, Gibraltar |
Patrol cars | Yes |
Vans | Yes |
RIBs | Yes |
Dogs | Yes |
Website | |
His Majesty's Customs (Gibraltar) are the primary customs and import authority in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. It is a uniformed, enforcement body, controlled by the Ministry of Finance, Government of Gibraltar. The customs officers check commercial goods and ordinary people entering with possessions into the territory. [1]
The main purpose of HM Customs Gibraltar is to carry out customs duties at the entry points to the territory, search for suspected illegal weapons, drugs or goods, carry out basic good-import checks and requirements. To this end, both fixed posts and patrols are used.
In May 2020, they celebrated their 270 years of existence with a parade at No. 6 Convent Place and their headquarters. [2]
The Collector of Customs is the most senior customs officer and is responsible for the day-to-day leadership of the organisation.
Customs officers, up to and including the Collector of Customs, wear a traditional British customs uniform.
The symbol of HM Customs is a portcullis, surrounded by a wreath and surmounted by a crown, representing their authority and the monarch.
For men this includes:
Formal dress: [3]
Marine dress: [6]
For women this includes; the same as above apart from the fact that the white-topped female bowler cap with capbadge and black capband is worn instead of the males' peaked cap. [7] A skirt may also be worn in lieu of trousers, in formal dress.
All medals and decorations (including medal ribbons whilst not on parade) are to be worn on the left side of the tunic.
The rank structure follows the UK HM Customs rank structure.
Rank | Customs Officer | Executive Customs Officer | Senior Customs Officer | Assistant Collector | Collector of Customs |
Abbreviation | CO | ECO | SCO | ASC | COC |
Insignia |
HM Customs have marked road vehicles for customs duties, fitted with blue flashing lights and sirens. The current vehicles are dark blue, with blue and yellow markings and the HM Customs crest as well as appropriate wording. [9]
The Customs of Gibraltar operate a Marine Unit, which operates two-high speed RIBs. [10] The Maritime Journal reported that "Performance patrol boat specialist FB Design has recently delivered two high speed RIBs to HM Customs in Gibraltar. Capable of speeds of over 50 knots these two RIBs are based on standard production hull designs developed by this Italian builder, but they have been fully customised to meet the requirements of the Customs".
HM Customs does carry out counter-drug operations, sometimes in conjunction with the Royal Gibraltar Police and Spanish Guardia Civil. HM Customs seizes illegal drugs and carries out deterrence operations. [11]
Mess dress uniform is the most formal type of uniforms used by military personnel, police personnel, and other uniformed services members. It frequently consists of a mess jacket, trousers, white dress shirt and a black bow tie, along with orders and medals insignia. Design may depend on regiment or service branch, e.g. army, navy, air force, marines, etc. In Western dress codes, mess dress uniform is the supplementary alternative equivalent to the civilian black tie for evening wear or black lounge suit for day wear although military uniforms are the same for day and evening wear. Mess dress uniforms are typically less formal than full dress uniform, but more formal than service dress uniform.
Imperial Japanese Army uniforms tended to reflect the uniforms of those countries who were the principal advisors to the Imperial Japanese Army at the time.
Full dress uniform, also known as a ceremonial dress uniform or parade dress uniform, is the most formal type of uniforms used by military, police, fire and other public uniformed services for official parades, ceremonies, and receptions, including private ones such as marriages and funerals. Full dress uniforms typically include full-size orders and medals insignia. Styles tend to trace back to uniforms used during the 19th century, although the 20th century saw the adoption of mess dress-styled full-dress uniforms. Designs may depend on regiment or service branch. In Western dress codes, full dress uniform is a permitted supplementary alternative equivalent to the civilian white tie for evening wear or morning dress for day wear – sometimes collectively called full dress – although military uniforms are the same for day and evening wear. As such, full dress uniform is the most formal uniform, followed by the mess dress uniform.
