Police Organization
Who does what
Nepal Police is a civil police force under the Ministry of Home Affairs, headed by the Inspector General of Police. It is distinct from the Armed Police Force (border, industrial and riot-support duties) and the National Investigation Department (intelligence). Core functions: prevention and investigation of crime, public order, traffic, VIP security, disaster response, community policing.
Structure
Headquarters → seven Provincial Police Offices → 77 District Police Offices → Metropolitan Police Ranges and Sectors → Area Police Offices → Police Posts and Beats. Specialised wings include the Crime Investigation Bureau, Women and Children Service Centres, traffic and highway police.
Ranks (senior to junior)
IGP, AIG, DIG, SSP, SP, DSP, Inspector, ASI, Head Constable, Constable. Inspector is the entry gazetted rank - this determines who may supervise investigations and sign charge sheets.
Legal basis
Nepal Police Act 2012 BS and Police Regulations 2014 BS, read with the Criminal Procedure Code 2074 for investigation powers: registration of first information, arrest, search, seizure, remand and filing the charge sheet.
Community tools
‘Police, My Friend’ outreach, child-friendly police units, beat policing and ward-level coordination with local governments under the Local Government Operation Act 2074.
Worked example
‘A theft is reported at a ward 12 km from district headquarters.’ The nearest police post must register the complaint (jāheri) and issue a receipt; investigation jurisdiction follows the place of offence, so the supervising District Police Office files the charge sheet. Reasoning: registration is a duty, not a discretion.
Traps
- Assigning border and industrial security to Nepal Police instead of the APF.
- Treating Inspector as non-gazetted, or conflating Inspector with DSP.
- Assuming police decide guilt; they investigate and file, courts decide.