LAW, ORDER AND JUSTICE

POLICE DEPARTMENT

THE PRIMARY FUNCTIONS OF THE POLICE ARE THE PREVENTION AND DETECTION OF CRIME, the maintenance of law and order, the apprehension of offenders, escorting and guarding of prisoners, treasure, private or public property of which they may be placed in charge, and the prosecution of criminals. They have, however, various other duties to perform such as control and regulation of traffic, service of summonses and execution of warrants in criminal cases, inspection of explosives and poison shops, extinguishing fires, giving aid to displaced persons and pilgrims, verification of character, passport and naturalisation inquiries, etc.

Organisation: Under section 17 of the Bombay Police Act (XXII of 1951), the District Magistrate has full control over the District Police Force. In exercising this authority, the District Magistrate is subject to the rules and orders made by the State Government and to the lawful orders of the Revenue Commissioner. Under section 6(1) of the Bombay Police Act, 1951, the direction and supervision of the whole Police Force in the State vests in the Inspector-General of Police who is assisted by one or more Assistant Inspectors-General of Police of the rank of Superintendent of Police. It is the province of the Inspector-General of Police to advise the Government on all problems, specially those connected with police personnel, their training and equipment, supplies and stores, financial provision for the functioning of the force, the powers and duties of various grades of officers and to make rules and orders for the guidance of the officers on all such matters. He has to keep in touch, by frequent inspections, with the requirements of the Police Force so as to maintain its efficiency and also to keep due watch over all matters relating to the maintenance of law and order and prevention and detection of crime.

For the purposes of administration, the State has been divided into four Police Ranges, besides the three Commissionerates in Greater Bombay, Pune and Nagpur. These four ranges correspond with the four revenue divisions for which Divisional Commissioners are appointed with their head-quarters at Bombay, Pune, Nagpur and Aurangabad. In Greater Bombay, the Commissioner of Police, who is second in the Police hierarchy, is in charge of the Greater Bombay Police Force. The Commissioners of Police in charge of Pune and Nagpur Commissionerates are of the rank of Deputy Inspector-General of Police.

The State Criminal Investigation Department is divided into two branches, viz., Intelligence and Crime and Railways, each under a Deputy Inspector-General. Both the Deputy Inspectors-General are assisted by one or more Assistants of the rank of Superintendent of Police and have a number of Deputy Superintendents of Police, Inspectors, Sub-Inspectors and Head Constables working under them. There are Criminal Investigation Department units at important places in the State, each under a Deputy Superintendent of Police assisted by the necessary subordinate staff.

There are eight State Reserve Police Forces Groups, each under a Commandant of the rank of the Superintendent of Police. These Groups are under the control of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Armed Forces, Bombay.

The Police Training College, Nasik, the Regional Police Traning Schools at Khandala, Jalna and Nagpur, and the Motor Transport Organisation are under the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Training and Special Units, Bombay.

The Wireless organisation is headed by an officer designated as Director of Police Wireless, who is of the rank of Deputy Inspector-General of Police.

Each range in the State, which is in the charge of a Deputy Inspector-General is divided into districts and corresponds with the respective revenue division. It may, however, be noted that Ratnagiri, which is in Bombay revenue division, is included in the Pune Police range, and Ahmadnagar which is in Pune Revenue division is included in the Bombay Police Range. The reason for this being that because of their geographical position, the police working in the districts of Ratnagiri and Ahmadnagar can more conveniently be supervised by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Pune Range, whose headquarters is at Kolhapur and Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Bombay Range whose head-quarters is at Nasik, respectively.

Subject to the control of the Inspector-General of Police, and the District Magistrates in their respective spheres of authority, the direction and regulation of the Police throughout the district are vested in the Superintendent of Police, who, as executive head of the police force, has full control over the internal economy and discipline of the force under him. His primary duties are to keep the force under his control properly trained, efficient and contented and to ensure, by constant supervision, the proper and effective prevention, investigation and detection of crime in his district.

Each district is divided into two or three sub-divisions. Each subdivision is in charge of a Sub-Divisional Police Officer, who is of the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police or Deputy Superintendent of Police and he is responsible for the prevention, investigation and detection of crime in his charge. Subject to the general orders of the Superintendent of Police, he is responsible for the efficiency and discipline of the officers and men in his Sub-Division. He has to hold detailed inspections of the police stations and out-posts in his charge at regular intervals.

Regular duties: The office of the Superintendent of Police is located at Ahmadnagar. The Superintendent of Police is assisted by a Police Inspector designated as Home Police Inspector. The Home Police Inspector acts as his Personal Assistant. His office has a ministerial staff of 21 for attending to scriptory work. One Police Inspector, Local Crime Intelligence Branch, is also attached to his office to supervise the working of the Special Branch and the Local Crime Branch.

