POLICE:
The Police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and the use of force legitimized by the state via the monopoly of violence. The term is most commonly associated with the police forces of a sovereign state that are authorized to exercise the police power of that state within a defined legal or territorial area of responsibility. Police forces are often defined as being separate from the military and other organizations involved in the defense of the state against foreign aggressors; however, gendarmerie are military units charged with civil policing. Police forces are usually public sector services, funded through taxes.
Law enforcement is only part of policing activity. Policing has included an array of activities in different situations, but the predominant ones are concerned with the preservation of order. In some societies, in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, these developed within the context of maintaining the class system and the protection of private property. Police forces have become ubiquitous in modern societies. Nevertheless, their role can be controversial, as some are involved to varying degrees in corruption, police brutality and the enforcement of authoritarian rule.
A police force may also be referred to as a police department, police service, constabulary, gendarmerie, crime prevention, protective services, law enforcement agency, civil guard or civic guard. Members may be referred to as police officers, troopers, sheriffs, constables, rangers, peace officers or civic/civil guards. Ireland differs from other English-speaking countries by using the Irish language terms Garda (singular) and Gardaí (plural), for both the national police force and its members. The word "police" is the most universal and similar terms can be seen in many non-English speaking countries.
Numerous slang terms exist for the police. Many slang terms for police officers are decades or centuries old with lost etymology. One of the oldest, "cop", has largely lost its slang connotations and become a common colloquial term used both by the public and police officers to refer to their profession.
WHAT DO THEY DO?
Police officers are tasked with maintaining order and keeping their communities safe. In tv and in movies, that usually involves chasing down the bad guys or busting a crime ring. In reality, the term police officer covers a wide variety of roles, including behind the scenes work like handwriting analysis and officer training. Attending a recruitment event in your local area can help you learn more about all the potential paths.
Police officers can work for the city, county, state, or federal government. Their jurisdiction and the size of the police department they work for play a major role in shaping their day to day duties. A police officer in a large urban center like New York or Los Angeles will usually have a very specialized focus, such as narcotics, media relations, the K-9 unit, or SWAT team. In contrast, in smaller departments, particularly in rural areas, police officers will be expected to cover a wider variety of roles.
Most officers start off as patrol officers. Typical day to day duties include assisting in emergency scenes, responding to burglaries, and monitoring the roadways and stopping cars that are driving erratically or speeding. For every incident that occurs, a police officer is required to file a report. Doing paperwork is certainly not a glamorous part of the job, but it’s a necessary and frequent task.
Police officers enforce the laws of a community and ensure the safety of citizens and property. While there is no degree needed to be a police officer, some police departments prefer applicants who have taken at least some college courses for future police officers or who have completed police officer certification.
The specific education needed to be a police officer begins in the police academy and continues on the job. Prospective police officers must have at least a high school diploma or GED and be 21 years old before entering a police academy training program. Training in the police academy includes classroom learning as well as physical fitness exercises. Recruits later receive hands-on training from veteran officers, in skills such as firearm use, lifesaving techniques, emergency response, and how to apprehend a suspect.
REQUIREMENTS;
There are various requirements for Police that they need to fulfil to pursue a career in being a Police Officer. The requirements are classified under three heads
EDUCATIONAL AND GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS:
Police officers wear many hats as they are responsible for public safety, upholding law and order, prevention of crime and enforcement of the law. In a nutshell, the main job of a police officer is to enhance the quality of life for all citizens. This is the reason a police officer should have good physical and mental health. A range of technology is used by police to shield individuals, discover the perpetrators and ensure prosecution against the violators. A team of police is appointed by every state to curb the rate of crime and maintain law and order in the state. If you are looking for a challenging career and want to serve the society, then this career is the best for you.
To become a police officer, one has to be 21 years of age and pass a competitive exam. Indian Government recruit the police officers in different departments through various examinations such as SSC Constable, Civil Services Exams and other state level recruitment exams. Lakhs of candidates appear in these examinations to be a Police Officer in India. Go through this article to know the salary, job description, basic requirement to become the police officer.
How to become a Police Officer after 10th?
Being proactive, agile and good in shape are the important attributes in police officers as they have to be fast on their feet. Students who have completed their class 10 from CBSE, RBSE or West Bengal or any other recognized education board and wish to pursue a career as a police officer can opt for any stream- Science, Commerce and Humanities in their 10+2. The stream doesn’t make any difference to candidates who aspire to pursue a career as a police officer. Participating in sports and physical education classes, however, can prepare one to fulfil the physical requirement for the job of a police officer. In addition, developing interpersonal skills is a plus as you always have to interact with the public. Candidates can apply for police constable after completing 12th provided they clear the competitive exam.
How to become a Police Officer after 12th?
Aspirants can become a police constable after passing class 12 from TBSE, JAC or any other recognized education board. The job of constable is the same as a police officer, but their powers and salary are limited. They, however, have to clear certain competitive examinations that are conducted for the recruitment of police constables. The exam for police constables is conducted by the State Selection Commission (SSC) in each state of the country. Those who pass the written test and the personal interview will be selected and will have to undergo a rigorous training program. On completion of the training, they can join the police service as a constable and go on to make a career as a police officer. The minimum prerequisites to apply for a police constable post is given below:
Aspirants must be 12th pass
Should be a citizen of India
They must have completed their higher secondary education from a Certified Board.
Applicants should be between 18 to 22 years of age
Besides, they have to qualify some physical set of standards
Individual must have a height of 167 cms
They should also have 81 cms chest with a maximum increase of 5 cms.
