BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Government has approved a proposal of the State Police for deployment of 4,188 constables of the Odisha Auxiliary Police Force (OAPF) for civil policing.
The deployment of the OAPF constables, who formerly served as Special Police Officers (SPOs) in tribal and Maoist-affected districts, is aimed at overcoming the serious shortage in the territorial police stations where the work burden has increased manifold over the years.
Director General of Police (DGP) KB Singh had submitted a proposal in this regard on November 23 for conversion of OAPF into civil police constable posts which has been given a green signal by the State Government.
The re-deployment means the 4,100-odd OAPF constables would now be placed in territorial police stations across the districts from January. No additional post in constabulary has been created, the State Police Headquarters clarified.
The DGP said the OAPF constables will work under the command and disciplinary control of the Superintendents of Police (SPs) in the districts and Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) in urban police systems. The constables will be posted to territorial police stations located in nearby districts of their domicile. While the SPs and DCPs have been authorised to transfer them within their district of jurisdiction, it would necessitate an intimation to State Police Headquarters.
Special care will also be taken to deploy the OAPF constables in large urban police stations which are facing a serious staff crunch. In addition to their normal police duty, the constables will also work in various welfare activities like ‘Ama Police’ and ‘Mahila O Sishu Desk’ as well as at the reception centres of the police stations concerned.
The OAPF as an all-tribal force was created in 2012 after the State Government found a huge number of SPOs had been drafted in 19 police districts. The SPOs, who had completed three years in service, were inducted into OAPF which also was a State Armed Police force.
As per the Government’s approval, at least 505 constables will be deployed in Bhubaneswar urban police district (UPD), 432 in Cuttack UPD, 163 in Angul, 169 in Balasore and 155 in Mayurbhanj among the districts. The pay and allowances of the constables will be done in the Police Districts where they are deployed.