Police forces of the states and union territories of India

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Police forces in India are organized separately for each state and union territory (UT). They enforce law and order within their jurisdictions, while some powers and responsibilities are shared with or supported by the central government.

What governs them
- Jurisdiction: Police and Public Order are states’ subjects. Each state or UT runs its own police under its government.
- Law: The Police Act of 1861 provides the basic framework, with small changes over time.
- Structure: The state/UT police report to the state/UT Home Department.

How a typical state police is organized
- Top leadership: The Chief of Police is the Director General of Police (DGP). They are assisted by Additional Directors General of Police (ADGs) and other DG-rank officers who head specialized wings (like law and order, intelligence, crime, training, armed police, etc.).
- Administrative divisions: For effective management, the force is divided into Civil Police (the main, unarmed force) and often into zones, ranges, and districts.
- Zone: Led by an Inspector General of Police (IG) or sometimes an ADG.
- Range: Several districts, headed by a DIG (or IG in important ranges).
- District: The district is headed by the Superintendent of Police (SP); in larger districts, the post may be Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP). Each district may be split into sub-divisions and circles.
- Sub-divisions/circles: Sub-divisions are led by a DSP; circles by a Circle Inspector.
- Police stations: The lowest operational units, headed by an Inspector or Station House Officer, with Sub-Inspectors (SIs) and Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASIs) supporting.
- Field staff: The constabulary (head constables and constables) carry out patrols, traffic duties, crime prevention, and investigations.
- Magistracy: District magistrates hold executive powers (like issuing arms licenses or orders under the CrPC) separate from police leadership.

Armed police and special units
- Armed police: Most states maintain district armed police and a state-level force (often called Provincial Armed Constabulary or Special Armed Police) for emergencies, riots, and crowd control.
- India Reserve Battalion (IRB): An armed force that can be deployed nationwide by the central government when needed; funded by both central and state governments and integrated into the state police structure.
- Other special units: Departments like coastal police, state industrial security forces, and tourist police in some states. There are also VIP security duties and specialized anti-insurgency or anti-terrorism units in certain states.

Central and state-wide cooperation
- Central supervision: While states run most police, central forces (CAPFs) can be deployed for national security or large-scale operations.
- Crime investigation: The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) or Crime Branch in each state handles specialized investigations (e.g., major crimes, narcotics, economic offenses). It is led by an ADG-level officer and includes divisions like CB-CID.
- Records and data: National and State Crime Records Bureaus collect and manage crime data (SCRBs at state level, NCRB nationally, plus district crime records bureaus in districts and UTs).

Union Territories (UTs)
- UT police can be under the UT government or directly under the central Home Ministry, depending on the UT.
- Leadership: UT police typically head by a senior IPS officer (DGP or IGP), and many UTs share the AGMUT cadre for leadership.
- Size and structure: Larger UTs may have zones and districts; smaller UTs are usually organized into districts under an IGP or SP.

Commissionerate system
- In many large cities (e.g., Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, etc.), a Police Commissioner heads the police with executive magisterial powers. The Commissioner's team includes Joint Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, and Assistant Commissioners. This system is growing in more cities to give police greater autonomy to act quickly.

Recruitment and uniforms
- Recruitment:
- Central cadre: Indian Police Service (IPS) officers (Group A) lead and manage police across states and UTs, recruited through the UPSC Civil Services Examination.
- State cadres: State Police Services (Group B, C, D) officers are recruited through State Public Service Commissions.
- UTs: Similar arrangements with variations depending on the UT and cadre (some use the central IPS/AGMUT cadre).
- Uniforms: The standard police uniform is khaki; some city forces wear white. Special units have distinct uniforms; traffic police often wear lighter or specialized attire.

Other notes
- Traffic and highway police: Traffic police handle city streets and highways, aiming to keep traffic moving and enforce traffic laws.
- National and local cooperation: Local police work with railways (GRP/RPF in railway areas), coast guard for coastal areas, and central agencies as needed.
- Disaster response: States maintain disaster response forces (SDRF) in line with national disaster management policy; Home Guards assist police under guidelines from the central government.

In short, each state and UT runs its own police, following a common framework but with local variations. They maintain order, investigate crimes, and cooperate with central agencies when required, using a mix of civilian policing, armed units, specialized wings, and modern administrative structures.