West Bengal Police

West Bengal Police পশ্চিমবঙ্গ পুলিশ
Crest of West Bengal Police
Flag of West Bengal Police
Common name	Police
Abbreviation	WBP ; প: ব: পু
Motto	"We Care We Dare"
Agency overview
Formed	1861; 164 years ago (1861)
Employees	1,11,032 [1]
Annual budget	₹10,984 crore (US$1.3 billion) (FY2024–25 est.)[2]
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction	West Bengal, IN
Jurisdiction of the West Bengal Police
Size	88,752 km^2 (34,267 sq mi)
Population	91,347,736 (2011)
Legal jurisdiction	West Bengal
Governing body	Department of Home and Hill Affairs
Constituting instrument	The West Bengal Police Act, 1952
General nature	Gendarmerie Local civilian police
Operational structure
Headquarters	Bhabani Bhawan, Alipore, Kolkata, West Bengal
Gazetted Officers	200 IPS officers[3]
Minister responsible	Mamata Banerjee, Department of Home (West Bengal)
Agency executive	Rajeev Kumar (additional charge), IPS, Director General of Police
Child agencies	CID West Bengal Counter Insurgency Force Eastern Frontier Rifles Special Task Force Specially Trained Armed Company Marine Police Indian Reserve Battalions (IRBn)
Metropolitan units	KP ADPC BPC BCP CPC HCP SMP
Facilities
Police Stations	516[4]
Vehicle types	Harley-Davidson Street 750 TATA Nexon.ev Mahindra TUV 300 Mahindra Rakshak Mahindra Marksman
Vessels	7[5]
Jetties	4[5]
Dogs	60[6]
Website
wbpolice.gov.in

The West Bengal Police (Bengali: "পশ্চিমবঙ্গ পুলিশ") is one of the two police forces of the Indian state of West Bengal. The other being the Kolkata Police, which has a separate jurisdiction across Kolkata. It comes under Department of Home and Hill Affairs.

The West Bengal Police was reorganized under provisions of the Police Act 1861 during the British Raj. It is headed by an officer designated as the Director General of Police who reports to the State Government through the Home (Police) Department. Shri Rajeev Kumar, an IPS officer of the 1989 batch is the DGP (additional charge) of West Bengal Police since 18 July 2024.^[7]

The West Bengal Police has jurisdiction concurrent with the twenty-two revenue districts of the State (excluding the metropolitan city of Kolkata) which comprises one of the two general police districts of West Bengal under the Police Act 1861. The other general police district consists of the major portions of the metropolitan area of Kolkata, and has a separate police force (Kolkata Police Commissionerate) constituted and administered under the Calcutta Police Act 1866 & Calcutta (Suburban Police) Act 1866. This arrangement, unique in India, was conceived during colonial times when Calcutta was the capital of British India. The city police have been kept independent of the state police force.

Organisational Structure

West Bengal Police Ten Police Ranges in three zones and a Railways zone.^[8]

Zone	Ranges	Districts
South Bengal Zone	Presidency Range	Baruipur Police District Diamond Harbour Police District Sundarbans Police District Howrah Rural Police
	Murshidabad Range	Krishnanagar Police District Ranaghat Police District Murshidabad
	Barasat Range	Barasat Police District Basirhat Police District Bongaon Police District
Western Zone	Burdwan Range	Hooghly Purba Bardhaman Paschim Bardhaman Birbhum
	Midnapore Range	Paschim Medinipur Purba Medinipur
	Bankura Range	Bankura Purulia Jhargram
North Bengal Zone	Jalpaiguri Range	Jalpaiguri Alipurduar Cooch Behar
	Darjeeling Range	Darjeeling Kalimpong
	Malda Range	Malda Dakshin Dinajpur
	Raiganj Range	Uttar Dinajpur (Raiganj Police District and Islampur Police District)
Railway Zone	Eastern Railway	Malda railway division Howrah railway division Asansol railway division Sealdah railway division
	South Eastern Railway	Kharagpur railway division Adra railway division Ranchi railway division
	Northeast Frontier Railway	Alipurduar railway division Katihar railway division