Ahmadnagar district has 17 police stations. For purposes of police administration the district is divided into two Sub-Divisions, viz., Ahmadnagar and Shrirampur, having their head-quarters at Ahmadnagar and Shrirampur, respectively. Each sub-division is in the charge of a Sub-Divisional Police Officer. One Circle Police Inspector is also attached to each sub-division. There are nine police stations and 15 out-posts in the Ahmadnagar division and eight police stations and 19 out-posts in the Shrirampur sub-division. The Ahmadnagar city police station is in charge of a Police Inspector and the remaining police stations in the district are placed under the charge of Sub-Inspectors. Police stations are located at the following places and the number of out-posts under each police station is shown against each police station:—

(1) Ahmadnagar sub-division:

Ahmadnagar City, Ahmadnagar Camp, Ahmadnagar taluka (3), Shrigonda (1), Jamkhed (2), Karjat (2), Shevgaon (2), Pathardi (3), Parner (2).

(2) Shrirampur sub-division :

Shrirampur (4), Sangamner (3), Akola (2), Rajur (1), Rahata (2), Kopargaon (2), Newasa (3), Rahuri (3).

A Sub-Inspector of Police is ordinarily an officer in charge of a police station. He exercises all the powers as defined in the Criminal Procedure Code and is responsible for prevention and detection of crime and maintenance of law and order in his charge and for the implementation of the orders and instructions issued by his superior officers. He is also responsible for the proper maintenance of the discipline of the policemen under his control. He is provided with the requisite strength of head-constables and constables, armed and unarmed, for attending to the various duties with which he is entrusted. A police station area is divided into beats and each beat is under the charge of a head constable. The head constable keeps the Sub-Inspector informed of all the important affairs and occurrences in his beat and assists him in the investigation and detection of crime. When in charge of a particular post or beat, the head constable acts in all police matters in co-operation with the police patils appointed for each village. In the absence of the Police Sub-Inspector normally the senior head constable works as the police station officer. The police constable performs such duties as are laid down in the standing orders and circulars, etc. He also carries out orders of the officers and the head constables under whom he is working.

Strength: The composition of the police force in 1961, 1965 and 1971 was as under:—

Women Police: Women police are allotted to almost all the districts of the State. The main functions of the women police are to attend to the convenience and complaints of female passengers at all railway stations, to apprehend and search female offenders, to help in the administration of the Bombay Children's Act and the Suppression of Immoral Traffic in Women and Girls Act and to keep vigilance at the places of traffic or public entertainment. They also help the executive police officers at the time of holding inquests on dead bodies of women whenever required.

The strength of the women police in this district on December 31, 1968 was one woman head constable and four women police constables.

Expenditure: The expenditure on the establishment of the police force in the district for the year 1968 was Rs. 30,70,778.

The strength of police to area and population works out to one policeman to 11.83 square kilometres and to 1,252.45 persons, respectively.

Police head-quarters: The police head-quarters which is in the charge of the Reserve Police Sub-Inspector, is located in Ahmadnagar city. The motor transport section is also located at the police headquarters. The working of the Reserve Police Sub-Inspector is supervised by the Home Police Inspector. The contingent of the Reserve Police consisting of 19 armed head constables and 109 constables is kept at the police head-quarters for emergent duties.

Motor transport: The motor transport for the whole State is under the control of a Superintendent of Police, designated as Superintendent of Police, Motor Transport. He is concerned with maintaining a fleet of motor vehicles and water-craft for police duties. It consists of (i) a district motor transport section at the head-quarters of each district and each State Reserve Police Force Group, (ii) central motor transport workshop together with mobile units at Pune, Aurangabad and Nagpur, and (iii) the mobile repair unit for police water-craft with head-quarters at Thana. The District and the State Reserve Police Force Motor Transport Sections which consist of motor vehicles, and in some districts water-craft as well, are under the administrative control of the Superintendent of Police of the district or Commandant of the Group concerned, as the case may be, and for technical supervision under the Superintendent of Police, Motor Transport.

Ahmadnagar district has a fleet of twelve motor vehicles and one motor cycle. One supervisor, two mechanics and 15 drivers are attached to the Motor Transport Section.

The Zonal Motor Transport Inspector visits the district twice a year. Similarly the Superintendent of Police, Motor Transport, also visits the district for inspection once in two years while the Deputy Superintendent of Police visits the district for Motor Transport inspection every year. The Mobile Repair Unit at Aurangabad visits the district every quarter for carrying out repairs to the vehicles.

Arms Inspection Branch: There is an Arms Inspection Branch under the charge of Deputy Superintendent of Police, whose headquarters is at Bombay. He is assisted by two Police Inspectors, one Police Sub-Inspector, three head constables and four police constables. The main function of the branch is to inspect the arms and bicycles held on charge in the various police units regularly and to ensure their proper maintenance. The branch is under the control of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Armed Forces.

