Organisation, functions & duties of West Bengal Police

1. Aims and Objectives of the Organisation : The aims and objectives of West Bengal Police is to apply the law fairly and firmly in order to prevent and detect crime, and bring to justice those who break the law. The West Bengal Police strives to keep the State peaceful to help, to protect people through active cooperation of the community.

2. Mission / Vision : The mission of West Bengal Police is to enforce the law and to bring the attitudinal change for greater police public harmony and thereby achieve greater efficiency in its primary objective of prevention of crime and detection of crime. Police must be compassionate, courteous and patient, acting without fear or favour or prejudice to rights of others.

3. Brief History and Background : Modern Policing began in India with the attempt of changing Feudal system of policing in vogue during the Mughal period by Warren Hastings in 1774. However, under the East India Company the scope of policing was limited because their right to collect revenue was not corresponded by the obligation to provide safety and security to the people. Lord Cornwallis tried to remedy this shortcoming by abolishing the old Fouzdary system and concentrated the powers of maintaining law and order in the hands of the company’s servants by the Regulation XXII of 1793. This regulation provided that each district was to be divided into ‘thanas’ under the charge of a ‘Daroga’ who would be appointed by the Magistrate of the district. The powers of arrest were bestowed upon the Darogas. This system of policing was however improved by Lord Moira on their commendations of the Select Committee appointed by the House of Commons in 1808. Recommendations of Frederick Holiday, (1854-89), Torture Commission Report, 1855 and Sepoy Mutiny in 1857 forced the British Govt. to appoint a Commission to reorganize the police force. On the recommendations of the commission, Legislative Council enacted Act of 1861. This formed the basis of the modern policing in Bengal and in India. The frame work provided by Act 1861 popularly called the Police Act still remains the main platform on which police administration of West Bengal stands.

4. Structure of the department : The headquarters of the West Bengal Police is located at Nabanna, Howrah. The West Bengal Police is headed by the Director General and Inspector General of Police, who is an IPS officer. There are three other officers of the rank of Director General and Inspector General of Police, 20 officers of the rank of Addl. Director General & Inspector General of Police, 30 officers of the rank of Inspector General of Police and 45 officers of the rank of Dy. Inspector General of Police, 81 officers of the rank of Superintendent of Police, 55 officers of the rank of Addl. Superintendent of Police and a very large number of other police officers / men.

5. Jurisdiction : West Bengal Police has been spread over in 22 districts including 4 Superintendent Railway Polices, 8 Ranges and 4 Zones for the purpose of rendering police service throughout the state. The regions are headed by an officer of the rank of Inspector General of Police; the ranges are headed by an officer of the rank of Dy. Inspector General of Police.

I) Districts : There are 22 districts in the State of West Bengal to overall supervision of police stations / police force in the district rests on the respective Superintendents of Police. Prevention and detection of crime and also maintenance of law and order are important functions of the police. The officer in-charge of the police station has the duty to supervise the functioning of the police station that is prevention and detection of crime and maintenance of law and order within the jurisdiction of the police station. The Superintendents of police of the districts supervises the functions of sub divisional police officers, Circle Inspectors and officer-in charge of the police stations and police force under his control. The superintendents of police are also responsible for the following functions
a) Registration of FIR and investigation of cases, arrest of accused, recovery of stolen property, submission of report in the final form.
b) Depositing unclaimed property
c) Recording report regarding missing persons / children and tracing them
d) Granting permission for loud-speakers, rallies and functions
e) Providing security to banks and other important facilities
f) Supervising serious cases taking initiative to develop better police public relation and encourage community oriented policing
g) Organising meeting with associations, hearing personal grievances of public and
taking remedial action, organizing meeting at the police station level and also at the district level specially during the festival and occasion where public cooperation is needed.
h) Coordination with other Government departments and also with the NGOs.


II) Criminal Investigation Department : CID of West Bengal Police functions with its headquarters at Bhawani Bhavan, Alipore, Kolkata under the supervision of an IPS officer of the rank of Addl. Director General & Inspector General of Police, CID deals with specialized crimes of the following categories:
A) General crime
i) Anti-Robbery / Burglary & Theft Cell
ii) Anti Cheating & Fraud Cell
iii) Anti Motor theft Squad
iv) Homicide Cell
v) Narcotic Cell
vi) Railway / Highway Crime Cell
vii) Bomb-disposal Squad
viii) Missing Person Bureau
ix) Naxalite Cell
x) Womens’ grievance Cell
B) Economic Offences Wing :
a) Fraud, cheating Cell Apart from the above specialized cells, CID also has the following specialized units:
i) Finger Print Bureau
ii) Questioned Document Examination Bureau
iii) Photo Section
iv) Computer Section

III) Traffic Police : The full-fledged State Traffic Police has been set up vide G.O.No. 1484/PL/PB dated 15.3.2000. The Traffic Police Wing of West Bengal Police (headed by an officer of the rank of Addl. Director General & Inspector General of Police) oversees the traffic policing throughout the state. The wing is mainly tasked with planning and
implementation of traffic system throughout the state through the district superintendents of police. The Headquarters of Traffic Police is located at Bhawani Bhavan, Alipore, Kolkata.

