West Bengal Police#Eastern Frontier Rifles

West Bengal Police Ten Police Ranges in three zones and a Railways zone.{{cite web|url=http://wbpolice.gov.in/WBP/Common/WBP_Org_Structure.aspx|title=Organization chart of West Bengal Police|work=WBP|access-date=2019-05-30|archive-date=3 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603033937/http://wbpolice.gov.in/WBP/Common/WBP_Org_Structure.aspx|url-status=live}}

A police commissionerate is a law enforcement body especially in the urban parts of the state. The commissionerate is headed by a Commissioner of Police. There are Six commissionerates under West Bengal Police for Urban Area policing.{{Cite news |date=30 June 2017 |title=New Chandannagar Police Commissionerate in Hooghly district |work=Business Standard Jun 30 2017 {{!}} 9:07 PM IST |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/new-chandannagar-police-commissionerate-in-hooghly-district-117063001203_1.html |url-status=live |access-date=30 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170723063417/https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/new-chandannagar-police-commissionerate-in-hooghly-district-117063001203_1.html |archive-date=23 July 2017}} The Howrah, Chandannagar, Asansol-Durgapur & the Siliguri Police commissionerates are headed by Commissioner of Police (CP) who are of the rank of Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) while the Bidhanagar and Barrackpore police commissionerates are headed by Commissioner of Police of the rank of Inspector General of Police (IGP).{{Cite news |date=15 September 2011 |title=City-style policing in Bidhannagar |work=The Telegraph (India) 15.09.11, 12:00 AM |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/city-style-policing-in-bidhannagar/cid/1196119 |url-status=live |access-date=15 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230722134152/https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/city-style-policing-in-bidhannagar/cid/1196119 |archive-date=22 July 2023}}

In November 2017 the Government of West Bengal has proposed to set up two more police commissionerates at Haldia in East Midnapore and Kharagpur in West Midnapore to ensure better policing.{{Cite news |date=1 Nov 2017 |title=WB govt to set up two new police commissionerates |work=The New Indian Express 15th November 2017 01:00 PM |publisher=Press Trust of India |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/pti-news/2017/nov/15/wb-govt-to-set-up-two-new-police-commissionerates-1701634.html |url-status=live |access-date=1 Nov 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181020140515/https://www.newindianexpress.com/pti-news/2017/nov/15/wb-govt-to-set-up-two-new-police-commissionerates-1701634.html |archive-date=20 Oct 2018}}

All these police commissionerates are under the direct control of Director general of police.

• Asansol–Durgapur Police Commissionerate
• Barrackpore City Police
• Bidhannagar City Police
• Chandannagar Police Commissionerate
• Howrah City Police
• Siliguri Metropolitan Police

Since the 2008 Mumbai attacks the Government of India took the decision to strengthen coastal security and several important decisions were taken and launched a multi-tier arrangement for protection and maritime security of the country scheme. In April 2011, Government of India sanctioned 14 coastal police stations, surveillance equipment, computer systems, furniture and jetties for the West Bengal's share of the 157.50 km coastline under the Coastal Security Scheme Phase-II.{{Cite web |date=1 Nov 2013 |title=Coastal Security |url=https://loksabhadocs.nic.in/Refinput/New_Reference_Notes/English/Coastal_Security.pdf |access-date=1 Nov 2013 |website=loksabhadocs.nic.in |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707162742/https://loksabhadocs.nic.in/Refinput/New_Reference_Notes/English/Coastal_Security.pdf |url-status=live }}

The police administration in the state is divided into three police zones and a Government Railway Police (GRP) Zone, each headed by an Inspector General of Police. Each Zone consists of one or more Ranges headed by an officer designated as the Deputy Inspector General of Police (or Special Inspector General of Police). In all, there are 28 police districts (including four consisting of Government Railway Police districts), each headed by a Superintendent of Police. The three Zones are South Bengal Zone, Western Bengal Zone and North Bengal Zone, and an office of the IGP Railways.

Besides, there are some other IGP ranked officers in the following department: Coastal Security, Fire & Emergency Services, Training, Provisioning, Armed Police (AP), Enforcement Bureau (EB), Administration, Law & Orders, Telecommunications, CID, Traffic, WBPRB, SVSPA, CIF, STF, Vigilance Commission etc.

Each Range comprises two or more districts or one district divided into multiple police districts. The Range is headed by a Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG). In West Bengal there are 10 ranges.

Besides, there are DIG ranked officers in the department of Traffic, Railways, States Crime Records Bureau (SCRB), CID West Bengal, Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB), AP Barrackpore, AP Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) Salua, AP North Bengal, AP Durgapur, AP Siliguri, Border, Enforcement Bureau (EB), Intelligence Bureau, Fire Services, Headquarter (HQ), Police Training Center (PTS), Training, Personnel & Weapon, Provisioning, Telecommunication, WBNVF, Civil Defence etc.

Each Police District is either coterminous with the Revenue district or in the case of Government Railway Police districts, is located within a number of revenue districts. It is headed by a District Superintendent of Police (or simply called Superintendent of Police). Each district comprises two or more Sub-Divisions, several Circles and Police Stations.

