Odisha police outposts get teeth, SIs made in-charge

BHUBANESWAR: In a bid to strengthen the police outposts, the Odisha government has decided to appoint sub-inspectors (SIs) to head such units. Earlier, officers in the rank of assistant sub-inspector (ASI) were heading the police outposts.
At least 216 police outposts have been functioning under the control of police stations across the state. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday sanctioned the appointment of SIs to head the outposts.
"The 216 police outposts coming under the commissionerate police area, district police and government railway police will now be manned by SIs. Their training and experience will help control crime and law and order situations at the outpost level," said a written message from the chief minister’s office.
The state police headquarters had recently sent a proposal to the state government to appoint SIs to lead the police outposts. "We are deeply grateful to @Naveen_Odisha for creation of 216 posts of SIs to head police outposts. Our outpost functioning will improve. We will be able to serve people better," read a post from the DGP’s official Twitter handle.
It must be noted the government had been appointing ASIs to head the outposts as police stations used to be headed by SIs. Since the police stations are now being spearheaded by inspector-ranked officers, the government wanted to upgrade the rank of the functional head of the outposts from ASI to SI.
"We have an advantage now with the appointment of SIs as head of the outposts. ASIs of police stations and outposts are authorised to investigate petty crimes like theft and snatching. An SI is empowered to investigate serious and important cases, involving rape and murder," additional director general of police (Crime Branch) Sanjeeb Panda said.
As per the existing practice, outposts can receive complaints and send them to the concerned police stations for registration of formal case or FIR. After registration of the case, the inspector-in-charge (IIC) of the concerned police station will assign an officer of the outpost to investigate the case.
"While heading a small unit (outpost), the SIs will get an exposure and experience to head police stations in future when they are promoted to the rank of inspector," Panda said.