• The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD), under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), celebrated its 54th Foundation Day at its headquarters in New Delhi on August 28.

• Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan delivered Dr.Anandswarup Gupta Memorial Lecture on the theme “New Criminal Laws – Citizen Centric Reforms”.

• Three new criminal laws — The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) — came into effect on July 1, bringing far-reaching changes in India’s criminal justice system.

• The new laws replaced the British-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, and Indian Evidence Act, respectively.

Bureau of Police Research & Development

• The Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPRD) was raised on August 28, 1970, through a resolution of the Ministry of Home Affairs giving a new orientation to the erstwhile Police Research and Advisory Council.

• It was established with a mandate to promote excellence in policing, promote speedy and systematic study of police problems, apply science and technology in the methods and techniques used by the police.

• It undertakes appropriate research projects and studies to suggest policy options to address emerging challenges.

• BPRD is the apex body at the national level to promote excellence and best values in policing, prisons and correctional administration. 

• The charter of BPRD has been expanded over the years and it now also includes all aspects of internal security, land and sea border management, capacity building of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and their Special Units, police image and police-community interface, juvenile justice, women's safety and prosecution.

• The BPRD has five Central Detective Training Institutes at Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Ghaziabad and Jaipur dedicated for the training of police officers and other stakeholders.

Wings of BPR&D

• Research & Correctional Administration: Identifies, initiates and guides research in key areas of policing and correctional administration. It studies issues related to prisons and prison reforms.

• Training Division: Formulates and coordinates training, policies and programmes. 

• Modernisation Division: Studies new products and technology for induction into policing and formulates quality standards. 

• National Police Mission: Pools in the experience and expertise of field officers to evolve viable solutions in mission mode.

• Administration Division: Provides all backup services.

• Special Police Division: Specialises in internal security and policing grid such as human trafficking, gender issues, problems of senior citizens and special segments. 

BPRD’s studies focus on: 

• Trends and causes of various types of crime.

• Crime preventive measures, their effectiveness and relationship with various forms of crime.

• Improvement in the methods of investigation, utility and results of introducing scientific aid.

Its duties include:

• Assist research programmes in states/UTs, coordination of research projects.

• Sponsor research projects in the areas of professional interest.

• Organise All-India Police Science Congress and actively participate in and coordinate other national and international conferences and seminars.

• Identify, promote and disseminate best practices and standards to bring about police reforms uniformly in states/UTs.

• Analyse and study police and prison statistics and problems of general administration.

• Assimilation and dissemination of information to the states/UTs in the field of police and correctional administration.

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