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In India, the police forces of the states and union territories are responsible for law enforcement in the states and union territories.


History

The Police Act of 1861 established the principles of organization for police forces in India and, with minor modifications, continues in effect. Although state police forces are separate and may differ in quality of equipment and resources, their patterns of organization and operation are similar.


Organisation


State Police Force

Authority over a State Police Force is held by the State's Home Department, led by a
chief Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the boa ...
or principal secretary (generally an Indian Administrative Service officer). Each state has a state police force (headed by a director general of police, an Indian Police Service officer), which is responsible for maintaining law and order in the state's townships and rural areas. The state police is headed by an Indian Police Service officer with the rank of Director General of Police (DGP), assisted by one or more Additional Directors General of Police (ADGs). Other DG rank officers head autonomous bodies not controlled by the DGP, such as the police recruitment board, fire service and police training. State forces are organised into zones, which consist of two (or more) ranges. Important zones are headed by an additional director general of police, and other zones are headed by an Inspector General of Police (IG). Ranges consist of several districts. Important ranges are headed by an IG, and other ranges are headed by a Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Important districts are headed by a senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), and other districts are headed by a superintendent of police (SP). If an SSP is heading the district, they are assisted by two (or more) SPs. If an SP is heading the district, they are generally assisted by one or two SPs. Each district is divided into sub-divisions or circles, under a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP). Each sub-division consists of several police stations commanded by an
Inspector of Police Inspector, also police inspector or inspector of police, is a police rank. The rank or position varies in seniority depending on the organization that uses it. Australia In Australian police forces, the rank of inspector is generally the ne ...
, who is assisted by
sub-inspector Sub-inspector (SI), or sub-inspector of police, is a rank used extensively in South Asia: in the police forces of Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka, which is primarily based on the British model. It was formerly used in most British col ...
s (SIs) and Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASIs). In rural areas, a sub-inspector is in charge of a police station; sub-inspectors (and higher) can file a charge sheet in court. District SPs have discretionary powers and oversee subordinate police stations, criminal-investigation detachments, equipment storehouses and armories, and traffic police. But District SPs are not empowered as executive magistrates. The district magistrate (DM, an IAS officer) exercises these powers, which include promulgating Section 144 of the
Code of Criminal Procedure Criminal procedure is the adjudication process of the criminal law. While criminal procedure differs dramatically by jurisdiction, the process generally begins with a formal criminal charge with the person on trial either being free on bail or i ...
(CrPC) and issuing arms licenses.


Union Territory Police Force

Authority over a Union Territory Police Force is held by the Ministry of Home Affairs (India), led by the Home Minister (India) and secondarily by the Administrator/Lieutenant Governor (generally an Indian Administrative Service/ Indian Police Service officer) of their respective Union Territory. Each UT has a UT Police Force (headed by a Director General of Police/ Inspector General of Police, an Indian Police Service officer), which is responsible for maintaining law and order in the state's townships and rural areas. Big UTs are divided into Zones, each zone is headed by IGP and whole UT is headed by DGP, but Small UTs are only divided into districts, each district is headed by SP and whole UT is headed by IGP. But the Case is different in the Commissionerate System.


Working Conditions

Working conditions and pay are poor, especially in the lower echelons. Recruits receive about 27,000 per month. Opportunities for promotion are limited because of the system of horizontal entry into higher grades. Allegations of bribery, attributable to low pay and poor working conditions, have been widespread. A 2016 article on the Maharashtra state police describes why reform is needed.


Women in Indian Police Forces

Women have entered into the higher echelons of Indian police in greater numbers since the late 1980s, primarily through the Indian Police Service system. Female officers were first used in 1972, and a number of women hold key positions in state police organizations. Their absolute numbers, however, are small. Uniformed and undercover women police officers have been deployed in New Delhi as the Anti-Eve Teasing Squad, which combats the
sexual harassment Sexual harassment is a type of harassment involving the use of explicit or implicit sexual overtones, including the unwelcome and inappropriate promises of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. Sexual harassment includes a range of actions fro ...
of women ("Eves"). Several women-only police stations have been established in Tamil Nadu to handle sex crimes against women.