Police commissionerates

A police commissionerate is a law enforcement body especially in the urban parts of the state. The commissionerate is headed by a Commissioner of Police. There are Six commissionerates under West Bengal Police for Urban Area policing.^[9] The Howrah, Chandannagar, Asansol-Durgapur & the Siliguri Police commissionerates are headed by Commissioner of Police (CP) who are of the rank of Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) while the Bidhanagar and Barrackpore police commissionerates are headed by Commissioner of Police of the rank of Inspector General of Police (IGP).^[10] In November 2017 the Government of West Bengal has proposed to set up two more police commissionerates at Haldia in East Midnapore and Kharagpur in West Midnapore to ensure better policing.^[11]

All these police commissionerates are under the direct control of Director general of police.

• Asansol–Durgapur Police Commissionerate
• Barrackpore City Police
• Bidhannagar City Police
• Chandannagar Police Commissionerate
• Howrah City Police
• Siliguri Metropolitan Police

Marine Police

Since the 2008 Mumbai attacks the Government of India took the decision to strengthen coastal security and several important decisions were taken and launched a multi-tier arrangement for protection and maritime security of the country scheme. In April 2011, Government of India sanctioned 14 coastal police stations, surveillance equipment, computer systems, furniture and jetties for the West Bengal's share of the 157.50 km coastline under the Coastal Security Scheme Phase-II.^[12]

Organisational divisions

Zones

The police administration in the state is divided into three police zones and a Government Railway Police (GRP) Zone, each headed by an Inspector General of Police. Each Zone consists of one or more Ranges headed by an officer designated as the Deputy Inspector General of Police (or Special Inspector General of Police). In all, there are 28 police districts (including four consisting of Government Railway Police districts), each headed by a Superintendent of Police. The three Zones are South Bengal Zone, Western Bengal Zone and North Bengal Zone, and an office of the IGP Railways.

Besides, there are some other IGP ranked officers in the following department: Coastal Security, Fire & Emergency Services, Training, Provisioning, Armed Police (AP), Enforcement Bureau (EB), Administration, Law & Orders, Telecommunications, CID, Traffic, WBPRB, SVSPA, CIF, STF, Vigilance Commission etc.

Ranges

Each Range comprises two or more districts or one district divided into multiple police districts. The Range is headed by a Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG). In West Bengal there are 10 ranges.

Besides, there are DIG ranked officers in the department of Traffic, Railways, States Crime Records Bureau (SCRB), CID West Bengal, Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB), AP Barrackpore, AP Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) Salua, AP North Bengal, AP Durgapur, AP Siliguri, Border, Enforcement Bureau (EB), Intelligence Bureau, Fire Services, Headquarter (HQ), Police Training Center (PTS), Training, Personnel & Weapon, Provisioning, Telecommunication, WBNVF, Civil Defence etc.

Districts

Each Police District is either coterminous with the Revenue district or in the case of Government Railway Police districts, is located within a number of revenue districts. It is headed by a District Superintendent of Police (or simply called Superintendent of Police). Each district comprises two or more Sub-Divisions, several Circles and Police Stations. But in recent times, several districts are divided into police districts for better police administration. Each of those police districts are headed by an SP.^[13]

Sub-Divisions

Each Sub-Division is headed by one Police officer of the rank Deputy Superintendent of Police (members of West Bengal Police Service, a directly recruited officer or one promoted from the ranks) or an Assistant Superintendent of Police (members of Indian Police Service). In West Bengal, the officer who heads a Sub-Division is known as SDPO i.e. Sub Divisional Police Officer.

Circles

A Circle comprises several Police Stations within a sub-division. An Inspector of Police who heads a police circle is the Circle Inspector of Police or CI.

