The rank of deputy superintendent of police (DSP or DySP) was created in 1876 as the policy of
Indianisation was introduced. It was originally a rank only held by Indians and was equivalent to
assistant superintendent (a rank then only held by Europeans). Deputy superintendents of police are officers who belong to the
State Police Services (SPS) of the respective Indian states. Officers are either directly recruited through the respective
Public Service Commission examinations or promoted from lower ranks. Deputy superintendents of police can be promoted to the
Indian Police Service (IPS) after several years of service which varies from 8 to 15 years depending on the state. Deputy superintendents of police are typically assigned the charge of a police sub-division under a
police district in the post of sub-divisional police officer (SDPO). In the states of
Rajasthan and
Uttar Pradesh, the post is known as
circle officer (CO). Under Indian law, a deputy superintendent of police may serve as the investigative officer (IO) in instances involving
terrorism,
dowry deaths, atrocities against
scheduled caste, and
corruption. The IPS rank of
assistant superintendent of police (ASP) is equivalent to the rank of deputy superintendent of police. In the commissionerate system, the equivalent post is
assistant commissioner of police (ACP). The rank above deputy superintendent of police is
additional superintendent of police (Addl. SP) and the rank below is
inspector. ==Singapore==