SOP Station House Management by Kerala Police

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POLICE DUTIES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES
3.1 STATION
HOUSE OFFI-
CER
The Station House Officer
is a Police Officer of such
rank as may be fixed by
the Government who is entrusted
with the overall supervision
of the functions of
each Police Station and that
officer shall be the Officer in
Charge of the Police Station
[Section: 5(3)KP Act; Section
2 (o) CrPC and Rule:
231 PSO]. The orders of the
Hon’ble Supreme Court in
Prakash Singh Caseand the
recommendations of the Justice
K.T.Thomas Commission
appointed in connection with
the modernization of Police
unequivocally pitched for separation
of Law and Order and
Crime Investigation at the Police
Station level. In order
to implement the above recommendation,
two officers in
the rank of Sub Inspector of
Police have been appointed in
each Police Station to handle
the divisions of Law and
Order and Crime Division effectively.
Therefore, it is
proposed to usher in a new
phase of Policing with an officer
of the rank of Inspector
of Police, who is experienced
and skilled, holding the
charge as SHO of a Police
Station to bring professionalism
in overall policing especially
in crime investigation
and to effect robust supervision
of policing in tune with
current times. Accordingly,
vide Govt.Order, GO (MS)
No: 211/2017/Home Dtd:
21/10/2017, Government has
accorded sanction for appointment
of Inspector of Police as
Station House Officer across
all Police Stations in Kerala
in a phased manner. Henceforth,
Circle Inspector posts
have been shifted to Police
Stations and re-designated as
Inspector SHO.
Accordingly, Inspector
SHOs holding the charge as
SHO of Police Stations for
better service delivery to
common people.
3.1.1 Duties of SHO
1. The Station House Officer
shall maintain law
and order within the respective
jurisdiction of
each Police Station (KP
Act Sec.4, 42; PSO-
230,231; Circular No.
3/1986).
2. The Station House Officer
shall ensure the
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security of life, liberty,
dignity, uman
rights and the property
of the common public
(Section- 4,KP Act;
Rule - 87, PSO;Circular
No. 24/2011).
3. Station House Officer is
responsible for the prevention
and detection of
crimes (Section: 38(1),
KP Act). An officer
not below the rank of
Sub Inspector can inspect
the records under
trial/ appeal before
the Hon’ble Courts, for
the prevention and detection
of crimes (Rule
245, Criminal Rules of
Practice in Kerala).
4. The Station House Officer
shall collect intelligence
for the proper
functioning of the Police
(Section: 4, KP
Act;Rule:297(1), PSO),
Circular 42/2010 Para
6; Executive Directive
No. 19/2017 Para
11). In appropriate
cases, source information
reports shall be
generated. (Circular
No:19/2020) The Police
officer shall maintain utmost
secrecy about the