Two head constables and four constables who are trained in repairing small arms are attached to armourer's shop for carrying out petty repairs.

Tear Gas Squad: A tear gas squad consisting of one Police Sub-Inspector, two head constables and eight police constables is formed in this district.

Recruitment: Recruitment of officers of the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police, who belong to the Indian Police Service, is done by the Government of India on the recommendations of the Union Public Service Commission. On appointment an Assistant Superintendent of Police is attached to the National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie and to the National Police Academy at Mount Abu for training for a period of five months and twelve months, respectively. After successful completion of his training, he is sent to the State to which he is allotted for further training. In this State, the Indian Police Service probationers are attached to the Police Training College, Nasik, for three months' training and then to the districts for practical training for nine months, before they are appointed to hold independent charge as Sub-Divisional Police Officers.

After a year's training at the Police Training College, they are required to undergo military training for five weeks and thereafter practical training in the district for the remaining period of probation.

Appointments of Inspectors of Police are made by the Inspector-General of Police by promotion of Police Sub-Inspectors who are found fit for promotion by a Selection Board comprising the Inspector-General of Police as Chairman, and the Commissioner, Deputy Inspectors-General of Police as members. No direct recruitment is ordinarily made.

Recruitment of Sub-Inspectors is made by the Inspector-General of Police both by promotion of officers from the lower ranks of the District Police Force and by direct recruitment. Fifty per cent of the vacancies are filled in by direct recruitment. Of the remaining 50 per cent 25 per cent of the vacancies are filled in by the Departmental candidates passing the Police Sub-Inspector's Course at the Central Police Training College, Nasik, and the remaining 25 per cent by promotion of officers from the lower ranks. On recruitment, Probationary Police Sub-Inspectors are required to undergo training in the Police Training College, Nasik. The selection of the Police Sub-Inspectors is made by the Inspector-General of Police assisted by a Committee comprising the Commissioner of Police, Bombay, a Deputy Inspector-General of Police and the Principal, Police Training College, Nasik.

Recruitment of the police constables is done directly and locally. As for head constables, it is generally done by promotion from the rank of constables. However, to attract better educated men, well-educated candidates are appointed as head constables to the extent of 33 per cent of the vacancies.

Armed police constable recruits are given training at the police head-quarters and unarmed recruits are sent to the Training Schools at Khandala, Jalna or Nagpur.

Crime: The following statement shows the crime, reported to the police, during the year 1968 and the preceding four years:—

The important crimes reported during the year 1968 and the preceding four years were as under:—

The incidence of the reported cognizable crime per thousand population of the district during the year 1968 and the preceding four years was as under:—

Prosecutions and prosecuting staff: There are nine Police Prosecutors in this district. The senior-most Police Prosecutor stationed at Ahmadnagar supervises and co-ordinates the work of all the Police Prosecutors. The Police cases which are sent to the Court are scrutinised and conducted in courts by the Police Prosecutors. The total number of cases conducted by the prosecuting staff in 1968 was 2,481, of which 1,436 cases ended in conviction.

Wireless Grid: In order to facilitate speedy communications pertaining to law and order and crime between the various police units in the State of Maharashtra and other States, a Police Wireless Grid has been established. It is under the control of a Deputy Inspector General of Police, who is designated as Director of Police Wireless, Maharashtra State, with head-quarters at Pune. The Grid comprises wireless telegraphy circuits of high frequency and very high frequency with static and mobile stations and broadcast service stations. There are wireless stations at the head-quarters of each district. State Reserve Police Force Groups and in the three Commissionerates of Greater Bombay, Pune and Nagpur City. The wireless personnel in Bombay and those attached to the districts and State Reserve Police Force Groups are under the control of the Commissioners of Police, Superintendent of Police and the Commandants of the concerned State Reserve Police Force Groups, respectively.

Ahmadnagar district has only one static high frequency wireless station located at Ahmadnagar and in addition one high frequency mobile set is provided for emergency purposes. This station is manned by one Head Wireless Operator and five Wireless Operators.

C.I.D. Unit: One Police Sub-Inspector, one head constable and one short-hand reporter are attached to this district. This sub-unit works under the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Intelligence, Criminal Investigation Department, Pune Unit.

State Traffic Branch: The strength of this branch in the district consists of a Police Sub-Inspector, one head constable, two police constables and one police constable driver. One vehicle is placed at the disposal of this branch. The main function of this branch is to check crime pertaining to vehicular traffic.

