The Punjab Police (abbreviated as PP) is the police agency responsible for law enforcement and investigations within the state of Punjab, India. Punjab Police has a broad array of specialized services, including the prevention and detection of crime, maintenance of law and order and the enforcement of the Constitution of India. Its headquarters are located at Jan Marg, Chandigarh. On 7 September 2011, Punjab Police started a video conferencing service to redress problems of NRIs. The present DGP of Punjab Police is Gaurav Yadav IPS. He is an IPS officer of 1992 batch.
History
After Indian independence, Punjab police were initially responsible for the protection of the Indo-Pakistan as well as the Indo-Chinese borders before BSF and ITBP were created.
Rapid Rural Police Response System
Punjab is the first state of India to have a Rapid Rural Police Response System which provides City PCR-like response service in rural areas. As Punjab Police adopted Computer-Aided-Dispatch (CAD) system for Dial 100 system, 289 four-wheelers and 724 GPS fitted motorcycles are being used.
Punjab Highway Patrol
Punjab Police have global positioning system (GPS) tracker and vehicle registration search device equipped highway patrol vehicles.
Crime Investigation Agency
Crime Investigation Agency or CIA staff is a special branch of Punjab Police. The crucial or unsolved criminal cases like smuggling, kidnapping, narcotics, terrorism and murder are handed over to them. This branch of police is known for its ways to interrogate the culprit who committed the crime.
Night policing scheme
Punjab is the first state in the country to launch a night policing scheme with independent cadre, command and structure of a 4,000 strong police force for prevention of offences at night time.
Punjab Bureau of Investigation
Punjab Bureau of Investigation was set up in 2019 with 4521 dedicated new posts. Punjab is the first state of India to form a Bureau of Investigation, and separated law & order duties from investigation functions by bringing all investigation staff of 7,772 under a unified wing command.
The Bureau of Investigation conducts investigation into civil and criminal cases registered at various police stations and is equipped with:
Mobile forensic evidence collection units
Regional forensic science labs
Modern cyber crime unit
Modern interview rooms
Modern women police stations in all districts
Training centres
Police Recruits Training Centre (PRTC), Jahan Khelan
Punjab Police Academy (PPA), Phillaur
Recruit Training Centre, PAP, Jalandhar
Commando Training Centre (CTC), Bahadurgarh, Patiala
In Service Training Centre, Kapurthala
Armed battalions
Punjab Armed Police
India Reserve Battalions
Punjab Commando Police
The headquarters of the Punjab Armed Police are located at Jalandhar while the India Reserve Battalions are stationed at Sangrur, Amritsar, Patiala, Ludhiana and Jalandhar and the Punjab Commando Police at Bahadurgarh (Patiala) and S.A.S. Nagar (Mohali).
Weapons and equipment
PP was equipped with .303 rifles, AK-47, AK-56 and 561 Sten Guns but modernisation with advanced weapons is now taking place.
Vehicles
Punjab Police have 3083 vehicles and patrol cars like Mahindra Scorpio Getaways and Maruti Gypsys. PP also have motorcycles equipped with GPS and Multi Utility Vehicles equipped with GPS and CCTV cameras.
Cyber Crime Cell Punjab
Punjab Police have a dedicated cybercrime cell to deal with cybercrime in the state headed by ADGP ranked police officer having an office in Phase 4, S.A.S Nagar.
Punjab SWAT
Punjab Police Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team was formed in 2010. They are usually tasked with protection duties. They are highly trained on the lines of National Security Guard by Israel's Mossad through private company Athena Security, deployed by the Punjab Government. All the commandos are under 28 years of age, thus making them fit and capable of tasks meant for commandos. Their main work is to fight against any terrorist attack if it occurs in Punjab State. They have been trained exclusively in Krav Maga, room intervention, close and open techniques and other secret tactics.
The SWAT is provided with various state-of-art equipment and the latest technology. The teams are provided with: