Fit, young, clean record: Criteria for recruits to new police security unit

The decision was taken after complaints were received from several PPs about personnel who were unfit or facing departmental enquiries.

Recently, a meeting was held in the police headquarters (PHQ) wherein security units of Delhi Police were discussed. “Officials highlighted that there is no specific criteria for posting of Delhi Police personnel in the security unit at the moment. Personnel are being posted without considering their age, physical fitness, training or firing skills. At times, personnel facing departmental enquiries also get posted in the sensitive security unit, and the tenure of posting is not fixed,” a senior police officer said.

For the DPSB, personnel will also undergo induction training in arms and martial arts so they can be better prepared to protect VVIPs/protected persons. “It was also decided in the meeting that women police personnel with a good command of English would also be inducted in the DPSB to be deployed with protected persons who are women,” an officer said.

The strength of the DPSB would be 1,053 personnel — a DCP as the head, two ACPs, six inspectors, nine sub-inspectors, seven assistant sub-inspectors, 968 head constables/constables, including drivers, 50 women head constables/constables, and 10 multi-tasking staff (MTS).

“The selection will be done by a screening committee constituted by the Special CP (DAP) from across districts/units. Most importantly, the minimum tenure will be for three years extendable up to five years — depending on their performance, fitness and record,” the officer said.

A letter recently issued by DCP (4 battalion of Delhi Armed Police) Ajay Krishan Sharma states, “It is stated the DPSB is being established on the directions of CP, Delhi, which has already been approved by him in order to provide an effective security cover to its PPs. The battalion would function under the administrative control of DCP/DPSB. The DPSB will stay in the barrack No. 1 and 2 of the recruitment cell building.”