Police ranks and insignia of India

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A display of the various ranks of the Indian police and their respective uniform at the National Police Memorial and Museum in New Delhi. National Police Memorial and Museum in Delhi 05.jpg
A display of the various ranks of the Indian police and their respective uniform at the National Police Memorial and Museum in New Delhi.

Police services in India comprises the Indian Police Service (IPS), DANIPS, and Pondicherry Police Service recruited by the central government, along with various State Police Services (SPS) recruited by state governments. As policing is a state subject, the structure and organisation of police forces vary across states. In most state police forces, ranks below Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) are considered subordinates, while DSP and above are supervisory ranks. [1] These officers are organised in a structured hierarchical order.

Contents

Ranks of law enforcement in India

The ranks, posts, and designations of all police officers vary from state to state as law and order is a state matter. But, generally the following pattern is observed: [2] [3] [4]

Gazetted officers
Indian Police Service gazetted officers rank insignia [5] [6] [7]
Insignia IPS DG+ADG.png IPS DG+ADG.png IPS IG.png IPS DIG.png IPS SP (SG).png IPS SP.png IPS Additional SP.png IPS three star.png IPS two star.png IPS one star.png
Rank Director general of police Additional director general of police [a] Inspector general of police Deputy inspector general of police Superintendent of police (Selection Grade) [b] Superintendent of police Additional superintendent of police Assistant superintendent of police Assistant superintendent of police (probationary for two years) Assistant superintendent of police (probationary for one year)
AbbreviationDGPADGPIGPDIGSP (SG)SPAddl.SPASPASPASP
State Police Services rank insignia [8]
Insignia Superintendent of Police.svg AddlSP.svg Assistant Superintendent of Police.svg
Rank Superintendent of police [c] Additional superintendent of police [d] Deputy superintendent of police [e]
AbbreviationSPAddl.SPDSP/Dy.SP
Indian Police non-gazetted officers rank insignia [10] [11]
Insignia Assistant Superintendent of Police 1.svg Inspector.svg Assistant Inspector.svg Sub-Inspector.svg Assistant Sub-Inspector.svg Head Constable.png Police Head Constable.png Police Naik.png Senior Police Constable.png No insignia
Rank Inspector [f] Assistant inspector [g] Sub-inspector Assistant sub-inspector Head constable [h] Senior Constable [i] Police constable
AbbreviationINSP/PIAPISIASIHCSCPC
  • Colour pattern and size of chevrons may vary according to the different rules of several distinct Indian State Police services.

State/UT Armed Police Cadre

State Armed Police Rank Structure
Gazetted Officers
Superintendent of Police.svg AddlSP.svg Assistant Superintendent of Police.svg
Commandant Deputy Commandant / Second-In Command Assistant Commandant / Company Commander
Equivalent: Superintendent of Police Equivalent: Additional Superintendent of Police Equivalent: Deputy superintendent
Non-Gazetted Officers (NCOs) and Enlisted Ranks
Inspector.svg Sub-Inspector.svg Assistant Sub-Inspector.svg Police Head Constable.png Senior Police Constable.png
Inspector (Armed) / Platoon Commander Sub-Inspector (Armed) / Section Commander Assistant Sub-Inspector (Armed) Head Constable / Havildar Lance Naik/Naik (Intermediate rank)
Equivalent: Inspector Equivalent: Sub-Inspector Equivalent: Assistant Sub-Inspector Equivalent: Head Constable Equivalent: None (intermediate post; varies by state)
Armed Police Constable / Sepoy / Rifleman
No insignia

Organisational structure and roles

Overview

Law enforcement in India is a state matter. Hence, policing structure varies from state to state. But there is a general structure observed.

Car flags.jpg
Car stars Police.jpg
Flags (top photo) & Stars (bottom photo) on official cars of senior IPS officers, as per their rank.

Ministry of Home Affairs

The Ministry of Home Affairs is in overall charge of internal as well as external security and policing, and is the controlling authority for the Indian Police Service (IPS). The Home Secretary, the administrative head of the MHA, is an IAS officer in the rank of Secretary to Government of India.

The Indian Police Service is not a law enforcement organisation, but a professional body of police officers. Police officers may enter the IPS by two different routes:

State's Home Department

The Home Department of each respective state is primarily tasked with policy and administration related to law and order, police, internal security, prisons, and prosecution, among other responsibilities. The department is headed by an Additional Chief Secretary or Principal Secretary to the Government. It oversees the maintenance of law and order, the prevention and control of crime, the prosecution of criminals, and also deals with fire services and prison administration. The state police forces function under this department, playing a vital role in enforcing laws, ensuring public safety, and maintaining order within the state's jurisdiction.

