With an area of appx. 243,286 Sq.Km. and a population of over 20 Crores apporx (census 2011), Uttar Pradesh has the distinction of being the largest single Police force not only in the country but of the entire world. The Director General of UP Police commands a force of approx. 3.10 Lacs aprox. personnel spread over 75 districts, 33 armed Battalions and other specialised wings/ branches relating to Intelligence, Investigation, Anti-corruption, Technical, Training, Forensic Science etc.
The present police system in the country was created following the recommendation of the Police Commission headed by Mr. H.M. Court in 1860 which led to the enactment of the Police Act of 1861, which is in force even today. The same Mr. Court became the first Inspector General of Police of the then North West Province and Avadh which comprised the territory of the present state of Uttar Pradesh. The Police structure was erected in the form of the following eight organisations :
- Provincial Police
- Government Railway Police
- Municipal Police
- Cantonment Police
- Town Police
- Rural and Road Police
- Canal Police
- Barkandaj Guard (to protect the courts)
The Civil Police too continued to grow and Mr. B.N. Lahiri was the first Indian IGP of the state after independence. The performance of the State Police in the spheres of Crime control and maintenance of Law and Order was highly appreciated and it had the proud privilege of being the first police force in the country to be conferred the honour of receiving the Colors on 13th November, 1952 by the then Prime Minister of India, Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru. Since then it has maintained its glorious tradition of keeping communal and social harmony, maintaining Law and Order and keeping a check on crime so that a sense of security is inculcated amongst the people and all round development of the state is ensured. Various Specialised wings for combating organised crimes, economic offences etc. have since come into existence. Modernisation is being given due emphasis in the fields of training, technical aids like computers, telecommunications, Forensic science, latest gadgetry, modern weapons and new vehicles.
Today the Police force is mainly divided into several important Units/Zones/Ranges/Districts to strengthen the efficiency in crime prevention, detection along with its own administration.