State and Union Territory Police Forces

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.

State Police Force

Agra Police Patrol Car

Authority over a State Police Force is held by the State's Home Department, led by a chief 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 IPS officer with the rank of director general of police (DGP), assisted by two (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 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, who is assisted by sub-inspectors (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 (CrPC) and issuing arms licenses.

Union Territory Police Force

Delhi Police Headquarters

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.

Women in Indian Police Forces

Pink Patrol police vehicle for the safety of women in Kollam, Kerala

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 of women ("Eves"). Several women-only police stations have been established in Tamil Nadu to handle sex crimes against women.

The officers of the Indian Police Service command and provide leadership to the State and UT Police Forces.

The State Police take recruitment from Indian Police Service, State Police Services for above Inspector Rank Officers.

The UT Police take recruitment from Indian Police Service, DANIPS for above Inspector Rank Officers.

For the ranks below the Inspector, there is a different recruitment procedure in different States and UTs.

Exhibit of Indian police ranks and uniforms at the National Police Memorial and Museum, New Delhi

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.[2] Branches such as the Central Bureau of Investigation 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.

West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra have taken steps to train their police forces by advanced police-training schools such as Scotland Yard, 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.

Commissionerate Police HQ Bhubaneswar-Cuttack decorated for Independence Day, 2018

Some cities use the police commissionerate system (like Kolkata, Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate, Mumbai, Delhi, Pune 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 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. Police commissionerates are subordinate to the State Police except for the Kolkata Police Force, which independently reports to the Department of Home of Government of West Bengal.

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 SWAT vehicle of the Karnataka Police

Armed police are divided into two groups: district armed police and the Provincial Armed Constabulary (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.

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.

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.

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.

Traffic Police directing cars in Kolkata.

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.

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.[28]

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.[29]

A Criminal Investigation Department (India) (CID) is constituted in each district under a deputy inspector general to collect and distribute information about organized crime.

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