Context: Recently, the  Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) is celebrating its Golden Jubilee Anniversary soon (50 years since its establishment on 28th August, 1970).
About Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D)

• The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), was set up in furtherance of the objective of the Government of India for the modernisation of police forces.
• It has evolved as a multifaceted, consultancy organisation, and at present it has 4 divisions – Research, Development, Training and Correctional Administration.

Reasons for its creation

• To take direct and active interest in the issues
• To promote a speedy and systematic study of the police problems,
• To apply science and technology in the methods and techniques used by police.

Its Functions
Research Division

• Analysis and study of crime and problems of general nature affecting the police
• Assistance of Police Research programmes in States and Union Territories
• Work relating to Standing Committee on Police Research
• Maintenance of all India statistics of crime and Publication of: Police Research & Development Journal, Crime in India, Indian Police Journal, Accidental Deaths and Suicides;
• Research Reports and News Letters: Reports, Reviews, other journals and books relating to matters connected with police work

Development Division

• Review of the performance of various types of equipment used by the police forces in India and development of new equipment
• Liaison with the National laboratories, Indian Ordnance Factories and other organisations
• Police publicity and police publicity files, police weeks and parades

Training Division

• To review from time to time the arrangements for Police training and the needs of the country in this field in the changing social conditions
• Introduction of scientific techniques in training and in police work and to formulate and coordinate training policies and programmes in the field of police administration and management.
• To help devise new refresher, promotion, specialist and orientation courses

Correctional Administration

• Analysis and study of prison statistics and problems of general nature affecting Prison Administration
• Coordination of Research Studies conducted by RICAs and other Academic/Research Institutes in Correctional Administration
• To set up an Advisory Committee to guide the work relating to Correctional Administration

Its Contribution

• BPRD has played a vital role in shaping the Indian Police.
• It has prepared the Police Forces through its training interventions and capacity building programmes.
• The capacities have been enhanced through Research and National Mission projects.
• It has undertaken various modernization initiatives to keep the Police Forces in pace with latest change and challenges.
• In the last 5 years, BPR&D has focused on capacity building of the police officials and has trained about 55,000 Officers and men.