But in recent times, several districts are divided into police districts for better police administration. Each of those police districts are headed by an SP.{{cite news |last1=Nandi |first1=Soumitra |title=Three new police districts to be set up |url=https://www.asianage.com/metros/kolkata/210217/three-new-police-districts-to-be-set-up.html |access-date=4 April 2020 |work=The Asian Age |date=21 February 2017 |archive-date=18 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190318224248/http://www.asianage.com/metros/kolkata/210217/three-new-police-districts-to-be-set-up.html |url-status=live }}

Each Sub-Division is headed by one Police officer of the rank Deputy Superintendent of Police (members of West Bengal Police Service, a directly recruited officer or one promoted from the ranks) or an Assistant Superintendent of Police (members of Indian Police Service). In West Bengal, the officer who heads a Sub-Division is known as SDPO i.e. Sub Divisional Police Officer.

A Circle comprises several Police Stations within a sub-division. An Inspector of Police who heads a police circle is the Circle Inspector of Police or CI.

A Police Station is the basic unit of policing, responsible for prevention and detection of crime, maintenance of public order, enforcing law in general as well as for performing protection duties and making security arrangements for the constitutional authorities, government functionaries, representatives of the public in different legislative bodies and local self governments, public figures etc.

A Police Station is headed by either a Sub-Inspector (lower subordinate rank), mostly in rural areas or an Inspector (an upper subordinate rank), mostly in urban areas. Police outposts are headed by a Sub-Inspector or Assistant Sub Inspector. After the year 2009 both ASI and SI have equal investigation power and both serve as duty officers.

The West Bengal Police was criticised and a section of the police station under their jurisdiction was burnt by the locals of Kultali, South 24 Paragnas due to the mishandling of rape of 10-year-old girl. It is alleged that they also harassed the parents of the minor while registering complaint and the locals and police indulged into a violent clash due to the underlying incident.{{Cite web |last1=Subham bajpai |first1=India TV News |last2=Bajpai |first2=India TV News |date=2024-10-05 |title=West Bengal: 10-year-old girl raped, killed in South 24 Parganas, villagers set police station on fire |url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/west-bengal/kolkata-10-year-old-girl-raped-killed-in-south-24-parganas-villagers-set-police-station-on-fire-2024-10-05-955604 |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=2024-10-05 |website=indiatvnews.com |language=en}}

Following the enactment of Waqf Bill widespread protest took place, but the police failed to restore peace in Murshidabad, the violence continued for several days claiming lives of many and damage of various public properties including railways.

Later on April 12th 2025, a special bench was formed to urgently hear a petition filed by Suvendu Adhikari, the Calcutta High Court ordered deployment of CAPF along with BSF to get situation under control.{{Cite news |date=2025-04-12 |title=Calcutta HC orders deployment of central forces in Murshidabad over clashes against Waqf Act |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/calcutta-hc-orders-deployment-of-central-forces-in-murshidabad-over-clashes-against-waqf-act/articleshow/120235604.cms |access-date=2025-04-12 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389}}

{{Main|List of police ranks in India}}

The Director General functions from the West Bengal Police{{Cite web |date=2024-10-04 |title=The West Bengal Police: Structure, Functions, and Impact |url=https://www.svspawb.in/the-west-bengal-police/ |access-date=2024-10-04 |language=en-GB}} Directorate, located in the Writers' Buildings, the State Government's main Secretariat in Central Kolkata. He is assisted by a team of senior officers from the ranks of Additional Director General & Inspector General of Police to Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG — a post equivalent in rank and status to the Superintendent of Police). Officers of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police are selected by the West Bengal Public Service Commission through the West Bengal Civil Service (Executive & other services) examinations. In addition to this, the directly recruited Sub Inspectors of Police may also become Deputy Superintendent of Police on promotion.

The West Bengal Police maintains the following ranks:

The Police Manual of West Bengal Police was compiled and issued during British Raj and is known as the Police Regulations of Bengal(PRB), 1943 and with subsequent modifications and corrections, is the guiding source of internal Police Organization and Administration under its area of responsibility. The WBP is divided into a number of units:

Post 2014 Burdwan blast, which unearthed Bangladesh-based militant group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh, middle-east's terrorist group Islamic State and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence terror module, the need for strengthening the local intelligence gathering mechanism was first felt. Following the incident the state govt has set up a new intelligence agency to counter terrorism, bust terror modules and invigilate suspicious movements in West Bengal and also to foil militant infiltration into the state.{{Cite news |last=Gupta |first=Saibal |date=30 Dec 2016 |title=West Bengal to get grassroots eyes & ears |pages=Kolkata News |work=The Times of India 03.07 AM IST |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/state-to-get-grassroots-eyes-ears/articleshow/56226520.cms |access-date=30 Dec 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161231083227/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/state-to-get-grassroots-eyes-ears/articleshow/56226520.cms |archive-date=31 Dec 2016}}

The Armed Battalions consisting of State Armed Police (SAP), Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) and Indian Reserve Battalions (IRBn),

The Civil Police consists of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Counter Insurgency Force (CIF), Enforcement Branch (EB), Intelligence Branch (IB), Traffic Branch, Police Telecommunications, Training Wing, State Crime Records Bureau (SCRB) & Police Computer Centre (PCC).

