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In response to the article about snowdrops (AKA RAF Police), well firstly, would you want the RMP to be the ones to be processing you guys as you jet off to sunnier climes?? I'm sure the RMPS'S ARREST rate would go up a hell of allot!!!. One thing the author of the article about the RAF Police forgot to mention, and I feel I must point this out because his article seemed a wee bit biased, is that leathermans and other objects conficated by the RAFP (unless classed as offensive weapons like butterfly knives)are normally returned to the "heavily armed troops" who seem to fly aboard RAF aircraft. We take no pleasure in conficating these items but when some pongo thinks it funny to carve into the aircraft "jimmy fukin broon was ere 96" it becomes almost necessary to conficate these items in order to maintain a professional working fleet of aircraft, because I assure you, the next thing a squaddie would be doing with their leatherman would be breaking the seals on a smoke alarm in the aircraft toilets (to take the power source out just in case your wondering), to have a "fag break" during an 8 hour journey home, endangering not only themselves, THE OTHER PASSENGERS (ARMY) and the aircraft. It has to be noted that 75% of pongos dont have the common sense to see this as a problem! Secondly, we have our orders too and we follow them, I add also that its againg the law to have these items on board an aircraft, being military does NOT mean that we are above the law (I am an RAF Police NCO so I know what i'm talking about ). If the author of the article is within a trade in the army, I as an RAF Police NCO would not go around to his work place and moan at him for the way he does his job, so I dont see why the gripe at the RAF Police for doing their job, still want the RMP?? If you still have a problem with the RAF Police, by all means let your dipleasure be known to the dealing NCO, i'm sure that he/she will try their best to accomodate you. RMP'S MAYBE???

Actually, the reason the RAF Police started confiscating leathermans etc from cabin baggage and personnel is because a sqaddie started to unscrew one of the aircraft bulkheads on a C130 J (Hercules). He got spotted by the Air Loadmaster and it was removed until the aircraft landed. This is not a good idea at 30,000 feet.

There are reasons for removing these articles and just because you don't know the reasons, it doesn't mean they aren't valid. My personal favourite conversation usually goes something like this:

"I'm sorry, mate but this is an offensive weapon and you can't take it onto the aircraft with".

"But I bought it in the UK!"

"I can buy crack cocaine in the UK, but it doesn't mean it's legal".

"Ok, here you are then (sob sob)"

"Next!"