Stations

A Police Station is the basic unit of policing, responsible for prevention and detection of crime, maintenance of public order, enforcing law in general as well as for performing protection duties and making security arrangements for the constitutional authorities, government functionaries, representatives of the public in different legislative bodies and local self governments, public figures etc.

A Police Station is headed by either a Sub-Inspector (lower subordinate rank), mostly in rural areas or an Inspector (an upper subordinate rank), mostly in urban areas. Police outposts are headed by a Sub-Inspector or Assistant Sub Inspector. After the year 2009 both ASI and SI have equal investigation power and both serve as duty officers.

Criticism

The West Bengal Police was criticised and a section of the police station under their jurisdiction was burnt by the locals of Kultali, South 24 Paragnas due to the mishandling of rape of 10-year-old girl. It is alleged that they also harassed the parents of he minor while registering complaint and the locals and police indulged into a violent clash due to the underlying incident.^[14]

Police ranks

Main article: List of police ranks in India

The Director General functions from the West Bengal Police^[15] Directorate, located in the Writers' Buildings, the State Government's main Secretariat in Central Kolkata. He is assisted by a team of senior officers from the ranks of Additional Director General & Inspector General of Police to Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG — a post equivalent in rank and status to the Superintendent of Police). Officers of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police are selected by the West Bengal Public Service Commission through the West Bengal Civil Service (Executive & other services) examinations. In addition to this, the directly recruited Sub Inspectors of Police may also become Deputy Superintendent of Police on promotion.

The West Bengal Police maintains the following ranks:

Designation in State Police	Designation in Commissionerate	Abbreviation
Director General of Police	Commissioner of Police	DGP or CP
Additional Director General of Police	Special Commissioner of Police	Addl. DGP or Spl. CP
Inspector General of Police	Additional Commissioner of Police	IGP(IG) or Addl. CP
Deputy Inspector General of Police	Joint Commissioner of Police	DIG or Jt. CP
Senior Superintendent of Police	Deputy Commissioner of Police (Selection Grade)	SSP or DCP
Superintendent of Police	Deputy Commissioner of Police	SP or DCP
Additional Superintendent of Police	Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police	Addl.. SP or Addl. DCP
Deputy Superintendent of Police /Sub Divisional Police Officer	Assistant Commissioner of Police	DSP/SDPO or ACP
Assistant Superintendent of Police	Same in both state and city police	Asst. SP
Police Inspector		Inspector
Sub-inspector		SI
Assistant Sub-Inspector		ASI
Senior Police Constable (Unarmed division)
Police Constable (Entry level armed division)

Organisation

The Police Manual of West Bengal Police was compiled and issued during British Raj and is known as the Police Regulations of Bengal(PRB), 1943 and with subsequent modifications and corrections, is the guiding source of internal Police Organization and Administration under its area of responsibility. The WBP is divided into a number of units:

Local Intelligence Unit

Post 2014 Burdwan blast, which unearthed Bangladesh-based militant group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh, middle-east's terrorist group Islamic State and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence terror module, the need for strengthening the local intelligence gathering mechanism was first felt. Following the incident the state govt has set up a new intelligence agency to counter terrorism, bust terror modules and invigilate suspicious movements in West Bengal and also to foil militant infiltration into the state.^[16]

Armed Police

The Armed Battalions consisting of State Armed Police (SAP), Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) and Indian Reserve Battalions (IRBn),

Civil Police

The Civil Police consists of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Counter Insurgency Force (CIF), Enforcement Branch (EB), Intelligence Branch (IB), Traffic Branch, Police Telecommunications, Training Wing, State Crime Records Bureau (SCRB) & Police Computer Centre (PCC).

STRACO

An elite force named Specially Trained Armed Company or STRACO has been created to combat insurgency & terrorism, posted in West Zone to fight Maoist guerrillas. WBP is raising another new "Counter Insurgency" force on the line of Gray Hound Special Force of Andhra Pradesh Police.

