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| Photo Credit: K K Mustafah
The Kerala government has implemented a major reorganisation of the Station House Officer (SHO) system in police stations in the State.
Under the revised system, the government has restored the Sub-Inspector-led SHO system in regular police stations, while retaining Inspector-level SHOs only in strategically important stations. Of the 484 law-and-order police stations in Kerala, 63 important stations will continue to have Circle Inspectors as SHOs.
The previous system was introduced in 2017, with Inspectors appointed as SHOs in 196 police stations in 2017, before extending the system to another 268 stations in 2018.
Move after panel review
The present decision is based on a review of the existing Inspector SHO system by a committee headed by the Additional Director General of Police (Headquarters) who examined the deployment pattern, supervisory structure, operational requirements and administrative challenges associated with the system. After studying police stations across the State, the committee concluded that reintroducing the Sub-Inspector SHO system would provide a more effective organisational structure.
According to official sources, the panel identified several advantages in restoring Sub-Inspectors as SHOs, including improved supervisory mechanisms, better professional grooming of direct recruit Sub-Inspectors, quicker redressal of public grievances, more effective utilisation of Inspectors, greater focus on investigating grave crimes, improved career progression and administrative flexibility, and a reduction in organisational stress within the police force.
As part of the arrangement, while 63 Inspectors will continue as SHOs, as many as 203 surplus Inspector posts will be redeployed to specialised policing units.
The redeployment plan allocates Inspectors to wings, including Cyber Police stations in Kochi and Kozhikode, District Headquarters, District Crime Records Bureaus, District Crime Branches, District Special Branches, District Narcotic Cells, the Anti-Terrorism Squad, State Crime Branch, Anti-Narcotic Task Force, Economic Offences Wing, Social Policing Directorate, Traffic, senior police offices, State Special Branch, and the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau.
To ensure smooth implementation, the State Police Chief has proposed a transition period of at least two months to complete training and infrastructure-related modifications. Sub-Inspectors designated as SHOs will undergo a two-week refresher training programme, while SHOs will also be issued appropriate identification badges.
Additional Sub-Inspectors or Assistant Sub-Inspectors will be designated to head the law and order, crime and prosecution wings in police stations. The District Police Chiefs have been directed to make suitable arrangements for accommodating Circle Inspectors within existing police infrastructure.
The government has also clarified the arrangement for Vanitha Police Stations in Pathanamthitta, Idukki, Palakkad and Kasaragod. If a Woman Inspector is posted in these stations, she will function as the SHO. In the absence of a Woman Inspector, the Woman Sub-Inspector will serve as SHO.
Published – August 14, 2026 10:51 am IST