IV) Intelligence Branch: Intelligence Branch of West Bengal Police has its office at 13 Lord Sinha Road, Kolkata. It is responsible for the following assignments:
a) Collection, collation and dissemination of Intelligence
b) Verification of character and antecedents
c) Registration of Bangladesh Nationals and FRRO through its various officers at the districts (DIBs)
d) Passport verification through the various district offices (DIBs)

V) West Bengal Armed Police :
a) The West Bengal Police is comprised of 12 battalions of Armed Police, two India Reserve Battalions, 3 battalions of Eastern Frontier Rifles. The battalions are headed by an officer of the rank of Superintendent of Police / Commandant. Armed Police Battalions provide the armed contingents to assist the district police as and when required. The Armed Police personnel are also trained to combat terrorism. There are 3 companies of Rapid Action Force specially trained to combat and tackle the law and order problems as and when it arises. Recently Government has sanctioned 3 Commando Coys for LWE areas and State striking force battalion.
b) Police Band : There are 3 sanctioned bands in the West Bengal Police, one each at Police Training College, EFR and SAP 1 st Battalion. They are utilized during the ceremonial occasions and also available for various functions organised by the state, also at various meetings organised by various organization. They may be utilized for any other occasion subject to the availability of the band and on payment basis.

VI) Enforcement Branch : The West Bengal Police Enforcement Branch is headquartered at Bhawani Bhavan, Alipore, Kolkata and is headed by an officer of the rank of Addl. Director General & Inspector General of Police. The Enforcement Branch was set up to enforce the various acts enacted to control the movement and trade of items specified in the various controlling Acts mainly Essential Commodities Act. However, with the repeal of such acts prohibiting movement of trade or most of the items the EB is being reorganized to undertake the economic offences / white collar crime. At present, the EB, deals with crimes related to Copy Right Laws, Patent Laws, Forward Contracts Law and Cyber Crime in addition to various enquiries entrusted by the Police Directorate and other Govt. agencies.
VII) Police Control Room : The West Bengal Police has its nerve center at the Police Control Room located at the Police Directorate, Writers’ Buildings, Kolkata. The police control room functions 24 hours and collects all information from all places OF the State of West Bengal. All executive instructions are also transmitted through the police control room. The Police Control Room is equipped with modern communication equipments including computers which are used for instant transmission of information instructions vide e-mail. All the District Police Control rooms and the Sub Divisional Control Rooms are equipped with the 100 Dial system for the benefit of public.

VIII) Vigilance : An office of Dy. Inspector General of Police has been established to undertake departmental proceedings and enquiry against police officers indulging in corruption, negligence, and malpractices.

IX) Telecom : The West Bengal Police Telecommunication organization was established on 17.04.1946 under one SP with 51 wireless stations throughout Bengal. At present it is headed by an IPS Officer of the rank of Addl. Director General of Police. All the police establishments of West Bengal are connected through VHF and HF communication. Apart from wireless communication all the police stations have been connected with computer network. The computer network also connects the police stations with the district and state headquarters.

X) State Crime Records Bureau : The State Crime Records Bureau, West Bengal was set up in the year 1987 with the following aims in view:
a) to supervise and coordinate the activities of the District Crime Records Bureaus in different districts of Kolkata Police.
b) provide training facilities to the police personnel of the state and Kolkata Police in computer usage.
c) to collect and process crime statistics for the State Police and Kolkata Police.
d) coordination and maintain liaison with National Crime Records Bureau, New Delhi and other State Crime Record Bureaus.
e) to implement the Crime Criminal Tracking Network (CCTNS) which is a central scheme of MHA,GOVERNMENT OF INDIA. At present the State Crime Records Bureau is headed by an IPS officer of the IPS rank of Director General of Police.

XI) Training : The basic training and most of the in-service training courses are conducted by the Police Training College at Barrackpore. The Police Training College was established on 11th April 1948 at the erstwhile of Latbagan now named as Mangal Pandey Udyan. Since the inception of the training center the Principal was the head of the Institution but later the post of the Principal was upgraded and AN OFFICER OF THR RANK OF Dy. Inspector General of Police was posted since the year 1966. The functions of the institution are guided by the rules framed under Bengal Police Training Manual 1936 and Rule no. 789 of PRB. The following basic training courses are conducted by the Police Training College, Barrackpore.
1) Course for Probationary Asstt. Superintendents of Police,
2) Basic training for Probationary Dy. Superintendents of Police,
3) Basic Training for Cadet Sub-Inspectors of Police of West Bengal Police and Kolkata Police.
4) Basic Training for recruit Constables (male & female) of West Bengal Police Apart from the basic training courses, various pre-promotional courses and in-service training courses are also run by the Police Training College. The Police Training College is equipped to train police personnel of all ranks in various indoor as well as outdoor curriculums. The Police Training College and the training activities of the entire West Bengal Police is supervised by the Addl. Director General of Police (Training).
XII) Industrial Grievance Cell : The Industrial Grievance Cell of West Bengal Police is headed by an officer of the rank of Dy. Inspector General of Police. The said cell is tasked with the responsibility of keeping liaison with the various industries’ set up in the state with regard to regarding safety and security of the industrial establishments and also specific problems being faced by them in terms of law and order and crime, which affects their smooth functioning. In view of the large scale investments in the various industrial and commercial sectors, this cell will have important function to discharge in the coming days.