Odisha Police

History

Along with the formation of Odisha, the "Orissa Police" was established on April 1, 1936. The department was a force comprising 4000 trained men of all ranks. The Orissa Police Manual Rules (OPMR) was unveiled in 1940 which boasted rules and regulations of the powers, functions and duties of the police department at various levels.

Department organisation

Ranges

The Odisha Police is organized into ten Police Ranges, most of which are further divided into districts. The Ranges are:

• Northern Range at Sambalpur – Districts of Sambalpur, Bargarh, Bolangir, Sonepur, and Jharsuguda
• Eastern Range at Balasore – Districts of Balasore, Mayurbhanj, and Bhadrak
• Western Range at Rourkela – Districts of Sundargarh, and Keonjhar
• Southern Range at Berhampur – Districts of Ganjam, Gajapati, and Kandhamal
• North Central Range at Talcher – Districts of Dhenkanal, Angul, and Deogarh
• South Western Range at Koraput – Districts of Nuapada, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Malkangiri, and Kalahandi
• Central Range at Cuttack – Districts of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Puri, Nayagarh, and Khurda
• Bhubaneswar–Cuttack Police Commissionerate at Bhubaneswar – Controls the Capital City Bhubaneswar and Twin City Cuttack
• Railway Range – Used for the Indian Railways
• Technical Range at Cuttack – Used for Police Transportation Services

Divisions

The Odisha Police has the following organisatorial divisions:

• Technical
• Training
• Investigation

Ranks

The Odisha Police maintains the following ranks:

• Director General of Police, IPS
• Additional Director General of Police, IPS
• Inspector General of Police, IPS
• Deputy Inspector General of Police, IPS
• Superintendent of Police, IPS / Deputy Commissioner of Police, IPS (Selection Grade)
• Superintendent of Police, OPS / Deputy Commissioner of Police, OPS (Junior Management Grade)
• Additional Superintendent of Police, IPS / Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, IPS
• Additional Superintendent of Police, OPS / Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, OPS
• Assistant Superintendent of Police, IPS
• Deputy Superintendent of Police, OPS / Assistant Commissioner of Police, OPS
• Inspector of Police, OP
• Sub Inspector of Police, OP
• Assistant Sub Inspector of Police, OP / Havildar Major, OP
• Head Constable / Havildar
• Lance Naik
• Constable
• Home Guard

Special Forces

Special Operation Group

The Special Operation Group (SOG) is an elite paramilitary unit specializing in neutralizing terrorists, insurgents and extremists. The force currently, is primarily being used to counter left-wing extremism.

Special Tactical Unit

The Special Tactical Unit (STU) is a dedicated urban warfare counter-terrorist force consisting of Special Operations Group (SOG) personnel who are trained alongside the National Security Guard (NSG). The force made Odisha, third state in the country, after Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, to have a dedicated force to counter terrorism in urban areas.

District Voluntary Force

The District Voluntary Force (DVF) is a special constabulary unit specializing in anti-Maoist operations.

Odisha Special Armed Police (OSAP)

The Odisha Special Armed Police consists of 8 Odisha Special Armed Police Battalions, 6 Specialized Indian Reserved (IR) Battalions, 4 Social Security (SS) Battalions, 2 Specialized Indian Reserved (IR) Battalions and a Special Security Battalion, working under the Bhubaneswar–Cuttack Police Commissionerate.

The Orissa Military Police was formed under the Orissa Military Police Act VII (Government of Odisha) of 1946 which was formed on 1 March 1946. Till 1980, the Orissa Military Police was serving the state with its two battalions i.e. the Gurkhas and the Oriyas. After the Orissa Military Police (Amendment) Act 1980, the name “Orissa Military Police’’ was changed to “Odisha Special Armed Police (OSAP)”. There after, the department has achieved numerous remarkable feats advancing regularly with latest gadgets, arms and ammunition.

Odisha Industrial Security Force (OISF)

The Odisha Industrial Police Force (OIPF) is a security force which was constituted to protect public and private sector industrial undertakings in Odisha. The force was formed under the Odisha Industrial Security Force Act of the Government of Odisha in 2012.

Odisha Auxiliary Police Force (OAPF)

Government of Odisha sanctioned altogether 5600 posts of Special Police Officers (SPOs) keeping in mind of SC and ST's employment in 2008. Currently, the force has a sanctioned strength of 1521 personnel.

Odisha Police Academies

• Armed Police Training Centre, Jharsuguda
• Basic Training Institute, Burla
• Biju Patnaik State Police Academy, Bhubaneswar
• Police Training College, Angul
• Police Training Institute, Jajpur
• Police Training School, Nayagarh
• Range Level Police Training School (RPTS), Koraput
• S.O.G. Training Centre, Chandaka, Bhubaneswar
• Urban Police & Traffic Training Institute, Bhubaneswar

Weapons and equipment

Arms

Communication

• Duplex sets
• Walkie-talkies
• VHF sets

Marine

• 5 Ton GRSE Series Fast Interceptor Boats (FIB)
• 12 Ton GRSE Series Fast Interceptor Boats (FIB)
• Inflatable Boats

Miscellaneous

• K9 Squad

Honours

Awards

Odisha Police received award from National Crime Records Bureau for best implementation of Information Technology in the country. Odisha Police has also been felicitated for having the second best police station in the country.

DGPs of the Odisha Police

Controversies

Odisha Police has been accused of failure to act on intelligence reports. It has also drawn flak for delay in police recruitment process. Several senior police officers have been convicted of corruption.

References

References

1. (2020). "Odisha Budget Analysis 2020–21".
2. (2012). "List Of Police Stations (Thana) In Orissa – Orissa Police". indiamapped.com.
3. "Police Ranks and Badges".
4. (2019-07-16). "Odisha Police gets IT award from NCRB". The Indian Express.
5. (2019-11-19). "Gangapur Police Station in Odisha second best in country". The Indian Express.
6. (2022-04-19). "Intel says it had warned Odisha police". Odisha TV.
7. (2021-08-20). "Pending recruitment tests by Odisha Police". Times of India.
8. (2022-02-15). "Odisha Cop owning BMW and SUV in Vigilance Net". The Hindu.
9. (2022-06-02). "Odisha DSP nabbed while taking bribe, wife escapes". The Indian Express.