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The Admiralty provisioned the Royal Marine Police Force 1 August 1922, as a measure of economy, replacing the Metropolitan Police employed at certain naval establishments, armament depots, etc. The Admiralty had a Force known as theAdmiralty Civil Police at Dover for some time and in 1922 they were placed in a modified police uniform. The new Royal Marine Police Force was one of the economies recommended by the Geddes Committee and consisted of retired officers and pensioners of the Royal Marines, and retired commissioned officers were employed as officers, and paid £1 a day.

There were three grades in the Force, retired warrant officers, starting at 14s. a day; long service pensioners of the rank of Sergeant or above, starting at 8s. 7d. a day and long service pensioners to be enlisted regardless of the rank held by them on pensioning and starting at 6s. 10d. a day. Lodging allowance, house allowance, travelling allowance, kit up-keep allowance, equipment allowance (on appointment), or free kits were provided, all according to circumstances. Lodging or house allowances were allowed when official accommodation was not available. There were gratuities on discharge from £1 to £4 per head for each month's service in the force but no increase of pension for police service. The wages were viewed as satisfactory from the point of view of the candidates for the Force but did not promise much gain to the taxpayer.

Initially 70-08 Royal Marine pensioners were employed on police duties at Portsmouth, with a like number at Plymouth and the Nore. Chatham was also recruited for. The officers relieved the Metropolitan Police of such duties as guarding powder ships and other tasks of the kind. All police work of any importance, including patrolling of the Dockyards, continued to be done by the Metropolitan Force. The new Marine Police were to be recruited to the extent of 320 non-commissioned officers and men initially.

Sheerness Dockyard had been policed by the Metropolitan Police Force since 3 December 1860, when it replaced the old dockyard police force. As the Dockyard grew, it was found necessary to have specially trained men.

The Royal Marine Police took over policing of theTower of London on 1 January 1924 with the withdrawal of the Metropolitan Police as a result of the economies recommended by the Geddes Commission, also known as the "Geddes Axe".

By 1926, there were about 700 members of the Metropolitan Police divided among the three home dockyards: Devonport, Portsmouth and Chatham. Their task was no easy one when considered that in Devonport Dockyard alone, there were 12,000 men employed. It is also noteworthy to mention the Metropolitan Police Band had also made a name for itself in musical circles in Devon and Cornwall in the mid-1920's!

Sheerness was the first fully-commissioned Royal Dockyard to be placed under the Royal Marine Police. 1 February 1932, the change was effected at Chatham Dockyard. The new force at Chatham consisted of a Chief Inspector, Captain George Underhill, D.S.C., previously serving as Chief Inspector at the Royal Navy Cordite Factory at Holton Heth, four Inspectors, 21 Sergeants and 88 Constables. In November 1931, the strength of the Royal Marine Police Force stood at ten Chief Inspectors and 540 Inspectors, Sergeants and Constables.

By 1932, the Force number 865 and it was decided to appoint a Chief Constable of the Force, an appointment to be held by a Lieutenant Colonel or Major, Royal marines, on the retired list, with a salary of £1,000 a year with an official residence or allowance in lieu. The majority of the Royal Naval Armament Depots and Magazines at home were by that time policed by the Force, although Metropolitan Police were still employed at Devonport and Portsmouth Dockyards, but the announcement, rumoured for many years, was officially made in October 1931 to replace the Metropolitan Police at these establishments. That the new Force had proved its efficiency was shown by this announcement to be entrusted with the policing of the two largest Dockyards. When the Royal Marine Police were first formed, it was felt doubtful the Government would ever decide to withdraw the Metropolitan Police from the Royal Dockyards, as the officers and men had performed their duties with conspicuous success since 1860.

The termination of Navy Week at Portsmouth, 13 August 1933, marked the end of the connection of the Metropolitan Police with the Dockyard at that port. The Admiralty decided on the change for reasons of economy. Some of the younger members of the Metropolitan Police at Portsmouth returned to London for duty, older men took their pensions and a few were transferred to Devonport to complete their time for pension.

The Royal Marine Police took over the duties of the Metropolitan Police at Devonport Dockyard 23 April 1934. This meant that all civil naval establishments at home were now taken over by the Marine Police. A Superintendent and Chief Inspector were appointed to the Royal Marine Police at Devonport by the Admiralty.

Vice Admiral Sir R A R Plunkett-Ernie-Erle-Drax, Commander-in-Chief at Devonport inspected the Royal Marine Police service in the Devonport Dockyard and other Government establishments in the port on 21 July 1935. This was the first inspection of the Force by the Commander-in-Chief since the Royal Marine Police took over from the Metropolitan Police. The strength of the R.M.P Division was 225, with 131 on parade, of whom, all except ten were ex-Royal Marines. Captain T H Burton, M.C. (Superintendent) was in command.

In 1939, candidates were advertised for to complete the strength of the Royal Marine Police Special Reserve which was a Force of Special Constables on a civil basis to supplement the Royal Marine Police in time of war or emergency. Applicants were to be between 45 and 55 years old and physically fit for Police duties. In 1941 and 1942, additional advertisements were made to supplement the Royal Marine Police for the purpose of policing and providing fire brigades for Naval Dockyards and establisments during the War. Applicants were to be between the ages of 30 and 42. Men who were below the age of 30 at the time of registration under the provisions of the National Service (Armed Forces) Act were ineligible.

The rates of pay and allowances on being called up in 1941 were a basic rate of 51s. 11d and 64s. 2d, rising to 69s. 5d. after six months' service in 1942. New rates of pay, backdated to June 1 were approved for Constables and Sergeants of both the Royal Marine Police and Royal Marine Police Special Reserve. The rates of pay were per week with a lodging allowance, payable to married men who could perform their duties from their homes and other men for whom Government accommodation was not provided of 10s. 6d. per week. A Special Subsistence Allowance, payable to married men who could not perform their duties from their homes, was paid at 14s. per week. A free kit was issued on joining and a Kit Upkeep Allowance was paid for its maintenance.

On 2 October 1949, the Admiralty Constabulary came into being. The merger had been under consideration for several years. It was the new name for the Admiralty Police Force and into it were merged the Royal Marine Police, Royal Marine Police Special Reserve and the Admiralty Civil Police. The Constabulary had non-industrial status. Members of the Admiralty Constabulary were given notice in November 1949 of cuts that were to be completed by the end of March 1950 that were to affect just under ten percent of the Constabulary. Classed as non-industrial, the men were exposed to the same economy measures as non-established workers in other branches of the Civil Service. Many in Plymouth were offered employment of an industrial nature, such as work in Devonport Royal Dockyard.