Recruitment

The central government
civil servants The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil servants hired on professional merit rather than appointed or elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leaders ...
of Group 'A' under Indian Police Service cadre are recruited through civil services examination conducted by Union Public Service Commission. They command and provide leadership to the State and UT Police Forces. The state government
civil servants The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil servants hired on professional merit rather than appointed or elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leaders ...
of Group 'B' under State Police Services cadre are recruited by combined competitive examination conducted by State Public Service Commission. The state government
civil servants The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil servants hired on professional merit rather than appointed or elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leaders ...
of Group 'C' and Group 'D' of
State Police State police, provincial police or regional police are a type of sub-national territorial police force found in nations organized as federations, typically in North America, South Asia, and Oceania. These forces typically have jurisdiction o ...
cadre are recruited by subordinate services examination conducted by State Public Service Commission. The central government
civil servants The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil servants hired on professional merit rather than appointed or elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leaders ...
of Group 'B' under Union Territory Police Service cadre are recruited by civil services examination conducted by Union Public Service Commission. The central government
civil servants The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil servants hired on professional merit rather than appointed or elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leaders ...
of Group 'C' and Group 'D' of Union Territory Police cadre are recruited by combined graduate level examination and common entrance test conducted by
Staff Selection Commission Staff Selection Commission is an organisation under Government of India to recruit staff for various posts in the various ministries and departments of the government of India and in subordinate offices. This commission is an attached office ...
and
National Recruitment Agency National Recruitment Agency is a central recruitment agency established by the Indian Government, that will conduct a '' Common Eligibility Test (CET)'' for selection to all of the Group 'C' employee and Group 'D' employee posts under the Gove ...
.


Uniforms

Uniforms of state and local police vary by grade, region, and type of duty. The main service uniform for state police is khaki. Some cities, such as Kolkata, have white uniforms. Headgear differs by rank and state; officers usually wear a peaked cap, and constables wear berets or sidecaps. Branches such as the
Central Bureau of Investigation The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is the premier investigating agency of India. It operates under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. Originally set up to investigate bribery and governmen ...
do not have a uniform; business dress (shirt, tie, blazer, etc.) is worn with a badge. Special-service armed police have tactical uniforms in accordance with their function, and traffic police generally wear a white uniform.


Training

West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and
Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...
have taken steps to train their police forces by advanced police-training schools such as
Scotland Yard Scotland Yard (officially New Scotland Yard) is the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, the territorial police force responsible for policing Greater London's 32 boroughs, but not the City of London, the square mile that forms London's ...
, the Atlanta Police Department and the World Police Academy in Canada. The Tamil Nadu Police Academy is seeking university status, and the Kerala Police is South Asia's first police force to adopt community policing.


List of Police Training Institutions of States and UTs


Police Infrastructure


List of State Police Housing Corporations


Police Communication Facilities


List of State Police Forces of India


List of Union Territory Police Forces of India


Police Commissionerates

Some major metropolitan cities use the police commissionerate system (like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad,
Ahmedabad Ahmedabad ( ; Gujarati: Amdavad ) is the most populous city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ahmedabad district and the seat of the Gujarat High Court. Ahmedabad's population of 5,570,585 (per t ...
, Lucknow etc.), headed by a Police Commissioner. Demand for this system is increasing as it gives police a free hand to act freely and take control of any situation. According to BPRD India, 65 large cities and suburban areas currently have this system. Even in British Raj, the presidency towns of Calcutta, Bombay and
Madras Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
had commissionerate system. Reporting to the Police Commissioner(CP) are the Joint Police Commissioner(Joint CPs), Deputy Commissioner of Police(DCPs) and Assistant Commissioner of Police(ACPs). Commissioners of police and their deputies are empowered as executive magistrates to enforce Section 144 of the CrPC and issue arms licenses.


List of Police Commissionerates in India


State and UT Armed Police Forces

In most states and territories, police forces are divided into civil (unarmed) police and armed contingents. Civil police staff police stations, conduct investigations, answer routine complaints, perform traffic duties, and patrol the streets. They usually carry lathis: bamboo staffs, weighted (or tipped) with iron. Armed police are divided into two groups: district armed police and the
Provincial Armed Constabulary Provincial may refer to: Government & Administration * Provincial capitals, an administrative sub-national capital of a country * Provincial city (disambiguation) * Provincial minister (disambiguation) * Provincial Secretary, a position in Can ...
(Pradeshik). District armed police are organized like an army infantry battalion. Assigned to police stations, they perform guard and escort duties. Each state police force maintains an armed force, with names such as Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and Special Armed Police, which is responsible for emergencies and crowd control. They are generally activated on orders from a Deputy Inspector General or higher-level authorities. States which maintain armed contingents use them as an emergency reserve strike force. The units are organized as a mobile armed force under state control or, in the case of district armed police (who are not as well equipped), as a force directed by district superintendents and generally used for riot control. The Provincial Armed Constabulary is an armed reserve maintained at key locations in some states and activated on orders from the deputy inspector general and higher-level authorities. Armed constabulary are not usually in contact with the public unless they are assigned to VIP duty or maintaining order during fairs, festivals, athletic events, elections, and natural disasters. They may be sent to quell outbreaks of student or labour unrest, organized crime, and communal riots; to maintain key guard posts, and to participate in anti-terrorism operations. Depending on the assignment, the Provincial Armed Constabulary may only carry lathis.


List of State Armed Police Forces


Indian Reserve Battalion

The Indian Reserve Battalion is an elite unit trained to deal with a specific situation. It is a type of Armed Police Force that has been sanctioned to States and Union Territories.