STF

West Bengal government created new directorate of the Special Task Force under West Bengal Police.^[17] The Special Task Force (STF) of West Bengal, formed around three years ago, to combat modern urban organized crimes - terrorism, organized gangs, illegal arms, ammunition, drugs and fake currency across the state is all set to get a police station of its own and a designated court.^[18]

SVSPA

The Swami Vivekananda State Police Academy (SVSPA) is the state level police training institution catering to the training needs of West Bengal Police and Kolkata Police. The Academy conducts basic training for DSP Probationers, Cadet Sub-Inspectors of both Armed & Un-Armed branches and Recruit Constables for West Bengal Police and also for Warders and Inspectors of Correctional Services, Sub-Inspectors and Sergeants of Kolkata Police. The Academy also conducts Pre-promotional training for Constables, Asst. SI's and SI's for their promotion to the next rank besides conducting various short in- service training courses on different professional issues. SVSPA is well equipped with in-house faculty members both for academic indoor training and outdoor training. Besides, a number of eminent faculty members from different disciplines take classes for the training programs. These include academicians, experts from Forensic Science Medicine, scientific officers/experts from Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) & Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), lawyers, judicial officers and senior police officers.^[19]

Recruitments

Entries are done at the following ranks:

1. Recruitments to the posts of Constables / Lady constables, Sub Inspectors and Lady Sub inspectors are done by West Bengal Police Recruitment Board.
2. West Bengal Police Service: Officers selected through West Bengal Civil Service (Group-B) etc., examination conducted by West Bengal Public Service Commission are appointed as Deputy Superintendent of Police.
3. Indian Police Service: Officers selected through Civil Service Examinations conducted by Union Public Service Commission are appointed as Assistant Superintendent of Police during their probationary period. Upon confirmation to the service, they are appointed as Additional Superintendent of Police.

Eastern Frontier Rifles

Main article: Eastern Frontier Rifles

The Eastern Frontier Rifles are an armed police force of the WBP, the purpose of which is to control major law & order problems, communal riots and terrorist attacks. Many contingents of EFR are deployed in various disturbed areas of the State. However, in recent years the effectiveness of this force has been weakened by overuse and prolonged deployment at Police Stations for day-to-day law & order duties. The headquarters of EFR is at Salua, near Kharagpur.

Counter Insurgency Force

Main article: Counter Insurgency Force

The specialised force of the CIF was raised by the Government following the worsening situation in the Jungle Mahals. The force was charged with the specific task of curbing presence of the maoists within the state. The force was allowed its own recruiting process so as to select the best men from within the force. The force is headed by an Additional Director General of Police ranked officer.

Insignia of West Bengal Police (State Police)

State Police Services rank insignia^[20]

Insignia

Rank

Superintendent of police [a]

Additional superintendent of police[b]

Deputy superintendent of police[c]

Abbreviation

SP

Addl.SP

DSP/Dy.SP

Note: Gazetted officers in State Police Services (SPS) begins from DSP and above.[21] In the Indian Police Service (IPS), rank starts from Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), which is equivalent to DSP in state services.

Equipment

• INSAS rifle in 5.56mm NATO
• OFB Excalibur Rifle - 292 unit on order.^[22][23]
• Revolvers ^[24]
• Pistol Auto 9mm 1A^[24]
• AK 47^[24]
• Heckler & Koch MP5^[24]
• Sterling Submachine Gun: Indian Version
• SLR: Indian Version of FN FAL
• 7.62mm SLR: With special tube attachment.^[24]
• Lee-Enfield .303 British Rifle : Indian Version
• OFB 12 Bore Pump Action Gun.^[24]
• 51mm Mortar^[24]
• 0.203 Riot Gun^[24]
• Gas Gun^[24]
• Grenade^[24]
• Colt XM177

• M4 Carbine

• M16A2

• SIG SG 551

See also

• Kolkata Police
• West Bengal CID

Notes

1. In an armed police battalion, the equivalent rank is "Commandant.
2. In an armed police battalion, the equivalent rank is Deputy Commandant
3. In an armed police battalion, the equivalent rank is Assistant Commandant.

