Police Functioning

Check out more details regarding Police Functioning below.

With respect to the police organisation, the Centre and States have various different roles and functions.

Responsibilities of the State Police Forces:

States are free to govern their Police forces by their own state laws and regulations. And some state governments have legislated their own laws based on the Police Act of 1861.
States have also prepared their police manuals detailing how state police are organised, their roles and responsibilities, records that must be maintained, etc.
State police forces generally have two arms:

The civil police are responsible for day-to-today maintenance of law and public order and crime control.
Armed police are kept in reserve till additional support is required in situations like riots. The Commissionerate system in some metropolitan cities and urban areas is institutionalised to speed up the decision making process in response to complex law and order situations arising due to changing dynamics of crimes.

As of January 2020, 71 cities had this system, such as Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Kochi.

Central Government Organisations Deal with Internal Security:

- Intelligence Bureau (IB): Central intelligence agency for collecting intelligence and various leads related to internal security, including terrorism, insurgency and espionage.

Set up under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946.
It is responsible for investigating serious offences and crimes having all India or inter-state ramifications, such as those related to organised crime, financial scams, corruption and serious fraud.

National Investigation Agency (NIA): It is responsible for investigating crimes against the sovereignty, integrity, and security of the country punishable under eight specified laws, which are mentioned in the Schedule of the Act. E.g., The Atomic Energy Act, 1962, The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, The Anti-Hijacking Act, 1982 etc.
National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB): To function as a clearinghouse of information on crime and criminals, including those operating at national and international levels, so as to assist the investigators and others in linking crimes to their perpetrators.

To store, coordinate and disseminate information on inter-state and international criminals from and to respective States, national investigating agencies, courts and prosecutors in India without having to refer to the Police Station records.

Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD): Promoting applications of science and technology in police functions:

Monitoring and assisting the training needs of police forces.
Assisting state police forces with modernisation.
Assist the centre in developing quality standards with respect to police equipment and infrastructure.