The uniforms of the United States Navy include dress uniforms, daily service uniforms, working uniforms, and uniforms for special situations, which have varied throughout the history of the navy. For simplicity in this article, officers refers to both commissioned officers and warrant officers.
The uniforms of the Canadian Armed Forces are the official dress worn by members of Canada's military while on duty.
The uniforms of the British Army currently exist in twelve categories ranging from ceremonial uniforms to combat dress. Uniforms in the British Army are specific to the regiment to which a soldier belongs. Full dress presents the most differentiation between units, and there are fewer regimental distinctions between ceremonial dress, service dress, barrack dress and combat dress, though a level of regimental distinction runs throughout.
Service dress uniform is the informal type of uniform used by military, police, fire and other public uniformed services for everyday office, barracks and non-field duty purposes and sometimes for ceremonial occasions. It frequently consists of a jacket, trousers, dress shirt, and neck tie, along with orders, medals, and insignia. Design may depend on regiment or service branch, e.g. army, navy, air force, marines, etc. In Western dress codes, a service dress uniform is a permitted supplementary alternative equivalent to the civilian suit - sometimes collectively called undress or "dress clothes". As such, a service dress uniform is considered less formal than both full dress and mess dress uniforms, but more formal than combat uniforms.
The modern Irish Army uniform is based on the layer principle, and is designed to provide soldiers in the Irish Army with the right degree of protection for any operational environment.
The United States Marine Corps (USMC) prescribes several types of military uniform to distinguish its service members from other armed services, depending on the situation.
The Polizia Penitenziaria, formally the Corpo di Polizia Penitenziaria, is a law enforcement agency in Italy which is subordinate to the Italian Ministry of Justice and operates the Italian prison system as corrections officers. Vatican City, an independent state, does not have a prison system, so the Vatican sends convicted criminals to the Italian prison system.
The Royal Air Force uniform is the standardised military dress worn by members of the Royal Air Force. The predominant colours of Royal Air Force uniforms are blue-grey and Wedgwood blue. Many Commonwealth air forces' uniforms are also based on the RAF pattern, but with nationality shoulder flashes. The Royal Air Force Air Cadets wear similar uniforms.
The uniforms of the United States Air Force are the standardized military uniforms worn by airmen of the United States Air Force to distinguish themselves from the other services.
The uniforms of the Royal Navy have evolved gradually since the first uniform regulations for officers were issued in 1748. The predominant colours of Royal Navy uniforms are navy blue and white. Since reforms in 1997 male and female ratings have worn the same ceremonial uniform.
The Royal Montserrat Police Service is the police service of the British Overseas Territory island of Montserrat in the Caribbean. The current Commissioner is Steve Foster, JP, BSc, CPA., a native and career police officer of Montserrat.
The uniforms of the Royal Canadian Navy are a variety of different official dress worn by members of the Royal Canadian Navy while on duty. Originally, the uniforms of the RCN were modelled after their counterparts from the United Kingdom. However, after the RCN was merged with the Canadian Army, and the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1968 to form the single-service Canadian Armed Forces, the RCN began to wear "Canadian Armed Forces Green" uniforms, worn throughout the Canadian Armed Forces
The Guernsey Border Agency is the law enforcement body charged with tackling cross border crime and administering the customs and immigration systems for the Bailiwick of Guernsey. The agency is headed by a Chief Officer - Patrick Rice
The Royal Marines uniform is the standardised military dress worn by members of the Royal Marines.
The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force is the national police force of the Turks and Caicos Islands, a British Overseas Territory in the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean and northern West Indies. It is one of the oldest police forces in the world.
The Borders and Coastguard Agency is the combined border guard and coast guard of Gibraltar. It was established as a statutory agency by an Act of the Gibraltar Parliament and has been operating since 1 November 2011. Customs duties are handled by His Majesty's Customs.
The Royal Anguilla Police Force (RAPF), known as the Anguilla Police Force until 1990, is the national police force of the Anguilla, a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean.