The post of Inspector was filled in two ways, viz., by promotion of station house officer and by recruitment from outside the police department. The officers selected in the latter manner were designated as “Probationary Inspectors” until confirmed.
In 1896, the then Inspector General of Police Mr. Hammick, I.C.S., on noticing this inadequacy of training sent a report to the Government requesting for opening of a training school. The report was accepted by the Government and Government Order No. 773 ( Judicial), dated: 27th April, 1896, ordering opening of a training school at Vellore for Inspectors, was issued. The Assistant Superintendents of Police who were recruited in England were also required to attend the training.
The school also opened its portals to the private candidates in the year 1896 whereby outsiders could undergo the training by paying Rs.60/- as course fee. The outsiders, who completed the training successfully were appointed alternately with the head constable, who had cleared the station house officer’s examination.
Inspector General of Police in his letter to the Government dated 25th August, 1897 drew attention to the necessity of improving the system under which the Constables were trained for the post of station house officer in the District Schools and observed that the teaching in the school was hopelessly inefficient. The Government took note of his suggestion and ordered formation of a combined training school at Vellore for police inspectors and station house officers, who were to undergo six months course.
This institutional setup was a temporary one as sanction for continuance of the school was extended from time to time. In 1900 Mr. H.A. Stuart, I.C.S., submitted a proposal for establishing a permanent institution at Vellore. The matter was kept pending by the Madras Government in view of the Police Commission which had commenced its proceedings at the time.
The Police Commission made many landmark recommendations regarding the training of police personnel. Some of those recommendations were as follows:
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1. In every province there should be a well equipped provincial training school for training officer of the rank of Sub Inspector and above. The Sub Inspectors were to replace the Head Constables as station house officers.
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2. Establishment of Central Schools for training the constables, in a town accessible to several surrounding districts. The Principals of the schools were to be Assistant / Deputy Superintendents of Police. |
| 3. The course was to be for six months and recruits were to be despatched from the districts where they were recruited so that the schools ran through out the year. |
4. A carefully selected Superintendent of Police was to be put in-charge of the institution.
The Police Training School at Vellore which was already in existence was thus made a permanent institution based on Commission’s recommendations. The courses for Inspector and Station House Officer (promoted Head Constables) were abolished and a new training course for the probationary Sub Inspectors was started. Thus, the Police Training College for training the Sub Inspectors was born. The first batch of the year 1905 consisted of 183 Sub Inspectors. |
A training school for recruit constables was opened in Vellore in April 1908. Nine districts of the erstwhile Madras Presidency, viz. North Arcot, South Arcot, Chengleput, Salem, Thirichirapalli, Tanjore, Madurai and the Railway Police, Madras, were instructed to send their recruits for training at this school.
The Government at the same time sanctioned other Central Recruit Schools at Coimbatore, Vizianagaram (presently in the State of Karnataka) and Ananthpur (presently in the State of Andhra Pradesh). The school at Coimbatore was started in the year 1912.
Thus, were born the two permanent Police Recruit Schools of the present day State of Tamil Nadu, at Vellore and Coimbatore.
In the 1909, a police museum, which was functioning in office of Inspector General of Police since 1901 ,was shifted to the Police Training School at Vellore.
The nucleus of library and reading room were formed in the year 1908.The Government sanctioned a grant of Rs.750/-in 1909 for maintenance of library. It was named after Mr. D.G Cowie, then Inspector General of Police.
In 1930, the Sergeants (who supervised the Sub Inspectors in the city police and were directly recruited Europeans) were also given a four months training at the Police Recruit Schools along with the Sub Inspectors.
In the year 1938, there was a complete revision in curriculum of training with an intention of bringing ordinary work of station house officer in line with the modern progress in methods of crime investigation.
In the same year, the Indian Sergeants were recruited for the first time and were trained at the school.
In the year 1948, the IPS probationers underwent the basic training at the Central Police Training College, Mount Abu. However, the probationers allotted to Madras State underwent a four months course at Vellore ,after completing their training at Mount Abu.
This institutional setup with minor changes continued from the pre-independence period, to the post independence period ,till the year 1975. As the Vellore College was found to be lacking in amenities and as it was too far from the State Police Head Quarters, it was shifted to Ashok Nagar, Chennai, in the year 1976. It started functioning in a multi storied building at Ashok Nagar, Chennai, which was constructed and equipped at a cost of Rs.66 lakhs
The 1973-74 Batch of directly recruited Sub-Inspectors was the last batch to undergo training at Vellore.
Thus, from the point of view of the organization and location, the buildings and the facilities, the training and the trainees, the trainers and the administrators, it is obvious that history of the Police Training Institutions in Tamil Nadu is that of changing and adapting to the needs of changing times.
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