Police Rank Structure in India : Everything You Need to Know

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Introduction – Police Rank Structure in India

The Police Department’s main duty is to uphold law and order. As a state topic, the police rank structure in India is according to the laws and regulations of each individual state, which establishes the police ranks in each state. Via its respective lieutenant governors, the Union Government of India maintains responsibility over the police forces in the Union Territories (UTs).

In this article, we are going to discuss the police rank structure in India.

Police Ranks and Insignia of India :

• Indian Police Service – Gazetted Officers Rank 

• Indian Police Service – Non-Gazetted Officers Rank

Police Rank Structure in India – Explained (In Descending Order of Hierarchy)

Gazetted Officers Rank

1. Director General of Police

• The highest rank in police in India is the Director General of Police (DGP) in a State or Union Territory, which normally involves leading the state or UT police force. The DGP is a three-star level official who is chosen by the cabinet.
• The state government, in conjunction with the UPSC, appoints the Director General of Police of States (State Police Chief).

2. Additional Director General of Police

A rank in the Indian Police Service is the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP). Having the same maximum 3-star police rank as the Director General of Police, ADGPs are regarded in the same manner.

3. Inspector General of Police

An Inspector General of Police (IGP) is currently solely a member of the Indian Police Service. An IGP is the third-highest level in a state’s hierarchy, immediately above the Deputy Inspector General of Police and below the Additional Director General of Police.

4. Deputy Inspector General of Police

The Indian police have a position immediately after the Inspector General of Police called led Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG). It is a rank held by members of the Indian Police Service who were promoted to it after successfully serving as Senior Superintendent of Police or Deputy Commissioner of Police (Selection Grade)

5. Assistant Inspector General of Police / Senior Superintendent of Police, Superintendent of Police and Additional Superintendent of Police

A senior rank in the Indian Police Service is Superintendent of Police, also referred to as Deputy Commissioner in Police Department (IPS). A senior superintendent of police (SSP) oversees the bigger, more significant districts in India, whereas a superintendent of police oversees the smaller, less significant districts (SP).

The Additional Superintendent of Police is below the Superintendent of Police.

Other than serving as the district police chief, the Superintendent of Police in India may be given a variety of functions and responsibilities. In their designated duty, they must make use of their knowledge and abilities to guarantee the preservation of law and order as well as the safety of the general public.

6. Deputy Superintendent of Police 

In the Commissionerate system, the position of deputy superintendent of police or Assistant commissioner of police (ACP) was established in 1876 along with the introduction of the Indianization policy.  Originally, it was a position that could only be held by Indians and was on par with the Assistant Superintendent (a rank then only held by Europeans). Deputy superintendents (DSP or DySP) are now state police officials who work for the provincial police forces. They may have been promoted from Inspector or are direct recruits at that rank. After a set number of years of service, which can range from 8 to 15 years depending on the state, assistant commissioners of police who are members of the provincial forces can be promoted to the Indian Police Service.

Non-Gazetted Officers Rank

• Sub-inspector

In India, the personnel in command at a police station are primarily Inspectors of police. An Inspector of police is classified as a circle inspector of police in rural India and is in command of a police circle that includes two or more police stations. The inspector rank is below the Deputy superintendent (DSP) rank and above the sub-inspector rank.

The Assistant Inspector is only present in Maharashtra Police.

• Sub-inspector

Typically, a sub-inspector (SI) is in charge of a small number of police officers (with head constables, the equivalent of corporals, commanding police outposts). According to Indian Police policies and procedures, they are the lowest-ranking officer who can file a charge sheet in court and is typically the one who initiates an investigation. They are subordinated by officers who can only conduct investigations on their behalf and cannot pursue charges. In some places, like Kerala, they may serve as station house officers.

• Assistant of Sub-Inspector (ASI)

An Assistant of Sub-Inspector (ASI) is a non-gazetted police officer in the Indian police forces who are ranked below a Sub-Inspector and above a police head constable. He or she might work as an investigator. A.S.I. is frequently the officer in command of investigation centers and police outposts, also known as “phari.” Several police stations have GD duty supervisors. They provide top police with incident reports.

It is the starting position for the officers graded in the paramilitary and police services. Usually, in border guarding units like the BSF, the ASI is in control of the border patrol platoon (Border Security Force).

• Head Constable

The equivalent of a sergeant in other countries’ police forces is a head constable in the Indian police. Head constables have either three bars or three point-down chevrons on their epaulettes.

• Constable 

The lowest police rank in India is police constable, or PC. Each state government in India hires police constables since maintaining general law and order is a state responsibility. There is no shoulder emblem on a police constable.

In India, there are typically three different categories of constables, based on the unit, wing, branch, or sector to which they are affiliated. Armed police constables are linked to armed police units, while traffic police constables are responsible for controlling the flow of traffic on the road.

Indian Police Ranks and Salary

Conclusion

One needs to have certain skills in order to serve the country as a qualified police officer. A police officer must have both technical and interpersonal skills in order to effectively carry out his job.

They should have skills like active listening, the ability to pay attention to details, good communication skills,
confidence, the ability to remain calm in extreme situations, and the skill to work in a team.

One eager to join the police force should know about how the Police Rank Structure in India works. 

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