• Over 5.31 lakh posts in police forces of different states and 1.27 lakh posts in Central Armed Police Forces like CRPF and BSF have been lying vacant, the Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D) said in its Data on Police Organizations.

• Releasing different aspects of policing in the country as on January 1, 2020, the BPR&D also said over one lakh police personnel were recruited in 2019 in various police forces across India.

What is the purpose of BPR&D?

• The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) was raised on August 28, 1970, through a resolution of the ministry of home affairs with a mandate to promote excellence in policing, promote speedy and systematic study of police problems, apply science and technology in the method and techniques by the police.

• It has the mandate to identify the needs and problems of law enforcement in the country and to promote advanced research in areas of professional interest along with various institutions, ministries, universities, research institutes, state and other agencies. It undertakes appropriate research projects and studies to suggest policy options to address emerging challenges.

Wings of BPR&D

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

2) Training Division: Formulates and coordinates training, policies and programmes. 

3) Modernisation division: Studies new products and technology for induction into policing and formulates quality standards. 

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

5) Administration Division: Provides all backup services.

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

What are the highlights of the report?

• The BPR&D has been publishing the ‘Data on Police Organizations’ in India, annually since 1986. From time to time, some of the important features like woman police, police expenditure, constabulary ratio, transport facilities, communication facilities, representation of SC/ST and police training centers were added.

• The basic police data is compilation of information on sanctioned/actual strength of Civil, District Armed Reserve (DAR) Police & State Special Armed Police, Population Per Police Person (PPP), i.e., Police - Population Ratio (PPR), Area Per Police Person (APP), number of Police Zones, Ranges, Districts, Circles, Police Stations, Police Posts and number of Special Armed Police Battalions in the country.

• The total sanctioned police forces in states and Union Territories are  26,23,225, while there are 20,91,488 police personnel actually in service. As many as 5,31,737 posts in police forces are lying vacant as on January 1, 2020. The figures include civil police, district armed police, special armed police and India Reserve Battalions.

• Out of 26.23 lakh of sanctioned police forces in the country, 16.70 lakh are Civil Police and 2.82 lakh are District Armed Reserve Police. 

• The total sanctioned strength is the highest in Uttar Pradesh (4.15 lakh), followed by Maharashtra (2.43 lakh).

• Police per lakh of Population Ratio (PPR) against the total sanctioned police strength in the country is 195.39 as compared to 198.65 in the previous year. The highest ratio is 1,253.27 in Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

• Police per 100 sq km of Area Ratio (PAR) against the total sanctioned strength is 79.80 as compared to 78.95 in the previous year. The highest ratio is 7,808.77 in Chandigarh.

• The sanctioned strength of IPS officers as on January 1, 2020 was 4,982 at the all-India level, whereas 4,074 officers are actually available.

• There are 71,934 police personnel actually deployed on traffic duties against the sanctioned strength of 99,417. The highest number is 9,623 in Maharashtra.

• The total strength of women in police from 2014 to 2019 has shown an increasing trend. At present, the actual strength of total women police is 2,15,504, which is 10.30 per cent of the total police force in India. The number of women in police forces has increased by 16 per cent compared to 2018. At state/UT level, Uttar Pradesh tops with 29,112 women police personnel.

• The total sanctioned strength of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) is 11,09,511 but the actual strength of the CAPFs as on January 1, 2020, is 9,82,391 — a gap of 1,27,120 personnel. The CAPFs are Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Assam Rifles (AR) and National Security Guard (NSG).

• The country is divided into 95 Police Zones, 189 Police Ranges covering 800 Police Districts, 2,355 Police Sub-Divisions and 2,392 Police Circles. 

• There are 16,955 sanctioned police stations in the country. Tamil Nadu has the highest number with 1,990 police stations. Out of the total of 16,955, sanctioned police stations, 9,705 are located in rural areas, whereas 4,725 are located in urban areas and the remaining 2,525 are Special Purpose Police Stations.

• There are 63 Police Commissionerates functioning in the country, out of which, the highest number are in Maharashtra (11), followed by Telangana (9).

• A total of 2,02,925 police vehicles are available with the states and UTs police, besides 4,60,220 CCTV cameras.

• The expenditure on state police forces has increased to Rs 1,38,794.32 crore during 2019-20, from Rs 1,34,261.90 crore during 2018-19. An amount of Rs 1,566.85 crore was spent on police training at the all India level during 2019-20. 

• At the national level, 530 Forensic Science Laboratories (FSLs)/Mobile Forensic Science Vans (MFSVs) are available, out of which, 32 are main laboratories, 80 are regional laboratories and the remaining 418 are mobile laboratories.

• At states/UTs level, 1,516 sniffers and 849 tracker dogs are available with the police. In the CAPFs, 1,688 sniffers and 429 tracker dogs are available.

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