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SDPO is a special police rank in India. The term is derived from the British Indian Police Act, 1861, which was introduced by Lord Raffles to create police officers who could carry out policing duties in British India. It’s a type of police rank below that of the Inspectors. Other than carrying out certain tasks, such as patrolling and investigation, there are no additional responsibilities attached to this rank.
Significance of Sub-Divisional Police Officer
In India, SDPO are appointed to various police stations which act as a link between the state government and the district police. They provide coordination and advice from the highest level of the state government to the lower levels of policing. These officers are also involved in the investigation. Moreover, these officers are also involved in addressing local problems such as tribal issues, improving law and order, etc. Further to this, SDPOs have no powers to arrest people or undertake investigations on their own. In case innocent civilians need to be detained by them for any specific reason, it needs to be done through a proper procedure like legal action which may be taken on orders from a Magistrate/Judge.
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Difference between Sub-Divisional Police Officer and Inspector
The differences between Sub-Divisional Police Officer and Inspector can be seen in the two separate ranks. Inspector is a senior rank in the Indian police hierarchy. However, sub-divisional police officers also have a higher rank than them. In the case of inspectors, they are usually above SDPOs despite the fact that they are both parts of the same grade and serve under them. Therefore, in most cases, SDPO is considered junior to SDPO.
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Role of Sub-Divisional Police Officer
The role of Sub-Divisional Police Officers can be divided into various categories such as patrolling, investigation, investigation assistance or other manning positions at different police stations under their jurisdiction.
Powers of Sub-Divisional Police Officer
The powers of a Sub-Divisional Police Officer are quite similar to that of an Inspector. However, there are some differences which can be seen. Most importantly, the SDPO has no power to arrest. However, he can use force against the people who are assaulting or threatening him during a police operation if he feels that their behaviour is harmful to him and his group. One other important aspect is that SDPOs are not considered “Inspectors” which means that whereas all the activities carried out by Inspectors have to be registered in their respective police stations, there will be no such record of the activities carried out by SDPOs.
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Importance of Sub-Divisional Police Officer
Taking into account their role and duties, the importance of SDPOs can be compared to that of an Inspector. In most cases, the State Police is understaffed which is why it’s essential that the state government recruits these officers in order to keep a constant check on them.
Need for Sub-Divisional Police Officer
In India, there are a lot of police stations and sub-divisions where the demand for Sub-Divisional Police Officers is not met. Therefore, it’s essential that the government should recruit new officers who can be members of this group and help maintain law and order at all levels.
Examples
A sub-divisional police officer exercises the same powers as a sub-divisional magistrate, except at police stations. A large number of police stations in India require many sub-divisional police officers to be employed to ensure that there are enough officers available to undertake law and order duties at each station. The administration of justice, law enforcement and the maintenance of order remain the responsibility of the officer in charge.
Conclusion
SDPO is a special police rank in India. The term is derived from the British Indian Police Act, 1861, which was introduced by Lord Raffles to create police officers that could carry out policing duties in British India. It’s a type of police rank below that of the Inspectors. Other than carrying out certain tasks, such as patrolling and investigation, there are no additional responsibilities attached to this rank. Policing has always been an important endeavour in many countries. In India, policing is one of the most important and high-level tasks assigned by the police officials to their subordinates. As it is seen, SDPOs act as a link between the district police and all their respective government departments or other people like judges and courts for any kind of concerns or issues related to law and order.
