Cop crunch: Delhi Police shrinks 14 battalions to 4

8220;Battalions II the Delhi Police Commandos and V Arrangement personnel have been scrapped and most of the staff has been transferred to the newly-created Southeast district. Meanwhile, the battalion VI, which used to look after 8216;Arrangements8217;, has been united with the battalion III to increase the number of men escorting prisoners to jails across the country,8221; police said.

Police added VIII, IX and X battalions have also been converged into one to use one-third of its total number in other departments. 8220;The work of three battalions VIII, IX and X, which was to handle security, was quite less when compared to the ones that work in police stations. Hence, the three have been merged into one and one-third of the total of three battalions have been transferred to district police stations where the staff is already short,8221; a senior Delhi Police officer, on condition of anonymity said, adding, 8220;The Deputy Commissioner of Police of these three battalions have also been made the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police and now there is only one DCP Security .8221;

Sources said battalions XI-XV which were brought into existence as the India Reserve Force to assist in rescue missions during natural calamities has also been dissolved and merged into security. 8220;After merging VIII into XV battalion, in the 8216;security8217; wing, there will be about 8000 police personnel in this wing 8211; we will still however be short of personnel for handling security,8221; a senior Delhi Police officer said.

Police said the recruitment process for battalions XI-XV is still on and they will directly join the security wing.

Delhi Police sources also added that discussions over handing of the battalions and security to the Central Industrial Security Forces CISF is going on in the Ministry of Home Affairs. However, nothing has been finalised yet.

The proposal came after concerns of shortage of staff in the districts due to increasing demands of VIP security and more police stations, source added.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, battalion III, BK Singh said, 8220;Now only I, III, IV and VII battalion are in existence.8221;

Singh added seventy per cent of battalion II staff was sent to Southeast district, which has recently been created whereas the rest were transferred to I and IV battalions.

Unifying force
On June 20, 2008, the Commissioner of Police, Y S Dadwal had passed an order stating cops working in sub-departments of the police 8212; Delhi Traffic Police and Delhi Armed Police 8212; will be known as just Delhi Police.

Delhi Armed Police and Delhi Traffic Police has been brought under the banner of Delhi Police and their uniform down to their badges and belts has been changed.

8220;According to the act, there is just Delhi Police and no Delhi Armed Police and Delhi Traffic Police. Hence, the step to bring them into one banner has been taken,8221; a senior Delhi Police officer said.

Before
I battalion: CP Reserve
II battalion: Commandos
III battalion: Escorting prisoners
IV battalion: Training
V battalion: Arrangements
used for rallies, VIP events etc
VI battalion: Arrangements
VII battalion: Route
VIII battalion: VIP security
IX battalion VIP security
X battalion VIP security
XI-XV battalions: All India Reserve

AFTER
I battalion: CP Reserve CPR
II V battalions: Dissolved and sent to new Southeast district
III VI battalions: Merged to look after the escorting prisoners
IV battalion: Training of new recruitments
VII battalion: Route
VIII IX X XI to XV
battalions: Merged into one battalion 8212; Security