Difference between Commissioner of Police (CP) and Director General of Police (DGP) in India | Commissioner vs Director General of Police (DGP) Comparison (2024)

Difference between the Commissioner of Police (CP) and Director General of Police (DGP) is explained here in detail.

The Commissioner of Police may be of the rank of Additional DGP, or IGP but can also be in the rank of DIGP. The Commissioner of Police is empowered with the powers of an executive magistrate. Commissioner of Police is assisted by one to several Joint Commissioners of Police.

In India, the Director-General of Police (DGP) is a three-star rank and the highest-ranking police officer in Indian States and Union Territories. All DGPs are Indian Police Service (IPS) officers. Officers who hold the rank of DGP may have commensurate appointments in CBI, CRPF etc.

Candidates appearing for the IAS Exam can visit the given link for information on eligibility, dates and structure of Civil Services Exam.

Difference between Commissioner and DGP – UPSC Notes:- Download PDF Here

The major differences between the Commissioner of Police and DGP (Director General of Police) are:

Commissioner of Police	DGP (Director General of Police)
Commissioner of Police heads the Commissionarate in major Cities, Districts etc.	The Director-General of Police heads the Police force of the entire state.
The Commissioner of Police is not found in all States.	All the States have a Director General of Police (DGP).
Commissioner of Police is not a rank, but it is a posting. The senior-most police officer in a commissionerate is the Commissioner of Police.	Director-General of Police is not a posting but the Highest Rank in the State Police Hierarchy.
The Commissioner of Police is of different ranks, it could be Inspector General of Police (IGP) Rank, it could be Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Rank or it could be Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) rank police officer.	The Director-General of Police (DGP) is a 3-star rank police officer and the highest-ranked police officer in the States.
In the majority of the scenarios, the Commissioner of Police reports to the Director-General of Police (DGP). However, there are 2 exceptions – Delhi police and Kolkata Police. In the case of the Delhi Police, the Commissioner of Police and Director General of Police are the same.	Director-General of Police is the highest Ranked Officer, hence he does not report to the Commissioner of Police.

After learning about differences between Commissioner of Police and Director General of Police (DGP), visit the below-given links for more information on Indian Police Service (IPS) and for details on 24 Different Types of Civil Services. In addition, also refer to the links on Indian Polity Notes and Latest Current Affairs.

Difference between Commissioner and DGP – UPSC Notes:- Download PDF Here

Frequently Asked Questions about Commissioner of Police and Director General of Police

Who is known as Commissioner of Police?

Commissioners of Police (also known as Police Commissioners) in India are IPS officers who get higher executive powers than those available to a Superintendent of Police (SP) or Senior SP (SSP) as in charge of a district police.

Who is a Director General of Police in India?

In India, the Director General of Police (DGP) is the highest ranking police officer in an Indian State or Union Territory. DGP typically heads the state or UT police force, who in case, are also called State Police Chief.

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