Tamil Nadu Police is the primary law enforcement agency of the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is over 150 years old and is the fifth largest state police force in India.[3] Tamil Nadu has a police-population ratio of 1:632. The Director General of the Tamil Nadu police is Shankar Jiwal.
The Tamil Nadu Police is headed by the Director General of Police (DGP). The DGP has the designation of Head of Police Force (HoPF) and is assisted by special and additional DGPs. The current DGP is Shankar Jiwal, IPS. The headquarters is also the office of the DGP and is situated in Chennai, the state's capital. The HQ oversees and coordinates the overall functioning of the police force in the state.[4]
For administrative purposes, the state has been divided into four police zones – North, South, West and Central each headed by an Inspector General of Police.
The zonal Inspector General of Police will be responsible for all the police functions, including maintenance of law and order, crime control, internal security, civil defense, enforcement of all legislations, including special laws empowering police force and various other public services insofar as their zone is concerned. They are also accountable for modernisation of police force, and proposals should be routed through him as far as his zone is concerned.
They are link in the chain of command between the Director General of Police and Range Deputy Inspector General of Police/District Superintendent of Police in their jurisdictions.
They should endeavour by frequent personal inspections to establish and maintain efficiency and discipline, to ensure uniformity of procedure and practice and to secure cooperation between the police of their ranges/districts as well as harmonious working between the police, revenue and the judiciary.
The Zonal Inspector General of Police will control, instruct and advise the range Deputy Inspectors General of Police/Commissioners of Police/Superintendents of Police while being careful not to supersede them in any of their proper functions or relations to their subordinates. They will not assume the role of Deputy Inspectors General of Police/Superintendents of Police in times of grave disorder, taking over full control of the situation. They will pay particular attention to the training of and the discipline in the Armed Reserve and also supervise the functioning of AWPS in his Zone, so that the highest possible standard of efficiency may be reached and maintained.
The Zonal Inspector General of Police will conduct inspection of the districts units once in two years and inspection of range units once in a year, besides taking up of 1/7th of police stations, circle officers and sub divisions. The Zonal Inspector General of Police should avoid inspection wherever it is programmed to be inspected by the Range Deputy Inspectors of Police concerned in the particular year. The Zonal Inspector General of Police will send a copy of the inspection notes to the Director General of Police through Additional Director General of Police (Law & Order). The Zonal Inspector General of Police must also review the inspection notes of the Deputy Inspectors General of police/Superintendents of Police.
Copies of all weekly reports of Superintendents of Police/ Deputy Inspectors General of Police/ should be marked to the concerned zonal Inspector General of Police who shall review and send it up with their remarks.
Fortnightly reports of Superintendents of Police/ Deputy Inspectors General of Police should be routed through the concerned zonal Inspector General of Police who shall review and send it up with his remarks wherever action is warranted.
They shall conduct periodic reviews on all the aspects mentioned under par 3(i) above along with review of performance of Deputy Inspectors General of police and Superintendents of Police in his jurisdiction. A monthly consolidated report reflecting the happenings in the zone should be sent by them to the Government through the Director General of Police not later than 7th day of the succeeding month and it shall reach the Government before the 15th day of the succeeding month with the remarks of the Director General of Police. A reporting format will be evolved and standardized by the Director General of Police under information to the Government.
They will have powers of review over all the special units in his zone whose performance appraisal also has to be incorporated in the monthly performance review report prescribed above.
Ranks of law enforcement in Tamil Nadu
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:[5][6][7]
Gazetted Officers
Indian Police Service gazetted officers rank insignia[8][9][10]
Tamil Nadu Police headquarters in Beach Road Chennai
Transfer of personnel up to the rank of Inspector of Police within the zone. All inter Range transfers of personnel up to the rank of Inspector of Police including Inspector of Police (Armed Reserve) within the Zone will be decided by the Zonal Inspector General of Police. The Zonal Inspector General of Police will issue orders of transfers to Ranges/City in respect of Inspectors/ Sub-Inspector of Police and to the Districts/Cities in respect of constabulary within his zone. The concerned appointing authorities viz the Deputy Inspectors General of Police/Commissioners of Police in respect of Inspectors of Police/Sub Inspectors of Police and the Superintendent of Police/Deputy Commissioner of Police in respect of constabulary will issue necessary transfer and posting orders. All norms relating to transfers and postings prescribed in the Rules and Guidelines issued by the Government/Director General of Police should be followed. It should be ensured that the officer gets a chance to serve in different wings of the Department particularly the ones which are essential for promotion. It should be ensured that no one is transferred before completion of his tenure in the present station (except on adverse grounds). At the same time no one should be allowed to continue in the same police station after completion of 2 years in violation of G.O.Ms.No.661, Home (Police-I) Dept., dated.13.05.91. Those who have completed 2 years (or) will be completing 2 years on 1 April should be transferred out. In the case of pre-mature transfers on extra ordinary circumstances, Director General of Police shall be addressed explaining the necessity for orders and ratification obtained.
