The Odisha Police abbreviated as either OP or OPS, is the law enforcement agency for the state of Odisha in India. It is headquartered in Cuttack, the former capital of Odisha.[2]
The Odisha Police is headed by a Director General of Police, currently Sunil Kumar Bansal, IPS and falls under the purview of the state's Home Department of the Government of Odisha. The sanctioned personnel strength of Odisha Police is 72,145; comprising women as one-third of it total sanctioned strength in the directly recruited posts of civil constable, sub-inspector and deputy superintendent of police. This feat makes it one of the foremost in that aspect among the police services of India.
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:
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.
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 the 1st of 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 received award from National Crime Records Bureau for best implementation of Information Technology in the country.[4] Odisha Police has also been felicitated for having the second best police station in the country.[5]
Controversies
Odisha Police has been accused of failure to act on intelligence reports.[6] It has also drawn flak for delay in police recruitment process.[7] Several senior police officers have been convicted of corruption.[8][9]
India portal
.png){kind=small}