State forces and their structure

Each state police force is headed by an IPS officer in the rank of Director General of Police (DGP). The head of a state police force has the designation of Director General of Police or Director General and Inspector General of Police, and is assisted by one to several Additional or Special DGPs. Each Additional/Special DGP is responsible for a bureau within the state police (Law & Order, Crime, Administration, Intelligence, Armed Police, Traffic Police, etc.). [12] [13] [14] Some large state police forces, such as the Maharashtra Police, Tamil Nadu Police and Uttar Pradesh Police are generally divided into zones, ranges and commissionerates. However, even some large police forces such as Bihar Police don't have Police Commissionerates. Smaller state police forces, such as the Andaman and Nicobar Police or the Arunachal Pradesh Police, are typically only divided into ranges; however, this system of divisions can vary from force to force. [12] [13] [14] [15] Each zone is headed by an officer in the rank of Additional DGP or Inspector General of Police (IGP). Each zone comprises two or more ranges, headed by an officer in the rank of Inspector General of Police (IGP) or Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG). Each range comprises several police districts, headed by a Superintendent of Police (SP).

Commissionerates generally encompass major cities that are so designated, such as Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad etc. Each commissionerate has its own individual police force headed by an IPS officer with the designation of Commissioner of Police (CP). The organizational structure of a police commissionerate varies depending on factors such as the size and importance of the city, the rank of the Commissioner, and the complexity of law and order in the region. Larger metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, etc generally have a more elaborate structure headed by an officer of the rank of Director General (DG) or Additional Director General (ADG) or Inspector General (IG), while smaller cities may have a Commissioner of Police of the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) rank. The commissionerate system typically includes a hierarchy comprising the Commissioner of Police, followed by Special Commissioners (where applicable), Joint Commissioners (where applicable), Additional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, and Assistant Commissioners of Police, supported by Inspectors, Sub-Inspectors, Assistant Sub-Inspectors, and Constables. The Commissioner of Police is empowered with the powers of an executive magistrate and functions as such. The Commissioner of Police is assisted by one to several Joint Commissioners of Police, who usually hold the rank of IGP (or Deputy IGP). [16] [13] Each is in charge of a bureau (Law and Order, Crime, Traffic etc.), mirroring the organisation of the state police as a whole. Below the JCPs, the organisation is typically as follows:

The general organisation outside commissionerates is as follows:

However, District Superintendents or Senior Superintendents of Police are not empowered with the powers of an executive magistrate, in Districts these powers, like promulgating Section 144, granting arms licenses, are exercised by the District Magistrate/Collector, who is an IAS officer.

Sub-inspectors (PSIs), the first police officers who may file a charge sheet, often command police stations in rural districts or police outposts or substations; in cities, they operate out of a police station and administer beats (chowkies). Sub-inspectors are assisted by assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs), who may also be in charge of chowkies, under them are head constables (senior constables), who lead teams of constables.

Armed Police/Reserve Police

In the context of State Armed Police or Armed Police Battalions, the overall command lies with an officer of the rank of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), who is responsible for overseeing the functioning and administration of the force. The ADGP is assisted by officers of the ranks of Inspector General (IG) and Deputy Inspector General (DIG), primarily for administrative and supervisory duties. Each armed police battalion or unit is headed by a Commandant, who holds a rank equivalent to that of a Superintendent of Police (SP). The Commandant is supported by a Deputy Commandant or Second-in-Command, equivalent in rank to an Additional Superintendent of Police (Addl. SP), and further by Assistant Commandants, who hold the rank equivalent to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP). The battalion structure also includes Armed Police Inspectors, Armed Police Sub-Inspectors, Head Constables, Havildars, and Armed Police Constables.

See also

Notes

  1. Rank insignia of DGP is similar to additional DGP.
  2. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) The SSP is a post, not a rank, typically held by an SP (selection grade or junior grade) in states like Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Punjab.
  3. In an armed police battalion, the equivalent rank is "Commandant.
  4. In an armed police battalion, the equivalent rank is Deputy Commandant
  5. In an armed police battalion, the equivalent rank is Assistant Commandant.
  6. One-star rank insignia only used in the West Bengal Police. All other police forces use the three-star with red and blue band rank insignia.
  7. This rank exists only in the Maharashtra Police.
  8. Shoulder insignia rank only used in the Maharashtra Police.
  9. This rank is also known as senior constable, constable grade-I, and exists only in some state police forces.

References

  1. "Police Acts" (PDF).
  2. "Police Ranks" (PDF). Maharashtra Police . Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 Feb 2024. Retrieved 14 Feb 2024.
  3. "Governance of Andhra police". Kerala Police . Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  4. "Police Ranks and Badges". Odisha Police . Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  5. "Police Ranks and Badges". Odisha Police . Retrieved August 15, 2017.
  6. "Police Ranks" (PDF). Maharashtra Police . Retrieved August 14, 2017.
  7. "Governance of Kerala Police". Kerala Police . Retrieved August 14, 2017.
  8. "Nuh Police, Government of Haryana". mewat.haryanapolice.gov.in. Haryana Police . Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  9. "Police Ranks" (PDF). Maharashtra Police . Retrieved August 14, 2017.
  10. "Police Ranks and Badges". Odisha Police . Retrieved August 15, 2017.
  11. 1 2 "Home | Maharashtra State Police". www.mahapolice.gov.in.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Tamil Nadu Police
  13. 1 2 Bihar State Police
  14. "Karnataka State Police". Archived from the original on 14 June 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  15. "Mumbai Police". mumbaipolice.maharashtra.gov.in.
  16. "Pune Police". Archived from the original on 2 May 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2014.