List of UT Armed Police Forces


State and UT VIP Security Forces

State and UT Armed Police Forces are also assigned with the VIP Security along with CAPFs. They are also assigned the security of important places such as State Legislative Buildings,
High Courts High may refer to: Science and technology * Height * High (atmospheric), a high-pressure area * High (computability), a quality of a Turing degree, in computability theory * High (tectonics), in geology an area where relative tectonic uplift to ...
, Raj Bhavans,
Raj Niwas Raj Niwas ( Hindi for "Government Residence"), is the common name of the official residences of the Lieutenant Governors of Union territories of India and may refer to: List of Raj Niwas See also * Raj Bhavan * Rashtrapati Bhavan *Rashtrapa ...
, Administrator Office, Secretariats,etc.


Special Forces

Special Forces are the special armed police forces created for some special purposes such as Counter Insurgency Operations, Counter Naxalites Operations, etc. Special Commandos are trained for different purposes such as Jungle Warfare, Mountain Warfare, etc.


List of State/UT Special Police Forces


State Industrial Security Forces

State Industrial Security Force is a type of State Armed Police Force, created on the lines of Central Industrial Security Force to protect the airports, factories, etc. of state importance.


List of State Industrial Security Forces


Fire Service, Home Guard, Civil Defence and Disaster Management


Home Guards

Police in the States and UTs are assisted by units of volunteer Home Guards under guidelines formulated by the Ministry of Home Affairs.


List of FS, CD, HG and State Disaster Response Forces


State and UT Coastal Police (Marine Police) & River Police

State/UT Coastal Police is type of State/UT Armed Police which was created to make an extra security layer on the coastal region. Coastal Police have the responsibility to secure the coasts of the respective States and UTs, along the Indian Coast Guard.


List of State and UT Coastal Police


List of River Police Forces


Traffic Police

Highway and traffic police in small towns are under the state police; traffic police in cities are under the metropolitan and state police. Traffic police maintain a smooth traffic flow and stop offenders. Highway police secure the highways and catch speeders. Accidents, registrations, and vehicle data are checked by traffic police.


Traffic Police


Highway Police

Highway Police or Highway Patrol is a specialized unit of state police forces. The main objectives of Highway Police are controlling Traffic, enforcement of Traffic Laws, prevention of Road Accidents, providing immediate attention and assistance to victims of accidents, handling of Law & Order issues, and enforcement of Laws on National Highways and State Highways, etc. Each Highway Patrol Vehicle is assigned an 'Operational area' and a Base Station.


Railway Police

GRP units are a state maintained forces with its own command structure on Railways with the maintenance cost borne on 50% basis each by particular State and Railways. RPF maintains liaison with GRP for the Law & Order and Crime related matters.


List of State and UT Government Railway Police


Tourist Police

As the security of tourists is a state subject, the Ministry of Tourism (India), in consultation with the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations, had proposed to set up tourist police units at prominent tourist spots in the country. As of 2018, 14 States/UTs have deployed the Tourist Police in their States/UTs.


List of Tourist Police


Criminal Investigation Department (CID) / Crime Branch

A Criminal Investigation Department (CID) or Crime Branch is a specialized investigation Wing of the State Police forces of India responsible for the investigation of crime, based on the Criminal Investigation Departments of British police forces. CID is further split into Crime Branch (CB-CID), Anti Narcotics and many further divisions concerned with matters pertaining to crime, investigation, prosecution and collection of criminal intelligence,depending upon the state's Police administration . The nomenclature of CID is different in various states. Some states it is known as Crime Branch and others Criminal Investigation Department (CID) or Criminal Investigation Agency.The functioning of this wing is almost same in all the states.


List of Crime Investigation Departments and Branches


List of CID in Police Commissionerates


State Enforcement Branches (Economic Offences Wing)

To detect and prevent the commercial crimes, tax evasions, etc. in the State, some States have their own separate Enforcement Branches with their Police Departments.


State Bureau of Investigation

1.
Punjab Bureau of Investigation Punjab (; Punjabi Language, Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also Romanization, romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the I ...


Special Investigation Team (SIT)

To investigate the heinous crimes, State Governments/UT Administrations can deploy the Special Investigation Teams.


Technical Services


State/UT Crime Records Bureau

At the National Level, National Crime Records Bureau was set up. At the State Level, State Crime Records Bureau was set up under the CID of the State Police. At the District Level, District Crime Records Bureau(s) were also set up in States under the SCRBs. At the UT Level, UT Crime Records Bureau was set up under the CID of the UT Police. At the District Level, District Crime Records Bureau(s) were also set up in UTs under the UTCRBs.


List of Technical Services


Anti-Corruption Agencies (Vigilance)


See also

* Commissioner of Police (India) *
Crime in India Crime in India has been recorded since the British Raj, with comprehensive statistics now compiled annually by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), under the Ministry of Home Affairs (India) (MHA). In 2021, a total of 60,96,310 crimes, co ...
* Law enforcement in India * Police ranks and insignia of India


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Law Enforcement In India India