Karnataka official proposes service badges and new ranks for police personnel

A member of the Karnataka State Police Complaints Authority has asked the State government to create special titles and uniform badges for police personnel based on how long they have served, even if they do not get a promotion.

Proposal Details

In a letter sent on November 5 to Home Minister Priyank Kharge, authority member Mohan Kumar Danappa suggested three new levels for staff ranging from constables to non-IPS officers. Under this plan, workers who finish five years of service would be called "senior", those with 10 years would be "super senior", and those with 15 years would be "most senior". He recommended that clear badges for these ranks be worn on the right side of the chest, right above the nameplate. Mr. Danappa noted that while staff usually become eligible for promotion after five years, actual promotions depend on open vacancies. This leaves many skilled workers stuck in the same rank for years without any official nod to their experience. He stated that the new system would value their long work, build up their sense of duty, and make sure experienced staff get proper respect both inside the department and out in society.

Background

Pointing to how IPS officers get black collar patches after 10 years of service, he mentioned that similar steps already exist in some other state police forces and Central Armed Police Forces. He also brought up recent state moves to change old British-era caps and add lanyards instead of whistle chains, calling the seniority badges another major update to lift worker morale. If accepted, Karnataka would become the first state in the nation to set up such an organized system of service-based titles and uniform badges for its police force.

Context

Police forces across the country often struggle with slow promotion cycles due to a lack of upper-level vacancies, leaving hard-working officers in entry-level ranks for decades. Introducing service badges is a low-cost way to boost morale without changing the actual pay scale or administrative hierarchy.