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 Y.B. Khurania, 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 its 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.

Odisha Police
Emblem of the Odisha Police
Emblem of the Odisha Police
Common nameଓଡ଼ିଶା ପୋଲିସ
AbbreviationOP
MottoWe Serve and Protect
ସେବା ଓ ସୁରକ୍ଷା
Agency overview
Formed1 April 1936; 88 years ago (1936-04-01)
Employees73,423 (as of 1 October 2019)
Annual budget3,941 crore (US$470 million) (2020–21 est.)[1]
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionOdisha, IN
Map of Odisha Police Department's jurisdiction
Size60,160 square miles (155,800 km2)
Population41,947,358
Governing bodyGovernment of Odisha
General nature
Operational structure
HeadquartersOdisha Police State Headquarters, Cuttack, Odisha (753001)
Agency executive
Parent agencyGovernment of Odisha
Child agency
Facilities
Stations612
Website
odishapolice.gov.in

History

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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

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Ranges

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The Odisha Police is organized into ten Police Ranges, most of which are further divided into districts. The Ranges are:

Divisions

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The Odisha Police has the following organisatorial divisions:

  • Technical
  • Training
  • Investigation

Ranks

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The Odisha Police maintains the following ranks:[3]

Special Forces

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Special Operation Group

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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.

Special Tactical Unit

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The Special Tactical Unit (STU) is a dedicated urban warfare counter-terrorist force consisting of Special Operations Group (SOG) personnel who are trained alongside the National Security Guard (NSG). The force made Odisha, third state in the country, after Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, to have a dedicated force to counter terrorism in urban areas.

District Voluntary Force

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The District Voluntary Force (DVF) is a special constabulary unit specializing in anti-Maoist operations.

Odisha Special Armed Police (OSAP)

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Bhubaneswar–Cuttack Police Commissionerate Headquarters, Bhubaneswar, Odisha

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 1 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)

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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)

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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 Academies

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Superintendent of Police Office, Keonjhar, Odisha
 
Traffic Police Station, Cuttack, Odisha

Weapons and equipment

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Arms

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Communication

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Marine

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Miscellaneous

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Honours

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Awardee Award Decoration Year Event
Pramod Kumar Satapathy
(Posthumous)
Ashoka Chakra   2009 Republic Day (India)
Debashish Sethy
(Posthumous)
Shaurya Chakra   2021 Independence Day (India)
Sudhir Kumar Tudu
(Posthumous)
Shaurya Chakra   2021 Independence Day (India)

Others

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Award Category Year Event Organisation Conferring
SKOCH Award Gold Dynamic Web Portal 2018 52nd SKOCH Summit SKOCH Group
Special Jury Award Community Policing 2018 FICCI Smart Policing Awards Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry
FICCI Smart Policing Award Senior Citizens' Security in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack 2016 FICCI Smart Policing Awards Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry
FICCI Smart Policing Award Enhancing Women Safety and Security in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack 2016 FICCI Smart Policing Awards Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry

Notable achievements

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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

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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]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Odisha Budget Analysis 2020–21" (PDF). prsindia.org. 2020.
  2. ^ "List Of Police Stations (Thana) In Orissa – Orissa Police". indiamapped.com. 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2012. Headquarters of Orissa police is located in Cuttack
  3. ^ "Police Ranks and Badges". Odisha Police. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  4. ^ "Odisha Police gets IT award from NCRB". The Indian Express. 16 July 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  5. ^ "Gangapur Police Station in Odisha second best in country". The Indian Express. 19 November 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  6. ^ "Intel says it had warned Odisha police". Odisha TV. 19 April 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  7. ^ "Pending recruitment tests by Odisha Police". Times of India. 20 August 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  8. ^ "Odisha Cop owning BMW and SUV in Vigilance Net". The Hindu. 15 February 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  9. ^ "Odisha DSP nabbed while taking bribe, wife escapes". The Indian Express. 2 June 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2022.