An elite force named Specially Trained Armed Company or STRACO has been created to combat insurgency & terrorism, posted in West Zone to fight Maoist guerrillas. WBP is raising another new "Counter Insurgency" force on the line of Gray Hound Special Force of Andhra Pradesh Police.

West Bengal government created new directorate of the Special Task Force under West Bengal Police.{{Cite news|url=https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/west-bengal-govt-creates-new-directorate-of-special-task-force/1701426/|title=West Bengal govt creates new directorate of Special Task Force|date=10 September 2019|work=Financial Express 9 Sep 2019, 11:51 PM IST|access-date=13 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190909000000/https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/west-bengal-govt-creates-new-directorate-of-special-task-force/1701426/|archive-date=9 September 2019|url-status=live}} [http://archive.ptinews.com//news/10839099_WB-govt-creates-new-directorate-of-STF.html Alt URL]

The Special Task Force (STF) of West Bengal, formed around three years ago, to combat modern urban organized crimes - terrorism, organized gangs, illegal arms, ammunition, drugs and fake currency across the state is all set to get a police station of its own and a designated court.{{Cite news |last=Ghosh |first=Dwaipayan |date=6 Jul 2022 |title=West Bengal STF to get full-fledged police station soon |work=The Times of India 21:15 IST |publication-place=Kolkata |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/west-bengal-stf-to-get-full-fledged-police-station-soon/articleshow/92707157.cms |url-status=live |access-date=6 Jul 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220708081625/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/west-bengal-stf-to-get-full-fledged-police-station-soon/articleshow/92707157.cms |archive-date=8 Jul 2022}}

The Swami Vivekananda State Police Academy (SVSPA) is the state level police training institution catering to the training needs of West Bengal Police and Kolkata Police. The Academy conducts basic training for DSP Probationers, Cadet Sub-Inspectors of both Armed & Un-Armed branches and Recruit Constables for West Bengal Police and also for Warders and Inspectors of Correctional Services, Sub-Inspectors and Sergeants of Kolkata Police. The Academy also conducts Pre-promotional training for Constables, Asst. SI's and SI's for their promotion to the next rank besides conducting various short in- service training courses on different professional issues. SVSPA is well equipped with in-house faculty members both for academic indoor training and outdoor training. Besides, a number of eminent faculty members from different disciplines take classes for the training programs. These include academicians, experts from Forensic Science Medicine, scientific officers/experts from Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) & Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), lawyers, judicial officers and senior police officers.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theprotector.in/svspa-the-seedbed-where-future-cops-grow/|title=SVSPA: The Seedbed Where Future Cops Grow|date=29 May 2017|work=theprotector.in|access-date=15 Feb 2019|archive-date=19 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190719014637/http://www.theprotector.in/svspa-the-seedbed-where-future-cops-grow/|url-status=live}}

Entries are done at the following ranks:

1. Recruitments to the posts of Constables / Lady constables, Sub Inspectors and Lady Sub inspectors are done by West Bengal Police Recruitment Board.
2. West Bengal Police Service: Officers selected through West Bengal Civil Service (Group-B) etc., examination conducted by West Bengal Public Service Commission are appointed as Deputy Superintendent of Police.
3. Indian Police Service: Officers selected through Civil Service Examinations conducted by Union Public Service Commission are appointed as Assistant Superintendent of Police during their probationary period. Upon confirmation to the service, they are appointed as Additional Superintendent of Police.

{{main|Eastern Frontier Rifles}}

The Eastern Frontier Rifles are an armed police force of the WBP, the purpose of which is to control major law & order problems, communal riots and terrorist attacks. Many contingents of EFR are deployed in various disturbed areas of the State. However, in recent years the effectiveness of this force has been weakened by overuse and prolonged deployment at Police Stations for day-to-day law & order duties. The headquarters of EFR is at Salua, near Kharagpur.

{{main|Counter Insurgency Force}}

The specialised force of the CIF was raised by the Government following the worsening situation in the Jungle Mahals. The force was charged with the specific task of curbing presence of the maoists within the state. The force was allowed its own recruiting process so as to select the best men from within the force. The force is headed by an Additional Director General of Police ranked officer.

{{Indian State Police Officer Ranks}}

• Kolkata Police
• West Bengal CID

{{notelist}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.wbgov.com/E-Gov/ENGLISH/DistrictInfo/TopicDistFrame.asp?From=PS List of all West Bengal police stations from the West Bengal govt's official site]
• [http://www.cidwestbengal.gov.in Criminal Investigation Department, West Bengal]

{{Law enforcement agencies of India}}

{{West Bengal topics}}

{{authority control}}

Category:State law enforcement agencies of India

Category:1861 establishments in British India

Category:Government agencies established in 1861