In addition to
law enforcement, the mandate of the Royal Bhutan Police has grown since Act of 2009 to include managing prisons, facilitating youth development and rehabilitation, and disaster management. The Act of 2009 provides the Royal Bhutan Police a substantive and procedural framework for jurisdictions, powers arrest (with and without warrant), investigation, prosecution, search and seizure, summoning witnesses, and regulating public assembly and public nuisance. It also codifies a framework for receiving complaints from the public. The police are authorized to use force to "quell a disturbance of the peace, or to disperse an unlawful assembly, which either refused to disperse or shows a determination not to disperse," however the use of force must be limited "as much as possible" using "the least deadly weapon which the circumstances permit." Non-lethal measures required before lethal force may be used include water cannons, tear smoke, riot batons, and rubber pellets; shooting live ammunition into crowds is authorized only after firing warning shots into the air. The Act of 2009 includes a code of conduct, duties, special duties during elections and disasters, and prohibition against engaging in political activities. It also regulates firearms for both police and civilians, requiring registration of private firearms with the police.
Ranks and designations . There are no stop lights or traffic signals in all of Bhutan. The Act of 2009 establishes the following ranks and designations: •
Gagpoen, the Chief of Police •
Thrimdang Chichhab, the Additional and Deputy Chiefs of Police •
Thrimdag Gongma, the Senior Superintendents of Police, Field and Special Divisions •
Thrimdag Wogma, the Superintendents of Police, Field and Special Divisions •
Dungda, the Additional Superintendents of Police, Field and Special Divisions •
Yongzin, Officer Commanding, Police Stations (commissioned officer) •
Dechhab, Officer Commanding, Police Stations (commissioned officer) •
Gopoen Lopjongpa, Officer Probationer •
Jugpoen Gongma, Officer In charge/In charge (junior commissioned or non-commissioned officer) •
Jugpoen, Officer In charge/In charge (junior commissioned or non-commissioned officer) •
Jungpoen Wogma, Officer In charge/In charge (junior commissioned or non-commissioned officer) •
Juglop Gongma, In charge (junior commissioned or non-commissioned officer) •
Juglop, In charge (junior commissioned or non-commissioned officer) •
Quilop Gongma •
Quilop •
Denkul •
Gopa •
Gagpa (constables) The Chief of Police and Additional and Deputy Chiefs of Police are appointed by the
Druk Gyalpo from among a list of names recommended by the
Prime Minister, from among the list submitted by the Police Service board based on seniority, qualification, and capability. Any other appointments above, as well as directors of Training Institutes, are appointed by the Chief of Police on recommendation of the Police Service Board. The Chief of Police is empowered with wide discretion in the command of the Royal Bhutan Police, including budgetary matters; policy decisions; promotions, awards, and punishments on the advice of the Service Board; issuing orders on anything relating to Police activities; and delegating his powers as he may think expedient. He reports to the
Minister for Home and Cultural Affairs. Officers Commanding and Officers In charge of police stations submit daily and other regular reports to Superintendents of Police, who in turn submit similar reports to Police Headquarters in
Thimphu. At both levels, authorities keep extensive registers and diaries of convictions, cases, seizures, arrests, absconders, custody, and town and village information. Officers Commanding and Officers In charge must also provide similar reports to authorities on the
Dzongkhag and
Dungkhag levels.
Bureaus The Investigation Bureau operates directly under the Chief of Police to collect intelligence and information relating to criminal and subversive activities against the
Tsa-Wa-Sum and is headed by the Deputy Chief (IB) The National Central Bureau located at the Police Headquarters liaises with other Interpol member countries and Sub-Regional Bureaus. It assists the Investigation Bureau.
Field and special divisions Field divisions are the various police divisions in the
Dzongkhags. The Special Police Divisions under the Additional Chief of Police are at par with the Field Divisions and are headed by Superintendents of Police or by Directors. The Special Divisions established by the Act of 2009 are: •
Intelligence and Investigation Division • Planning and Human Resource Development Division • Traffic Division • Fire Services Division • Security Division – for VIPs, foreign dignitaries, and vital installations • Prison Services Division • Youth Development and Rehabilitation Centre (YDRC) • Information Communication Technology Division (ICTD) • Special Reserve Police Force (SRPF) – for counter-terrorism, support, and miscellaneous duties • Narcotic Drugs and other Vices Division • Women and Child Protection Division • Police Training Institutes The Chief of Police may, in his discretion, recommend to the
Royal Government for the ration and abolition of divisions, police stations, check-posts, out-posts, and other units. In 2020 Lieutenant Colonel
Karma Rigzin, founder of the Women and Child Protection Division, was named by the US State Department as one of their "heroes" for her work to stop trafficking of women and children.
Prisons in Bhutan Under the Royal Bhutan Police Act of 2009 and the Prison Act of 2009, the Prison Services Division is responsible for maintaining and administering the prisons of Bhutan. There are 21 prisons in the country: one in each
dzongkhag for those punished for up to third degree
felonies, plus Central Prison (Tshoenkhang Yoema) for those who commit first or second degree felonies. There are also Youth Development and Rehabilitation Centres for juvenile (under age 18) convicts. The Division personnel consist of a senior superintendent, superintendent, and additional superintendent; officers in charge of the central (national) and
dzongkhag prisons; prison wardens and guards; and medical officers. Personnel begin as police, undergo training in prison administration at government-run Training Institutes, and occupy their posts for two year terms. Under the Prison Act, the police chief, in consultation with the
Minister of Home Affairs, may declare "any house, building, enclosure or place, or any part thereof" to be a prison or reformative training centre. Prisoners themselves are categorized as "civil prisoners," criminal prisoners, prisoners charged under the
National Security Act, and military personnel convicted in military court. Detainees are classed as those under criminal investigation, detainees under trial, and other detainees "as directed by court for civil cases." Populations of civil, criminal, and political prisoners are to be separated from each other while inside. Prisoners may wear their own clothing, subject to a dress code, and may even raise children on prison grounds through age nine. Prisoners are allowed spousal conjugal visits, provided female prisoners agree to prevent conception. These benefits are balanced by six-day weeks of hard labour within the prisons, imposed on all but juveniles, the physically and mentally infirm, political prisoners, and prisoners with pending trials. All policies, Service Rules, and regulations formulated and decided by the Board are submitted to the Chief of Police for endorsement and for submission to the
Home and Cultural Affairs Minister for approval. The Royal Bhutan Police Service Board consists of eleven members appointed by the Minister for Home and Cultural Affairs upon recommendation of the Chief of Police. Its members include Additional Chief of Police (chair); the Head of the Law and Order Bureau within the
Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs; one Deputy Chief of Police (Member Secretary); one Senior Superintendent of Police; one director of the Police Training Institutes; two Superintendents of Police from Field Divisions; two Superintendents of Police from the Special Division; one Additional Superintendent of Police from the Field Division; and one Officer Commanding of the Police Station not below the rank of
Yongzin. The first two are permanent members; all others serve two-year terms with a limit of two consecutive terms. ==History of the Royal Bhutan Police==