State Police Services (India)

The State Police Services (Devanāgarī: राज्य पुलिस सेवा, Rājya Polīce Sevā), simply known as State Police or SPS are police services under the control of respective state governments of the States and territories of India.

The candidates selected for the SPS are usually posted as Deputy Superintendent of Police or Assistant Commissioner of Police once their probationary period ends. On prescribed satisfactory service in the SPS, the officers are nominated to the Indian Police Service.^[1]

Recruitment

The recruitment to this service is done by the respective State Governments, usually through State Public Service Commissions. The recruitment to SPS is also on the same pattern as that for IPS. The only difference is that the recruitment of SPS officers is made by the State Public Service Commission concerned through usually a combined competitive examination for State Civil Services which in the case of IPS is through the All-India Civil Services Examination conducted by Union Public Service Commission . However, in case of Union Territory, recruitment to SPS is also made by Union Public Service Commission through the Civil Services Examination as one of the Group-B Services. State police requirement in large States like Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh is greater as compared to the smaller States like Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Kerala, Sikkim and north-eastern States. After selection, which again is based upon the choice of service and merit of a candidate, selected candidates are required to undergo vigorous probationary training before getting posted as ACP or DSP.

Ranks and insignia of SPS officers

Main article: List of police ranks in India

Ranks of Gazetted officers

Gazetted officers include all the Indian Police Service officers and all State Police Services officers of and above the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) or Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in State Police and Metropolitan Police forces respectively.

National Emblem above two star (same insignia as a Colonel in the Indian Army)

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Selection grade) or Senior Superintendent of Police in selection grade with 13+ years of service as an IPS
Other officers above selection grade

National Emblem above one Star (same insignia as a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Indian Army)

Deputy Commissioner of Police or Superintendent of Police
Commandant of Battalion

National Emblem (same insignia as a Major in the Indian Army)

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police or Additional Superintendent of Police

Three Stars (same insignia as a Captain in the Indian Army)

Assistant Commissioner of Police or Deputy Superintendent of Police
Circle Officer (CO) in the states of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh
Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO)

Ranks of Non-Gazetted officers

Three stars with a red and blue ribbon at the outer edge of the shoulder straps (Same insignia as a Junior Commissioned Officer in the Indian Army who wears a red and yellow ribbon bar, but perhaps more closely equivalent to the rank of Subedar-Major who dons the national emblem with similar ribbons)

Inspector of Police

Two stars with a red and blue ribbon at the outer edge of the shoulder straps (Same insignia as a Subedar in the Indian Army)

Sub-Inspector of Police

One Star with a red and blue ribbon at the outer edge of the shoulder straps (Same insignia as a Naib Subedar in the Indian Army)

State Police Services (SPS) Probationary rank
State Police Officers are first appointed as ASIs when in probationary period (a time span of 2 years) and in the 3rd year officers are promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police or Deputy Superintendent of Police immediately as their probationary period ends.
Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police not in charge of sub-division with less than 2 years service

Three chevrons points facing downwards / Navy Blue colored epaulettes with three golden stripes on the Shoulder (Same insignia as a Havildar in the Indian Army)

Head Constable or Police Sergent.

Two chevrons points facing downwards / Navy Blue colored epaulettes with two golden stripes on the Shoulder (Same insignia as a Naik in the Indian Army)

Senior Police Constable or Police Constable (Selection Grade) or Police Naik.

No rank insignia (equivalent to Sepoy in the Indian Army)

Police Constable

Insignia of Gazetted and Non-Gazetted officers

**Indian State Police Gazetted Officer Rank Insignia**
Insignia
Rank	Deputy Commissioner of Police or Senior Superintendent of Police	Deputy Commissioner of Police or Superintendent of Police	Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police or Additional Superintendent of Police	Assistant Commissioner of Police or Deputy Superintendent of Police
Abbreviation	DCP or SSP	DCP or SP	ADL.DCP or ASP	ACP or DSP

Note: Gazetted officers belonging to Indian State Police Service(s) lie between ranks ACP/DSP and DCP/SSP. To gain promotion to ADL.CP/DIG rank, officers undergo training and hence are awarded IPS.

**Indian State Police Non-Gazetted Officer Rank Insignia**
Insignia							No Insignia¹
Rank	Inspector of Police	Assistant Inspector of Police²	Sub-Inspector of Police	Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police	Police Head Constable³	Senior Police Constable³	Police Constable
Abbreviation	INS	API	SI	ASI	HPC	SPC	PC

¹ Police Constable has no insignia except the khaki uniform. ²This rank only exists in Maharashtra and Mumbai Police Service^[2]^[3] ³Shoulder insignia for this rank is used by Maharashtra and Mumbai Police Service^[2]^[3] Note: Colour pattern and size of chevron may vary according to the different rules of several distinct Indian State Police Services.

References

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