In India, the police forces of the states and union territories are responsible for law enforcement in the states and union territories. Police and Public Order are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India.^[1]

The Police Act of 1861 established the principles of organization for police forces in India and, with minor modifications, continues in effect. Although state police forces are separate and may differ in quality of equipment and resources, their patterns of organization and operation are similar.

The central government civil servants of Group 'A' under Indian Police Service cadre are recruited through civil services examination conducted by Union Public Service Commission. They command and provide leadership to the State and UT Police Forces.

The state government civil servants of Group 'B' under State Police Services cadre are recruited by combined competitive examination conducted by State Public Service Commission.

The state government civil servants of Group 'C' and Group 'D' of State Police cadre are recruited by subordinate services examination conducted by State Public Service Commission.

The central government civil servants of Group 'B' under Union Territory Police Service cadre are recruited by civil services examination conducted by Union Public Service Commission.

The central government civil servants of Group 'C' and Group 'D' of Union Territory Police cadre are recruited by combined graduate level examination and common entrance test conducted by Staff Selection Commission and National Recruitment Agency.

Uniforms of state and local police vary by grade, region, and type of duty. The main service uniform for state police is khaki. Some city forces, such as the Kolkata Police, wear white uniforms. Headgear differs by rank and state; officers usually wear a peaked cap, and constables wear berets or sidecaps.^[3]

Services such as the Central Bureau of Investigation do not wear a uniform instead business dress (shirt, tie, blazer, etc.) is worn with a badge.

Special-service armed police have tactical uniforms in accordance with their function, and traffic police generally wear a white uniform.^{[citation needed]}

West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra have taken steps to train their police forces by advanced police-training schools such as Scotland Yard, the Atlanta Police Department and the World Police Academy in Canada. The Tamil Nadu Police Academy is seeking university status, and the Kerala Police is South Asia's first police force to adopt community policing.^{[citation needed]}

Some major metropolitan cities use the police commissionerate system (like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Lucknow etc.), headed by a Police Commissioner. Demand for this system is increasing as it gives police a free hand to act freely and take control of any situation. According to BPRD India, 65 large cities and suburban areas currently have this system. Even in British Raj, the presidency towns of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras had commissionerate system. Reporting to the Police Commissioner(CP) are the Joint Police Commissioner(Joint CPs), Deputy Commissioner of Police(DCPs) and Assistant Commissioner of Police(ACPs). Commissioners of police and their deputies are empowered as executive magistrates to enforce Section 144 of the CrPC and issue arms licenses.

In most states and territories, police forces are divided into civil (unarmed) police and armed contingents. Civil police staff police stations, conduct investigations, answer routine complaints, perform traffic duties, and patrol the streets. They usually carry lathis: bamboo staffs, weighted (or tipped) with iron.

Armed police are divided into two groups: district armed police and the Provincial Armed Constabulary (Pradeshik). District armed police are organized like an army infantry battalion. Assigned to police stations, they perform guard and escort duties. Each state police force maintains an armed force, with names such as Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and Special Armed Police, which is responsible for emergencies and crowd control. They are generally activated on orders from a Deputy Inspector General or higher-level authorities. States which maintain armed contingents use them as an emergency reserve strike force. The units are organized as a mobile armed force under state control or, in the case of district armed police (who are not as well equipped), as a force directed by district superintendents and generally used for riot control.

The Provincial Armed Constabulary is an armed reserve maintained at key locations in some states and activated on orders from the deputy inspector general and higher-level authorities. Armed constabulary are not usually in contact with the public unless they are assigned to VIP duty or maintaining order during fairs, festivals, athletic events, elections, and natural disasters. They may be sent to quell outbreaks of student or labour unrest, organized crime, and communal riots; to maintain key guard posts, and to participate in anti-terrorism operations. Depending on the assignment, the Provincial Armed Constabulary may only carry lathis.

Special Forces are the special armed police forces created for some special purposes such as Counter Insurgency Operations, Counter Naxalites Operations, etc. Special Commandos are trained for different purposes such as Jungle Warfare, Mountain Warfare, etc.

State Industrial Security Force is a type of State Armed Police Force, created on the lines of Central Industrial Security Force to protect the airports, factories, etc. of state importance.

State/UT Coastal Police is type of State/UT Armed Police which was created to make an extra security layer on the coastal region. Coastal Police have the responsibility to secure the coasts of the respective States and UTs, along the Indian Coast Guard.

Highway and traffic police in small towns are under the state police; traffic police in cities are under the metropolitan and state police. Traffic police maintain a smooth traffic flow and stop offenders. Highway police secure the highways and catch speeders. Accidents, registrations, and vehicle data are checked by traffic police.

Highway Police or Highway Patrol is a specialized unit of state police forces. The main objectives of Highway Police are controlling Traffic, enforcement of Traffic Laws, prevention of Road Accidents, providing immediate attention and assistance to victims of accidents, handling of Law & Order issues, and enforcement of Laws on National Highways and State Highways, etc. Each Highway Patrol Vehicle is assigned an 'Operational area' and a Base Station.

GRP units are a state maintained forces with its own command structure on Railways with the maintenance cost borne on 50% basis each by particular State and Railways. RPF maintains liaison with GRP for the Law & Order and Crime related matters.^[20]

As the security of tourists is a state subject, the Ministry of Tourism (India), in consultation with the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations, had proposed to set up tourist police units at prominent tourist spots in the country. As of 2018, 14 States/UTs have deployed the Tourist Police in their States/UTs.^[21]

A Criminal Investigation Department (CID) or Crime Branch is a specialized investigation Wing of the State Police forces of India responsible for the investigation of crime, based on the Criminal Investigation Departments of British police forces. CID is further split into Crime Branch (CB-CID), Anti Narcotics and many further divisions concerned with matters pertaining to crime, investigation, prosecution and collection of criminal intelligence,depending upon the state's Police administration . The nomenclature of CID is different in various states. Some states it is known as Crime Branch and others Criminal Investigation Department (CID) or Criminal Investigation Agency.The functioning of this wing is almost same in all the states.

• Commissioner of Police (India)
• Crime in India
• Law enforcement in India
• Police ranks and insignia of India