Reserve Police is stationed in the Headquarters of every district and in some important towns in a district and in cities having Commissionerate system. A State Reserve Police Force is stationed at Amberpet, Hyderabad in the Central Police Lines. The SP of the district will be incharge of the district Reserve assisted by DSP/Addl.SP. The city Reserve is under the overall control of C.P. with the DCP as incharge assisted by Addl. DCP/ACPs. If there is more than one battalion strength of city Reserve the Joint Commissioner of Police will be in overall charge. The State Special Reserve at Amberpet is part of the SAR HQrs and will be in the charge of an officer of the rank of DIG/SP subject to the overall control of the C.P. Hyderabad. The functions of the above reserve police are intended to:
1. supplement the local police strength where it is not adequate to deal with law and order disturbances;
2. provide specially trained personnel to deal with terrorist and other organized gangs;
3. provide security to authorized persons or places;
4. guard vital installations, arms and ammunition and other important places;
5. escort the prisoners;
6. participate in ceremonial parades and guards of honour;
7. help in rescue operations in the event of natural calamities and other disasters;
8. to man armed outposts and conduct armed patrolling where called for;
9. to provide outdoor training for the personnel of the district and Home Guards;
10. to provide striking forces or mobile squads for special bandobusts including elections;
11. Management of arms and ammunition in the district;
12. Maintenance of motor transport of the district;
Movement of the Reserve Police
The SP in the district and the CPs in the Cities shall have powers to deploy the Reserve anywhere in their jurisdiction for any of the purposes stated in the preceding Order.
2. In case of emergency the SP or CP may apply through Zonal IG/DIG to the DGP for reinforcements.
3. The Zonal IG/DIG, Addl. DG L&O and DGP should be kept informed by radio/Fax of the mobilisation and demobilisation of the Reserve whether for emergency or for annual training.
4. The deployment for the purpose of riots and serious disturbances shall not exceed one week and shall be withdrawn thereafter. The deployment for festivals shall be limited to the duration of the festival. In all other cases rotation should be provided with intervals for rest.
Arms and Ammunition for public order duties
When called out for the maintenance of peace, the RIs, RSIs and ARSIs shall be armed with pistols/revolvers and the HCs and PCs besides lathies with muskets or rifles with 20 rounds of ball ammunition unless ordered otherwise. Other weapons like SLR, AK 47 and Carbines are also issued. In case of SLRs and AK 47, 60 rounds of ammunition may be carried. The tear-gas squad will be armed with its equipment. When detailed for other duties connected with anti-terrorist or anti-criminal gang operations or special tasks requiring superior fire power, they should be armed with SLR, AK 47 and carbines and other weapons with sufficient ammunition provided the personnel detailed for the duty are trained in the handling of the weapons.
Organisation of District Reserve Police
District Reserve Police is organised on the administrative pattern of a Battalion. The City or State Reserve Police may have more than one Battalion. The District Reserve Police shall have 4 to 8 companies. Ordinarily there shall be three platoons in an active company and three sections in a platoon. A section consists of 4 HCs and 12 PCs.
2. Functionally the Reserve shall consist of General, Special operations, Security and Logistics groups.
3. An officer of the rank of DSP/Addl. SP shall assist the SP and be in charge of District Reserve Police. A Deputy Superintendent of Police/RI shall be in charge of 2 or more Companies or in charge of Administration. Reserve Inspector (RI)/RSI will be the Company Commander. A platoon shall be commanded by a Reserve Sub-Inspector (RSI)/ARSI assisted by HCs and PCs. Each section will function under the command of the senior-most Head Constable of that section who will be designated as Section Commander.
4. The ARSI of the platoon will be the staff officer of that platoon. He will be under the immediate control, and at the disposal of the platoon commander, and may not ordinarily be available for personal command of platoons or sections in the field.
5. One Reserve Inspector each will be in charge of Administration and operations, motor transport, quarter master duties, and Welfare and Training. They will be assisted by such staff consisting of RSIs, including technical staff as indicated in this chapter.
Ordinary duties of the Reserve Police
The duties to be performed by each Reserve will be classified as “fixed”, “special” and “general” duties besides the functional classifications mentioned above. “Fixed” duties are those where the personnel performing those duties cannot be withdrawn in times of emergency, e.g., armoury and motor transport staff. Personnel for “fixed” duties will be provided from the headquarters company. “General” duties consist of guards, escorts and other miscellaneous duties. The personnel for “general” duties are provided from the active companies. The company or platoons employed at any given time on general duties are called duty company or platoons.
2. The duty platoons will be employed as such for a month at a time in rotation, the others being mobilized and exclusively engaged in training when not called out for any definite or emergent duty.
3. Emergency strength ¾ (a) A minimum “emergency strength” as laid down below for each Reserve Police must always be available and ready for immediate action.
4. The active strength of the reserve minus the headquarter wing.
A . Of the active strength, the sections meant for duties, such as guards and escorts, should be deducted, and the remaining sections, is the emergency strength. The emergency strength once fixed as above shall not be changed without the prior sanction of the Director General of Police in writing.
B. The emergency strength shall be deputed in complete sub-formations, i.e., platoons, sections or half sections, as the situation requires. The purpose and duties to be performed should be specifically spelt out briefed and understood by each person on each occasion.
Utilisation and Briefing of the Reserve Contingents
The Reserve Police shall normally be deputed to assist the local police to meet the exingencies for bandobust, preserving order at festivals, large public assemblies and when disturbance to peace is anticipated. The deployment of force for this purpose is fully at the discretion of the SP, on the assessment of the situation. The L&O police can only requisition and not deploying according to their requisition cannot be pleaded as an excuse for their failures, if any.
B. Whenever such reserve is deputed, a thorough briefing should be done by ARSI/Head of the section/Platoon Commander concerned with respect to their specific duties, topography, discretion of the task, reporting mechanism likely difficulties to be encountered and the way to over come them. The DSP of the reserve police is responsible for the performance of the force.
