Police Regulations, Bengal – 1943
CHAPTER I
Organisation
1. Interpretations. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – In these Regulations, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context, –
(i) the word “Superintendent” means Superintendent of Police and includes a Special Superintendent, an Additional Superintendent and any officer, not below the rank of Inspector, temporarily discharging the duties of the Superintendent of Police when the latter is incapacitated or absent from headquarters ;
(ii) the word “officers” includes men;
(iii) the words “subordinate police officer” mean an officer below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police;
(iv) the words “Unarmed Police” mean subordinate police officers who are not in the Eastern Frontier Rifles or in the Special Armed Force;
(v) the words “Reserve Office” mean that branch of a Superintendent’s office that is located in the Police Lines (vide regulation 892); and the words “Superintendent’s Office” mean the remainder of his office;
(vi) the words “Armed Inspector” mean the Inspector-in-charge of –
(i) the Reserve Office except in districts where a “Reserve Office Inspector” is posted; and
(ii) the Special Armed Force;
(vii) the words, “Reserve Officer” mean the senior Sub-Inspector employed on clerical duties in the Reserve Office;
(viii) the words “escort commander” mean the officer-in-charge of an escort;
(ix) the words “Court Officer” mean the officer-in-charge of the Court Police Office;
(x) the words “Office Inspector” mean the Inspector attached to the Superintendent’s Office;
(xi) the word “Brigade” means three or more battalions of the Armed Police Force placed in charge of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Armed Forces;
(xii) the words “Reserve Office Inspector” mean the Inspector-in-charge of the Reserve Office.
1A. The expression “Provincial Government” means the Governor acting or not acting in his discretion, and exercising or not exercising his individual judgment, according to the provision in that behalf made by and under the Government of India Act, 1935 [vide section 3(43a) of the General Clauses Act, 1897 (X of 1897)]. Special reference is drawn to section 56 of the Government of India Act, 1935.
2. General Police District. – The province of Bengal excluding the city or suburbs of Calcutta forms a general police district as defined in section 1 of the Police Act, 1861 (V of 1861) with the exception of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, which have been constituted a separate general police district by the Chittagong Hill Tracts Regulation, 1900 (Regulation I of 1900).
3. Limitation of application. – The Regulations deal only with the Bengal Police, The Eastern Frontier Rifles (Bengal Battalion) are governed by the Eastern Frontier Rifles Regulations.
4. Administrative areas. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – The province is divided into the following police administrative areas :-
(i) the Range, consisting of a group of districts;
(ii) the District, which is normally divided into sub-divisions. Railway Police districts are not normally so divided;
(iii) the Subdivision, containing one or more police circles;
(iv) the Circle, consisting of a group of police-stations;
(v) the Police-station, which is divided into unions. The police-station as defined in section 4(1)(s) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, is the unit of investigation. Outposts exist in certain police-stations, as subordinate police posts, but they are not investigating centres.
5. Subordinate posts. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – The subordinate police posts referred to in regulation 4(v) are –
(i) the outpost, established in a rural area of a police-station for any special reason, such as remoteness or difficulty or access from the police-station;
(ii) the town outpost, established at a convenient point in a municipal area for the facility of town patrols.
6. Branches of the Bengal Police. – Police officers stationed in Bengal may be-
(i) superior administrative officers, viz., the Inspector-General or a Deputy Inspector-General; or they may be attached to:-
(ii) the District Police;
(iii) the Railway Police;
(iv) the Police Training College;
(v) the Criminal Investigation Department, which includes the Intelligence Branch; or
(vi) the Inspector-General’s staff.
7. Administration. Gazetted Officers. – (a) The administration of the police throughout the general police district is, under section 4 of the Police Act, 1861, vested in the Inspector-General. The areas and posts shown in regulations 4 and 5 are controlled by officers as follows :-
(i) The Range – a Deputy Inspector-General.
(ii) The District – a Superintendent. In certain districts he is assisted by one or more Additional, Assistant or Deputy Superintendents. There are also Superintendents in charge of Railway Police districts.
(iii) The Subdivision – a Sub-divisional Police Officer, who may be either an Assistant or a Deputy Superintendent. Sub-divisional Police Officers are posted only to important subdivisions.
(iv) The Circle – an Inspector.
(v) The Police-station – a Sub-Inspector.
(vi) The Outpost (land or floating) – an Assistant Sub-Inspector.
(vii) The Town outpost – a head constable.
(b) Officers of the ranks mentioned in (i) to (iv) above are known as “Gazetted officers”.
Note. – In every district, there may be, in addition to Circle Inspectors, all or any of the following Inspectors :-
(i) An Inspector-in-charge of the Court office.
(ii) An Inspector-in-charge of the Town Police.
(iii) An Inspector-in-charge of the Special Armed Force and the Reserve office at district headquarters. (An Inspector may also be employed at other stations where there is a detachment of the emergency force).
(iv) An Inspector employed in the District Intelligence Branch.
(v) An Inspector employed in the Detective Department.
(vi) An Inspector employed in the Superintendent’s office.
In a Railway Police district there may be, in addition to Circle Inspectors, an Inspector (1) in charge of the Court staff, and (2) in charge of the platform staff.
8. Rank of police officers. – A table showing all ranks of police officers in order of precedence is given in Appendix I.
9. Criminal Investigation Department, Police Training College and Inspector-General’s staff. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) The Criminal Investigation Department is administered by a Deputy Inspector-General, whose special duties are described in Chapter IX of the Regulations.
(b) The control of the Police Training College vests in the Principal, who is of the rank of Superintendent. The Police Training College Manual defines the special duties of the post.
(c) The Inspector-General has as staff two Superintendents who hold the title of Assistant Inspector-General.
10. Alterations in areas. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) No alteration in the jurisdiction or the number of administrative areas shall be made without the orders of the Provincial Government, except that the Inspector-General may alter the distribution of police-stations between circles in the same subdivision.
(b) The procedure to be observed in proposing alterations in the constitution, site or nomenclature of police-stations is described in Appendix II.
11. Establishment of subordinate posts. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) The Inspector-General is competent to sanction the permanent establishment of subordinate posts, provided that if any increase in personnel is involved he shall obtain the prior sanction of the Provincial Government.
(b) Subject to the condition that no extra expense is involved, temporary outposts may be established by a Superintendent without reference to the Deputy Inspector-General. When, however, it is necessary to hire accommodation, the previous sanction of the Deputy Inspector-General for the extra expenditure shall be obtained. Superintendents shall submit to the Deputy Inspector-General on the 1st April each year a statement showing the number of, and the period for, which such posts were created with brief reasons in each case.
12. Organisation of District Police Force. – The force allotted to each district is organised broadly to provide staff for police-stations (including subordinate police posts), Courts, Town Police, Special Armed Force and special posts, such as the District Intelligence Branch, Detective Department (where such exist) and certain posts involving clerical duties. Details are given in each case in the appropriate chapter.