In a major revamp in the organisational structure of the police force, the State government has downgraded a few posts in the rank of Inspector-General of Police and Deputy Inspector-General of Police to the level of Superintendent of Police. More vacancies have been created in the rank of SPs, with additional focus on traffic and road safety, cyber crimes and economic offences.
According to police sources, IGP-rank posts that have been downgraded to SP ranks are IGP, Home Guards, Chennai; IGP, Operations, Chennai; and IGP, Economic Offences Wing- II. The three downgraded IGP posts will now be re-designated as SP, Traffic and Road Safety, Chennai; SP, Cyber Arangam, Chennai; and SP, Economic Offences Wing (south zone), Chennai.
The post of the Additional Director-General of Police/Chief Vigilance Officer, Tamil Nadu Co-operative Milk Producers’ Federation Ltd (Aavin), Chennai, which was last occupied by a DGP-rank officer, has also been downgraded to the SP/CVO level, to be headquartered in Chennai. SP, Economic Offences Wing, and SP, Commercial Crimes Investigation Wing, CID, have also been redesigned as SP, Economic Offences Wing, north zone, and SP, Economic Offences Wing, central zone.
The changes have been made on the basis of a proposal sent by DGP J.K. Tripathy, who said that several vacancies would arise in the rank of IGPs and DIGs in five years, and there would be no source to fill them, considering the non-availability of officers. “In view of the emerging requirements and heavy workload, it is considered essential to downgrade the ex-cadre posts in the rank of ADGP/IGP/DIG to the level of SPs (State services) so that the posts can be filled and utilised in a proper manner,” he said.
Justifying the need to have an SP-rank officer to assist the ADGP heading the Traffic and Road Safety Cell, the DGP said the Supreme Court had directed the States to accord top priority to road safety to bring down fatalities. Though the State Traffic Planning Cell, headed by an ADGP-rank officer, was created to achieve road safety objectives, no senior officer had been posted to assist them in the last 15 years. Hence, it was necessary to have an SP to assist the ADGP in the daily monitoring of traffic and road safety aspects, he said.
While there is an ADGP-rank officer heading the Cyber Crime Wing in Tamil Nadu, with SPs for four zones, it is essential to have another SP heading the Cyber Arangam, in view of the vast expansion of cyber technology. The officer will also coordinate with the Central government and IT experts, officials of IIT-Madras, bank officers and telecom service providers, among others, for the smooth and effective functioning of the wing.