THE INDIAN POLICE SERVICE (IPS) IS ONE OF THE THREE ALL INDIA SERVICES OF THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA; OTHER TWO SERVICES BEING THE INDIAN ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE (IAS) AND THE INDIAN FOREIGN SERVICE (IFS).

In 1948, a year after India gained independence; the Imperial Police was replaced by the IPS.

The Indian Police Service is an unchanged copy of The British Colonial Police Service it replaced; it is an elitist service and was designed for the dictatorship of Colonial domination. The pattern of unaccountable IPS officers with huge powers is very similar to those given by the German Third Reich to its officers who were sent to administer the occupied territories. The British Imperial Police Officers were in charge of a force to dominate the Indian people who were considered inferior. The British themselves in their own homeland had a very different police service which was set up to be accountable to the public with the emphasis as a service body. 

The Police Act of 1861 is still the basis of the Indian Police today.

The Indian Police Service has been in existence since the Eighteen Hundreds.

=== Current Developments ===

1996-2006 Reforms ordered by the Supreme Court 

Prakash Singh, one of the former Directors General of Police of the States of Assam and subsequently Uttar Pradesh and finally DG of Border Security Force (BSF) , initiated a Public Interest Litigation (PLI) in the Supreme Court of India, asking the court to investigate measures to reform the Police Forces across India in order to have proper rule of law and a significantly improved security across India. Several measures were identified in order to professionalize the police in India:

* A mid or high ranking police officer must not be transferred more frequently than 2 years

* The state government cannot ask the police force to hire someone nor can they choose who the Chief Commissioner will be

* There must be separate departments and staff for investigation and a separate one for patrolling

3 new authorities will be created in each state, to prevent political interference in Police and also to make the Police accountable for their heavy-handedness, which will include the creation of:

* A State security Commission for policies and direction

* A Police Establishment Board, which will decide the selection, promotions and transfers of police officers and other staff

* A Police Complaint Authority, to inquire into allegations of police misconduct.

In 2006, due to a lack of action by all the state governments in India, the supreme court ordered the state governments to report to it why the reform measures outlined were not implemented. 

After being questioned in front of the judges of the Supreme Court of India, the state governments are finally starting to reform the police forces and give them the operational independence they need for fearless and proper law enforcement.