Uttarakhand police expanding its reach to better serve population, tourism industry: Dhami

DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand Police force has grown and improved its crime-fighting abilities significantly since the state's formation, according to a statement of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
The force has added 77 new police stations and 216 new posts, expanding its reach to better serve the state's growing population and tourism industry, added the statement.
Previously, law enforcement was handled by both regular police and revenue police. However, with increasing demands, 92% of the population now falls under the jurisdiction of the regular police force, which boasts a total of 25,000 personnel. This includes specialized units like the PAC, IRBs, SDRF, fire brigade, intelligence, CID, STF, and GRP.
“Uttarakhand Police is not only dealing strictly with the criminals, but is also serving the citizens of its state and the tourists and pilgrims coming here,” stated an official release.
The creation of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) after the 2013 Kedarnath disaster has proved invaluable, with five companies and 40 outposts now active in disaster relief. Additionally, the establishment of cybercrime units in Dehradun and Pantnagar, alongside cyber cells in every district, reflects the force's adaptation to emerging crime trends.
The Uttarakhand Police's efforts have not gone unnoticed. The Union Home Ministry recently ranked the Banbasa police station in Champawat district among the top three out of 16,955 nationwide. Additionally, the force has consistently ranked first among Himalayan states in crime-fighting, including achieving top marks for two consecutive years for property recovery after theft. In 2022, the police achieved a 55.2% success rate in securing criminal convictions.