Sanction of Casual Leave/Holiday Permission / Permission to leave Headquarters: The power of sanctioning Casual Leave/Holiday Permission/ Permission to leave headquarters to the district Superintendents of Police/Deputy Commissioners of Police, Range Deputy Inspectors General of Police and Commissioner of Police, hitherto exercised by the Director General of Police be now delegated to the Zonal Inspector General of Police.
Sanction of MSEs up to the level of the Inspectors of Police. Now, this power has been vested with ADGP., (L&O), Chennai-04.
Routine cyber offences including phishing, vishing, morphing, extortion and cyber stalking complainants from individuals are investigated by the cyber crime police stations in districts and cities. The Cyber Crime Wing is headed by the Additional Director General of Police, Cyber Crime.[14]
The Cyber Crime Investigation Centre located at the hear quarter of Cyber Crime Wing of Tamil Nadu police in Ashok Nagar, Chennai, deals exclusively with organised cyber crime, ransomware attacks and cryptocurrency frauds . The Cyber Crime Investigation Centre was notified as a police station with wider power and jurisdiction across the state. It investigates cases with undefined jurisdiction of suspects and complainants. It also investigates social media posts that abuse constitutional functionaries, damage state integrity, disturbs public order, anti-national activities, media that affect the sovereignty and integrity of India.[14]
Social Media Monitoring Centre, in 2022, the Tamil Nadu Government announced its formation "to monitor and curb the spread of fake news and misinformation online".[15]
Helpline
The cyber crime helpline phone number is 1930. Victims of any cyber financial fraud can contact the helpline to block and revert the money transferred to criminals. In the financial year 2021 more than ₹3 crore (US$340,000) were recovered by Tamil Nadu police based on complaints of cyber crime.[14]
Criticism and Controversies
The Tamil Nadu Police has faced severe criticism for acts of misconduct, corruption, caste bias, and custodial deaths. The department has also faced flak for incidents of moral policing.
Vachathi Tragedy: On 20 June 1992, policemen, forest officers and revenue officers conducted a raid in village of Vachathi, Dharmapuri District accusing the villagers of smuggling sandalwood for Veerappan. Around 100 villagers were assaulted and 18 women were raped.
The CBI investigated the case on direction of the Madras High Court and filed report that 108 policemen were guilty in abetting the assault on innocent villagers. [16][circular reference]
Kodiyankulam Brutality: On 31 August 1995, 600 officials of the Tamil Nadu Police attacked Dalit families in Kodiyankulam village located in the Thoothukudi district. The officials destroyed properties such as televisions, tape recorders, fans, sewing machines, motorcycles, machines, tractors, farm equipment and food grain storages. They burnt the passports of educated Dalit youth in bonfire along with clothes. The only well present in the village was reportedly poisoned by police.[17] They harassed the women and assaulted the elders. Cash and jewellery worth several lakhs of rupees were also taken by the policemen. The police raid was reported to target the material prosperity of the Pallars, on the orders of upper caste officials.[18][19][20]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, several officials were involved in the Custodial death of P Jayaraj and Bennicks. The Department had suspended two sub inspectors and an inspector. The entire team in the Sathankulam police station Tamil nadu, including those in other ranks, have been transferred to other locations.[21][22][23] Following allegations of coverup, the Central Bureau of Investigation took over the investigation of this case. During the investigation, 10 police officials including Inspector/SHO, 3 Sub inspector, 2 HC, 4 Constables, all of Sathankulam Police Station were arrested. The CBI had filed a charge sheet on 26 September 2020 against all arrested police officials under sections 120-B of IPC r/w sections 302, 342, 201, 182, 193, 211, 218 & 34 & substantive offences. One more accused, Sub Inspector Palthurai died during investigation due to COVID-19.[24][25]
In 2021, the Chennai Police intervened in a case regarding a lesbian couple, who willingly fled their houses fearing interrogation and harassment.[26] The couple approached the Madras High Court; the verdict passed by judge N Anand Venkatesh ruled in their favor, ruling the need to reform and introduce a specific clause among the judiciary and law enforcement while dealing with issues regarding same sex couples.[27] Furthermore, in the interim ruling, Judge Venkatesh prohibited Conversion Therapy, besides suggesting comprehensive measures to sensitize the society and remove prejudices against the LGBTQIA+ community.[28]
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