Bengaluru: Bengaluru City Police (BCP) may soon undergo its biggest structural overhaul, with the Karnataka government considering a proposal to divide the force into five police commissionerates in line with the newly formed Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA).

According to official sources, the city police have submitted a draft proposal recommending the reorganisation to improve crime control, law and order, and policing efficiency in the rapidly expanding metropolis.

Five commissionerates proposed

Under the proposal dated August 1, Bengaluru City Police would be divided into Central, North, South, East and West commissionerates, all functioning under a Chief Commissioner (CC) of the rank of Director General of Police (DGP).

Each commissionerate would be headed by an officer of the rank of Inspector General of Police (IGP) or Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP), who would oversee crime prevention and law and order within their respective jurisdictions.

The proposal also envisages specialised units—including the Central Crime Branch (CCB), Intelligence, Crime, Cyber Crime, Administration, VVIP Security and Traffic—reporting directly to the Chief Commissioner.

Each division, except East, is expected to have three Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) for law and order and one DCP for traffic. Every commissionerate would also have dedicated Women and Cyber, Economic and Narcotics (CEN) police stations.

Proposal awaits government’s final decision

The proposed restructuring is estimated to cost more than ₹764 crore.

Home Minister Priyank Kharge said the city’s rapid growth and increasing crime rates have made it necessary to strengthen the policing framework. However, he clarified that no final decision has been taken and that the proposal would undergo consultations with senior police officers, legislators and other stakeholders before being placed before the Chief Minister for approval.

While many view the move as essential for a city that has expanded to over 800 sq km with 118 police stations, some retired IPS officers have expressed reservations. They argue that splitting the police force into five commissionerates could lead to overlapping jurisdictions and reduced accountability, suggesting that two or three divisions may be more practical.

The government is expected to take a final call after completing the consultation process.