References

1. "STATES/UTS & CPFS POLICE STRENGTH". bprd.nic.in.
2. "West Bengal Budget Analysis 2024-25". PRS Legislative Research.
3. "West Bengal Police".
4. "Police Stations under West Bengal Police Jurisdection". Department of Information & Cultural Affairs(I&CA), Government of West Bengal. 30 April 2022. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
5. "Lok Sabha Unstarred Question no.2870 on COASTAL SECURITY No.29/RN/Ref./November/2013" (PDF). loksabhadocs.nic.in. 11 March 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
6. Minhaj, Adnan (7 November 2021). "West Bengal Police to set up dog squads in all districts". The Siasat Daily 7:39 pm IST. pp. Offbeat. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
7. PTI (15 July 2024). "Bengal govt reinstates Rajeev Kumar as DGP". ThePrint. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
8. "Organization chart of West Bengal Police". WBP. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
9. "New Chandannagar Police Commissionerate in Hooghly district". Business Standard Jun 30 2017 | 9:07 PM IST. 30 June 2017. Archived from the original on 23 July 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
10. "City-style policing in Bidhannagar". The Telegraph (India) 15.09.11, 12:00 AM. 15 September 2011. Archived from the original on 22 July 2023. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
11. "WB govt to set up two new police commissionerates". The New Indian Express 15th November 2017 01:00 PM. Press Trust of India. 1 November 2017. Archived from the original on 20 October 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
12. "Coastal Security" (PDF). loksabhadocs.nic.in. 1 November 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
13. Nandi, Soumitra (21 February 2017). "Three new police districts to be set up". The Asian Age. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
14. Subham bajpai, India TV News; Bajpai, India TV News (5 October 2024). "West Bengal: 10-year-old girl raped, killed in South 24 Parganas, villagers set police station on fire". indiatvnews.com. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
15. "The West Bengal Police: Structure, Functions, and Impact". 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
16. Gupta, Saibal (30 December 2016). "West Bengal to get grassroots eyes & ears". The Times of India 03.07 AM IST. pp. Kolkata News. Archived from the original on 31 December 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
17. "West Bengal govt creates new directorate of Special Task Force". Financial Express Sep 09, 2019, 11:51 PM IST. 10 September 2019. Archived from the original on 9 September 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2019. Alt URL
18. Ghosh, Dwaipayan (6 July 2022). "West Bengal STF to get full-fledged police station soon". The Times of India 21:15 IST. Kolkata. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
19. "SVSPA: The Seedbed Where Future Cops Grow". theprotector.in. 29 May 2017. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
20. • "Police Ranks" (PDF). Maharashtra Police. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
    • "Governance of Kerala Police". Kerala Police. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
    • "Police Ranks and Badges". Odisha Police. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
    • "Kerala: Cops unhappy over promotion delay". The Times of India. 6 January 2021. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
    • "Can SP be a non-IPS". sylendrababu.com. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
    • Kumar, S. Vijay (14 March 2018). "Non-cadre postings irk IPS officers". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
21. "Nuh Police, Government of Haryana". mewat.haryanapolice.gov.in. Haryana Police. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
22. The Times of India (6 August 2016). "Excalibur muscle for Bengal police". timesofindia.com. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
23. NYOOOZ (6 August 2016). "Excalibur muscle for Bengal police". nyoooz.com. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
24. "WEST BENGAL POLICE GAZETTE" (PDF). www.policewb.gov.in. West Bengal Police Authority. 3 September 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2016.

External links

• List of all West Bengal police stations from the West Bengal govt's official site
• Criminal Investigation Department, West Bengal