Punjab Police Rules Volume 1 - Sangrur Police

18 Punjab Police Rules, 1934 Volume 1, CHAPTER 2
APPENDIX No. 2.24(3)
Rules For The Enrolment And Employment Of Special Police Officers
1. When the entertainment of special police officers becomes necessary, or desirable,
efforts should be made to appoint volunteers under section 17 of the Police Act (V of
1861) up to the number and in the various ranks required. No unwilling person should be
appointed unless sufficient volunteers cannot be found.
2. Under section 17 of Act V of 1861, residents of a disturbed area may be appointed
special police officers of any rank, but no such police officer shall be appointed to a rank
equal to that of the senior officer of the regular police present on the spot.
3. Special police officers shall be subordinate to, and be under the orders of, the senior
officer of the regular police present on the spot.
4. Special police officers should ordinarily be chosen from among the respectable,
loyal, and influential persons of the neighbourhood whose authority is likely to be respected
by the masses and who are likely to use their influence to prevent disturbances.
It is not desirable to choose ring- leaders of contentious factions unless such ring-leaders
are really influential persons and in no case should a special police officer be appointed
as a punitive measure.
5. When special police officers are appointed, the more influential and useful from
amongst them may be appointed to senior rank above the others, and be required to enforce
discipline as laid down in police rules among the special police officers appointed
under their command.
6. Whenever possible special police officers of good social standing should be encouraged
to bring with them their tenants and defendants, who will ordinarily be enrolled as
special police officers of the lower subordinate grades, a post being given to the special
police officer through whose agency the lower subordinates are enrolled, subject to the
provisions of rule 2 foregoing.
7. Special police officers of the lower subordinate ranks will ordinarily be armed with
batons or lathis at the discretion of the Superintendent of Police.
8. An armlet or brassard with the letters S.P. and a Serial No. should be issued to such
police officer other than those appointed to rank as upper subordinates.
Note:- Special police officers of the rank of upper subordinate may, with advantage, be given a
Sam Browne belt with a revolver or sword if such articles are available.
9. A special police officer of the rank of upper subordinate will be entitled to receive
all courtesies due to an officer of his rank, but his authority will extend only to special police
officers under his orders and not to officers of the regular police. Influential persons
of superior social standing who may be enrolled, should, as a rule, be employed on staff
and supervising duties and given relatively higher rank than others of lower status similarly
enrolled. Such persons should not have menial or unreasonable duties assigned to
them, but the object should be to employ them in the manner best suited to make their personal
influence effective.
10. Discipline - The requirements in this respect should usually be light. Any conditions
of the office which might be regarded by local residents as offensive and
unnecessarily irksome should not be insisted on. Physical drill, for instance, would in
most cases be inappropriate and the saluting of petty officers unnecessary, while parades
or attendance at the police station, when necessary, should be so regulated as to cause as
little inconvenience as possible.
11. A copy of sections 17 to 21 inclusive of Police Act (V of 1861) and also a copy of
rules relating to the enrolment, etc., of special police officers shall be given to each special
police officer as soon after his enrolment as may be possible.