Assam Police

Organizational structure

Assam Police comes under direct control of Department of Home Affairs, Government of Assam. The Assam Police is headed by Director General of Police DGP Mukesh Sahay, IPS (Present).

Assam state police force also maintains its own Reserve Armed police force,Special Armed Police and Armed Police) which is responsible for emergencies and crowd control issues. They are generally activated only on orders from the Rank of DIG and higher-level authorities. The armed constabulary do not usually come into contact with the general public unless they are assigned to VIP duty, Insurgency operation, Riot control or to maintain law and order during fairs, festivals, athletic events, elections, and natural disasters. They may also be sent to quell outbreaks of student or labour unrest, organised crime, and communal riots; to maintain key guard posts; and to participate in anti-terrorist operations. Depending on the type of assignment, the Armed Police force may carry only lathis or lethal weapons.

Assam Police also have an Elite Commando Group known as Black Panther equipped with Latest weapons and technology for Anti-Terrorist Operations & VVIP protection.

Branches

With the growth and development of the police administration in the post-colonial era, a number of new branches were established to meet the increasing demands of law and order and also of a peculiar situation obtained in the state, such as the large-scale infiltration of the foreign nationals from across the border causing a serious imbalance in the demographic structure of the state and threatening national security. Some of these branches are:

1. Bureau of Investigation (Economic Offenses)
2. Special Branch
3. Criminal Investigation Dept.(C.I.D)
4. Assam Police Border Organization
5. Assam Police Radio Organization
6. Assam River Police Organization
7. Directorate of Forensic Science. Assam
8. Village Defense Organization.
9. Fire & Emergency Services, Assam
10. Assam Police Highway Patrol Unit, (to be Introduced)

The Assam Police has grown from strength to strength during the last two decade. In 1980 it had a force of 40,290 and at the end of the 20th century its numerical strength stands at 60,721.

Battalion and Reserved Forces

Battalion

Assam Police Battalion personnels are engaged in the onerous task of helping the district police in maintaining Law and Order, besides guarding the vital installations round the clock, including Counter Insurgency, Riot control . They are also engaged in other static security duties.

1st APBN Headquartered at Sibsagar.

2nd APBN Headquartered at Makum Tinisukia.

3rd APBN Headquartered at Jorhat.

4th APBN Headquartered at Guwahati.

5th APBN Headquartered at NC Hills.

6th APBN Headquartered at Cachar.

7th APBN Headquartered at Kokrajhar.

8th APBN Headquartered at Bongaigaon.

9th APBN Headquartered at Nagaon.

10th APBN Headquartered at Guwahati.

11th APBN Headquartered at Dergaon Golaghat.

12th APBN Headquartered at Sonitpur.

13th APBN Headquartered at North Lakhimpur.

14th APBN Headquartered at Nalbari

IRBN

The raising of CPMF can only meet the regular and increasing demand of the states. It was decided to augment the strengths of the state governments. It is in this context that I.R. Battalions were raised in Assam with the assistance of the central government. The central government however reserves the first right to call on these battalions as and when required for deployment outside the state. The personnel of the battalion are engaged in both operational as well as law and order duties.

Task Force

APTF Battalion of Assam Police Task Force was raised as a special peace keeping force to especially tackle the instances of communal and group violence. The personnel of this force were posted in vulnerable areas and minority pockets, so that any sign of communal trouble could be quickly countered and prevented from flaring up into a major communal/group clash. This force has functioned effectively as an emergency task force.

1st APTF headquartered at Goalpara

2nd APTF headquartered at Nagaon

3rd APTF headquartered at Darrang

4th APTF headquartered at Barpeta

ONGC Battalion

25th AP (ONGC) IRBN with temporary Headquartered at Sibsagar for the security of ONGC drilling fields, Employees and ONGC related pickets.

Medals & Awards

Officers of Assam Police got many awards and medals for their Outstanding & meritorious Service. Many officers and men of ASSAM POLICE,laid down their lives in the fight against EXTREMISM since 1986.

List of receivers for 2011 President's Police Medal for Gallantry:

Police Medal for gallantry on republic day 2011.

Equipment and Vehicles

All the equipment for the Assam Police are manufactured indigenously by the Indian Ordnance Factories controlled by the Ordnance Factories Board, Ministry of Defence, Government of India.

Vehicles

Vehicles Used for General Duty purpose.

Controversies

There are many allegations and court cases of police brutality, custodial death, human rights violations, fake encounter killing, extortion, filing fake cases to harass the general public, corruption filed against the Assam Police.Because of the corrupt politicians the police have always complained not being able to function properly.Different organizations and their open extortion are known to the public and the police also have been alleged to have a fair share on those.Another main acquisition of Assam police is the present is that they are the friends of the thieves and murderers rather than the public and it is said that the police has a better share in those crime money.Corruption of the organization is at peak with people fearing to go to the police against a crime as they need to pay money to file an FIR or take actions.As a victim says,"I lost my bicycle as few days back and had reported the case in the station.They called me that they had found it and asked 1000 rupees for the release.I took a new one in 1600". In fact it is said that the police waits for the crime to happen so that they can make a profit out of it.