The State Police Services (SPS), also simply known as State Police, are the police services under the control of respective state governments of the States and union territories of India.

State Police Service is known by different names in different states of India. For example, it is known as Tamil Nadu Police Service (TPS) in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh Police Service (APPS) in Andhra Pradesh, Assam Police Service (APS) in Assam, Bihar Police Service (BPS) in Bihar, Provincial Police Service (PPS) in Uttar Pradesh, Kerala Police Service (KPS) in Kerala, etc. However, they all refer to the same state-level state police service responsible for maintaining law and order within their respective states.

Description
The SPS officers are appointed by the state government through the State Public Service Commission (PSC) of the state. They are gazzeted officers of the state government. The State Police Service (SPS) is a state-level police service that operates within the respective states of india. The SPS officers are ranked below the Indian Police Service (IPS) officers but above the State Police Subordinate Service officers.

The SPS officers are responsible for supervising the work of the state police subordinate service officers and other lower-level police officers. Once appointed, they hold the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP).

They are given various responsibilities, including posting as Station House Officers (SHOs), Circle Officers (COs)/ Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPOs), Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs), Additional Superintendent of Police (Addl.SPs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs), depending on their rank and experience.

Recruitment

The recruitment to this service is done by the respective State Governments, usually through State Public Service Commissions. Some of the posts are recruit by the Staff Selection Commission, the staff conducted the exam all over India and recruit according to eligibility. The recruitment to SPS is also on the same pattern as that for IPS. The only difference is that the recruitment of SPS officers is made by the State Public Service Commission concerned through usually a combined competitive examination for State Civil Services which in the case of IPS is through the All-India Civil Services Examination conducted by Union Public Service Commission. However, in case of Union Territory, recruitment to SPS is also made by Union Public Service Commission through the Civil Services Examination as one of the Group-A (Junior Branch)  Services.

The recruitment process for State Police Services (SPS) varies from state to state. While some states have a direct recruitment process for SPS officers, others follow a promotion-based system.

In states that have a direct recruitment process, candidates are selected based on their performance in state-level competitive exams conducted by the respective State Public Service Commission. These exams typically consist of a written test, physical fitness test, and an interview. Upon clearing the selection process, candidates are appointed as SPS officers and undergo training at the police academy before being posted in various positions across the state.

On the other hand, in states such as Kerala, the recruitment process for SPS officers is based on promotion from within the state police force.
State police requirement in large States like Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh is greater as compared to the smaller States like Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Kerala, Sikkim and north-eastern States. After selection, which again is based upon the choice of service and merit of a candidate, selected candidates are required to undergo vigorous probationary training before getting posted as Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) or Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP). States with large number of population are arranging a specific recruitment program for specific recruitment. In June 2017, The Madhya Pradesh state arranged the examination of police constable recruitment through the professional examination board of Madhya Pradesh.

Ranks and insignia of SPS officers

State Police Service (SPS)

Hierarchical structure
 Superintendent of Police (Non-IPS)
 Additional Superintendent of Police (Addl.SP)
 Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP/DSP)

Insignia of Gazetted officers
Gazetted officers include all the Indian Police Service
officers and all state police service officers.

National Emblem above two star (same insignia and pay band as a colonel in the Indian Army)
 Superintendent of police (selection grade)
Other officers above selection grade

National Emblem above one Star (same insignia and pay band as a lieutenant-colonel in the Indian Army)
Superintendent of police
Commandant of Battalion

National Emblem (same insignia and pay band as a major in the Indian Army)

Additional superintendent of police

Three Stars (same insignia as a captain in the Indian Army; pay band of a Lieutenant)
Assistant Commissioner of Police or Deputy Superintendent of Police
Circle Officer (CO) in the states of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh
Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO)

Promotion to Indian Police Service
The Indian Police Service (IPS) of any state has two components, namely DR Quota and Promotion Quota. Direct recruit IPS officers come through the Civil Services Exam conducted by the UPSC, while State Police Service officers are inducted into the IPS against the Promotion Quota.

The process of appointment from the State Police Service to the IPS against the Promotion Quota is a lengthy process involving three stakeholders- the concerned State Government, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), and the  Union Government. The roles of these stakeholders are defined in the Indian Police Service (Recruitment) Rules, 1954, Indian Police Service (Appointment by Promotion) Regulations, 1955, and IPS (Regulation of Seniority) Rules, 1988.
The process begins with the Central Government determining the vacancies against the promotion quota of any state for a particular calendar year. The State Government then forwards a proposal to the UPSC containing the details/records of the State Police Service officers in the order of their seniority. The UPSC then convenes a Selection Committee Meeting, which scrutinizes the records/ACRs and other details of the State Police Service officers as per the provisions of Regulation 5(4) of the promotions Regulations.

The Committee records its recommendations in the form of ‘Minutes,' which are signed by each member and the Chairperson. These minutes are sent to the State Government concerned, which forwards them to the Central Government after its concurrence. The Central Government examines the minutes and conveys its concurrence to the UPSC. 
Finally, the Commission approves the minutes, and the Central Government, as the cadre controlling authority for the Indian Police Service, conveys its approval.

List of state police services
 Andhra Pradesh Police Service (APPS)
 Arunachal Pradesh Police Service (ANPS)
 Assam Police Service (APS)
 Bihar Police Service (BPS)
 Chhattisgarh Police (CPS)
 Goa Police Service (GPS)
 Gujarat Police Service (GPS)
 Haryana Police Service (HPS)
 Himachal Pradesh Police Service  (HPS)
 Jharkhand Police
 Karnataka State Police Service (KSPS)
 Kerala Police Service (KPS)
 Madhya Pradesh Police Service (MPS)
 Maharashtra Police Service (MPS)
 Manipur Police
 Meghalaya Police
 Mizoram Police
 Nagaland Police
 Odisha Police
 Punjab Police
 Rajasthan Police
 Sikkim Police
 Tamil Nadu Police Service (TPS)
 Telangana State Police Service (TSPS)
 Tripura Police
 Provincial Police Service (PPS) UP Police
 Uttarakhand Police
 West Bengal Police Service (WBPS)
 Andaman and Nicobar Islands Police Service
 Chandigarh Police
 Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu Police
 Delhi Police
 Jammu and Kashmir Police
 Ladakh Police
 Lakshadweep Police
 Puducherry Police

See also

 Law enforcement in India
 Indian Penal Code
 Indian Police Service
 Central Armed Police Forces
 State Armed Police Forces
 Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Police Service
 National Police Memorial and Museum
 Police forces of the states and union territories of India

Notes

References

Law enforcement in India