Anti-Corruption and Prohibition Intelligence Branch: With a view to eradicating the evil of corruption and ensuring a more effective implementation of the prohibition policy of the Government, the Anti-Corruption and Prohibition Intelligence Bureau has been created under the control of a Deputy Inspector-General of Police, who is designated as Director of Anti-Corruption and Prohibition Intelligence Bureau, Maharashtra State, with his head-quarters at Bombay. He has been declared as a Head of Department under the administrative control and supervision of the Home Department of the Stale Government. He is assisted by an officer of the rank of Superintendent of Police (who is ex-officio Deputy Commissioner of Police) and six other officers of the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police/Deputy Superintendent of Police. The Bureau has its offices in all districts and has four regional units with head-quarters at Bombay, Pune, Aurangabad and Nagpur, each in the charge of a Deputy Superintendent of Police. The unit for Greater Bombay is in the charge of the Deputy Commissioner of Police.

The Anti-Corruption unit at Ahmadnagar consists of one Police Sub-Inspector and two police constables.

Police Dog Unit: In modern times certain types of dogs such as DOBERMANN. PINSCHER, ALSATIAN, etc., are being utilised by the Police for detection of crime, apprehension of criminals, and for patrolling. The Police Dog Units are stationed at Aurangabad, Nagpur and Pune and are utilised for detection of important crimes such as murders, house-breaking, etc.

State Reserve Police Force: With a view to providing the armed force which may be required at any place in the State to deal with any serious disturbance or other similar emergencies, the State Reserve Police Force, trained more or less on military lines and equipped with modern weapons, has been organised under the Bombay State Reserve Police Force Act, 1951 (Bombay Act No. XXXVIII of 1951) and stationed in groups at important centres in the State. Each group is under the control of a Commandant (who is an officer of the rank of a Superintendent of Police) assisted by the necessary staff of officers of different ranks. The groups are provided with wireless and motor transport sections.

Village Police: At the village level, the district police are helped by the village police. The control of the village police is vested in the District Magistrate. The District Magistrate may, however, delegate his authority in certain matters to the Superintendent of Police. Each inhabited village has a police patil. The police patil is required to collect information regarding suspicious strangers and important occurrences in the village and send the same to the police station. He has to keep a strict watch over the movements of notorious characters and criminals under surveillance of the police. He is required to give information to the police station of any offence committed in the village. When a beat duty policeman goes to the village, the police patil has to give him the necessary information he possesses about all events in the village which have a bearing on the police working.

In the year 1968, the number of police patils in the district was 1,241.

Village Defence Parties: The village defence parties are meant for the defence of the village against depredations of dacoits and other types of criminals and for the security of persons and property of the villagers. The Police Sub-Inspector, Local Crime Branch, acts as ex-officio Village Defence Officer and one head constable from each police station (except Ahmadnagar City) works as Assistant Joint Village Defence Officer. At the close of the year 1968, Village Defence Parties were formed in 564 villages out of 1,329 villages in the district.

Housing: Police Officers of and below the rank of Police Inspector are entitled to rent-free quarters. Out of the total strength of 37 police officers and 1,381 policemen in 1961, 25 officers and 905 policemen have been provided with Government quarters. Quarters for the remaining officers and policemen entitled to rent-free quarters are yet to be constructed.

Police Welfare Fund: A benevolent fund known as the Police Welfare Fund has been started in the district with a view to providing amenities and comforts to the policemen and their families and other low-paid staff of the department. The fund is of a private nature and is operated in accordance with the Welfare Fund Rules framed by the Inspector-General of Police and approved by the Government. The fund is raised through periodical contributions from the members of the Fund and out of the income derived from entertainment programmes, etc., staged for augmenting the fund. The fund is operated by the Superintendent of Police in his official capacity. Out of the proceeds of the fund, a children's park, a recreation centre, a flour mill, a balak mandir, a vegetable garden and a barber's shop, etc.. are being conducted for the welfare of policemen and their families at the district head-quarters. A cinema projector is provided for exhibiting films in the head-quarters lines. A police clinic is also provided for treatment of the families of policemen.

Out of this fund, monetary help is also given for educational purposes to deserving persons, for purchase of costly medicines not supplied in Government hospitals to policemen, etc., and for funeral expenses of policemen. The balance in the welfare fund of this district at the end of the year 1968, was Rs. 69,346.58.

Police Co-operative Credit Society: With a view to provide loans to the policemen at low rates of interest, a police co-operative society was formed in this district in the year 1919. The share-capital of the society at the close of 1968 was Rs. 89,618. The total number of members of the society was 1,199 in 1968. The society has been classed as "A" by the Deputy Registrar of Co-operative Societies, Ahmadnagar district.

Police Co-operative Consumers' Society: The police co-operative consumers' society was formed in the year 1949. It provides grocery articles and food-grains at cheap rates. Almost all the members take advantage of this society. The share-capital of the society was Rs. 36,580 as on December 31, 1968.

Relations with public: With a view to maintaining good relations with the public, quarterly meetings of the local leaders of all the political parties and members of the press, etc., were held in the year 1968. Various problems were discussed in the meetings and this helped in maintaining cordial relations between the police and the public.

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