Police Officer- Eligibility criteria for IPS
Nationality
Candidates must be a citizen of India
Candidates looking for a career in police officer must have completed graduation in any stream
Candidates who are in their last year of graduation are also eligible to apply
The bachelor’s degree must be from any UGC approved or any state University
Candidate’s age must be between 21 to 32 for General category
Candidates belonging to SC/ST and OBC get age relaxation of five and three years respectively.
Police Officer Eligibility
Candidates after clearing the civil services exam have to meet certain physical requirement when appearing for the personality test to be eligible for career as a police officer.
Height: Candidates must have a height of 165 cm for men while 150 cm for women. The minimum height relaxation for men and women is 160 and 145 cm, respectively in the case of candidates belonging to ST and to races such as Gorkhas, Garhwalias, Assamese, Kumaonis, Nagaland Tribals, etc.
Chest: The minimum chest measurement should be 84 cm for men while 79 cm for women.
Eyesight: A distant vision of 6/2 or 6/ 9 for worse eye and 6/6 or 6/9 vision for good eye. Near vision of J2 for worse eye and J1 for good eye.
Candidates have to perform physical activities that include a weekly run of 10kms in 60 minutes, rope climbing, and horse riding among others. Those who stammer while speaking can not opt for a career as a
police officer. At the time of the medical test, ladies should not be pregnant.
Police Officer's Recruitment Exams
There are three steps involved in the selection procedure of the IPS officer. Go through below to get the details about the exam
Step 1: Preliminary exam
Step 2: Mains exam
Step 3: Interview
In the preliminary exam, candidates have to prepare for two papers-Paper I (General Studies) and Paper II (Civil Service Aptitude Test). To prepare for the exam for a career in a police officer, you have to first clear the preliminary exam. Once you pass the preliminary exam, you will be eligible for mains exam.
The topics that you have to cover in General studies are:
Economy
History
Geography
Current Affairs (Ecology, Environment, Bio-Diversity, General Science)
These aforementioned topics are important for the preparation of General Studies. You have to make a time table and revision is essential for Civil Service Exam. Refer more than one references is essential to clear your concept.
SKILLS:
Police officers undergo vigorous training, sworn to maintain law and order with honesty. Basically, the job of a police officer includes sending a drunk driver to a detoxification facility, intervening in a domestic assault, spotting underage drinkers, apprehending a shoplifter, handling a traffic accident, investigating burglaries and executing search warrants. Below is given a detailed list of responsibilities that a person looking for a career as a police officer has to perform:
Respond to calls and requests from the public to assist them at incidents
Carry out initial investigations, gather evidence, take statements and abide by the relevant legal requirements
Take action on information received from members of the public
Behave sensibly when dealing with situations such as delivering news of a sudden demise or dealing with sexual crimes
Conduct patrol duties on foot, by car and bicycle
Submit internal crime reports and criminal intelligence reports
Attend road-related incidents including collision scenes, vehicle checkpoints and traffic offences
Interview suspects, victims and witnesses in accordance with relevant legislation
SALARY;
IPS Officer's Salary
The salary of IPS officers is fixed by the Government of India. When any change occurs in the new pay commission, the salary is revised. The current pay scale of IPS are as follows:
Rank Pay Scale
Deputy Superintendent of Police 15600-39100 rupees plus grade pay of 5400 rupees
Additional Superintendent of Police 15600-39100 rupees plus grade pay of 6600 rupees
Superintendent of Police 15600-39100 rupees plus grade pay of 7600 rupees
Senior Superintendent of Police 15600-39100 rupees plus grade pay of 8700 rupees
Deputy Inspector General of Police 37400-67000 rupees plus grade pay of 8900 rupees
Inspector General of Police 37400-67000 rupees plus grade pay of 10,000 rupees
Additional Director General of Police 37400-67000 rupees plus grade pay of 12,000 rupees
Director General of Police 80,000 rupees (fixed) plus grade pay -nil
JOB OUTLOOK;
Police officers undergo vigorous training, sworn to maintain law and order with honesty. Basically, the job of a police officer includes sending a drunk driver to a detoxification facility, intervening in a domestic assault, spotting underage drinkers, apprehending a shoplifter, handling a traffic accident, investigating burglaries and executing search warrants. Below is given a detailed list of responsibilities that a person looking for a career as a police officer has to perform:
Respond to calls and requests from the public to assist them at incidents
Carry out initial investigations, gather evidence, take statements and abide by the relevant legal requirements
Take action on information received from members of the public
Behave sensibly when dealing with situations such as delivering news of a sudden demise or dealing with sexual crimes
Conduct patrol duties on foot, by car and bicycle
Submit internal crime reports and criminal intelligence reports
Attend road-related incidents including collision scenes, vehicle checkpoints and traffic offences
Interview suspects, victims and witnesses in accordance with relevant legislation
Frequently Asked Questions;
How to prepare for constable exam and interview?
The test includes objective type questions on GK and Current affairs. Aspirants must be updated with current affairs. Also, questions on English language and numerical aptitude are also included in the test. Aspirants must go through specialized books and practice sample papers to prepare for the test, which will help in preparation and boosting their confidence. Solving the sample papers will help them evaluate their performance and discover their weak areas.
Those who wish to pursue their graduation before choosing to make a career as a police officer can opt to specialize in any field of their interest.
How to become a Police Officer after graduation?
After completing graduation in any discipline, you can apply for a higher post in the police department through promotion by passing department tests. Indian Police Service (IPS) is one of the top designations in the police department. If you desire to become an IPS officer, you have to appear for Civil Service examinations conducted by the UPSC. Besides, you have to meet the fitness requirement to apply for any posts in police service.