About Kollam City Police

The official logo of Kollam City Police.

Kerala Police, in its present form, dates back to 1956 when the state itself was created in the course of re-organization of states following the independence of India in 1947. In the pre-independence era, the region consisted of the princely states of Travancore and Cochin, and the Malabar region that came under the erstwhile province of Madras. Although the princely states did have their traditional forms of policing all along, the semblance of a modern police force was created in the late 19th century under the British rule. Oliver H. Bensley became the first Superintendent of Police for the state of Travancore in 1881. As the organization grew, Khan Bahadur Sayyid Abdul Karim Suhrawardy became the first Inspector General of Police of Travancore in 1938. The state of Cochin got its first IGP in 1942. The IGP of Malabar was based at Madras. Many of the handwritten records and the weaponry used by the police force over a century ago survive to this date and provide an interesting peep into the past of the organization, the way it functioned and the society it served.

Kollam (Anglicised name: Quilon, pronounced koy-lon) is a city in the Indian state of Kerala. The city is situated about 71 kilometres (44 mi) north of the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram. It is the headquarters of the Kollam district. Kollam is the fourth largest city in Kerala and is known for cashew processing and coir manufacturing. The city lies on the shores of Ashtamudi Lake. It is the southern gateway to the Kerala Backwaters of Kerala and is a prominent tourist destination.

Kollam was formerly called Quilon and Tarsish. During the rule of the Travancore monarchy in southern Kerala, Kollam was the focal point of trade. Today, Kollam is a major business and commercial centre in the central Travancore region of Kerala. Quilon or Kollam , an old sea port town on the Arabian coast , stands on the Ashtamudi lake. Kollam , the erstwhile. Desinganadu, had a sustained commercial reputation from the days of the Phoenicians and the Romans. Fed by the Chinese trade, it was regarded by Ibn Batuta, as one of the five ports , which he had seen in the course of his travels during a period of twenty four years, in the 14th century.


Once a city of palaces, Kollam has been known to the outside world, by the time honoured proverb, "Once you have seen Kollam you would no more need your illam Kollam is the capital of Kerala's cashew industry. Plains, mountains, lakes, lagoons and backwaters, forests, farmland and rivers make up the topography of the district. The area had trading relationships with Phoenicia and Ancient Rome. About 30 percent of the district is covered by Ashtamudi Lake, making it a gateway to the Kerala backwaters. Kollam is also known as The God's Own Capital.

The Kollam City Police is divided into three subdivisions, each under an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP): Karunagappally, Kollam and Chathannoor. Each subdivision is divided into circles, headed by the Circle Inspector of Police. Each circle is divided into a number of police stations, headed by a Sub-Inspector of Police.

Vision and Mission

As the part of Kerala Police Department, we are committed to provide highest quality of police services to the people. We constantly evaluate and improve our efforts to enhance public safety and maintain law & order, respecting citizen’s rights and uplifting their dignity.

The duty of police is to help to secure the society in which the rights and responsibilities of individuals, families and communities are properly balanced. The main objectives of the police are :

  • Prevention of Law Infringement.

  • Prevention of Civil Errors.

  • Ensure safety and reduce disorders.

  • Reduce crime and the fear of crime.
