The Maharashtra Police Academy is a pioneer institution which has completed 100 years in 2007. This institution has a reputation of producing tough and efficient officers since its inception in 1906. It has had the legacy of British Police officers and very senior I.P.S. officers as its head, where the officers trained have performed exceedingly well in the field.
M.P.A. has been awarded the Commemorative stamp by Postal and Communication Dept., Govt. of India in September-2007,an appreciation of M.P.A.’s service to the nation.It is a matter of pride that M.P.A. is also an ISO 9001:2000 certified institution, an institution of excellence.
Maharashtra Police Academy, (M.P.A.) which was established in 1906 will be completing a Centenary of its existence in the field of training of Police Officers in 2006. Few institutions in the country can match this unique distinction. Maharashtra Police intends to celebrate the completion of the centenary by organising several programmes in the centenary year. It is proposed to hold a ceremonial parade on the conclusion of the centenary celebrations.
The M.P.A. began as a Police Training School PTS at Pune in the year 1906 but was shifted to its present location at Nashik in the year 1908, when the buildings and other infrastructure for the PTS were ready. The Police Training School was re-designated as Police Training College in the year 1961 after the formation of the Maharashtra State. The State Government further upgraded the PTC to that of Academy in the year 1990 renaming it as Maharashtra Police Academy. The M.P.A. on this occasion was also presented its regimental colours by the State Government.
Ever since its inception in 1906, the M.P.A. has been providing basic training to the Deputy Superintendents and Sub Inspectors of Police of Maharashtra. Before the establishment of the Central Police Training College (now N.P.A.) at the Mt.Abu in Sept. 1948, the officers of the Indian Police borne on the strength of Bombay Province (which included areas of Gujarat, Sindh – Pakistan and parts of present day Karnataka) were also trained on joining the service at P.T.S. at Nashik. Since Gujarat was a part of the erstwhile Bombay State till creation of separate State of Gujarat and Maharashtra in 1961 many senior officers of that cadre too were trained in this M.P.A.. Officers of Goa, Pondicherry and Dadra & Nagar Haveli have also been trained from time to time at this institution. Thus M.P.A. has been the alma mater of several officers of different ranks who have gone on to serve various parts of the country with distinction.
The M.P.A. at present provides induction training to directly recruited State Dy. Supdts. of Police and P.S.Is. The I.P.S. officers on joining the cadre are also given orientation training here. The M.P.A. also provides induction training to Dy.Ss.P. and P.S.Is. of State of Goa on request. Besides running various in-service courses for serving Police officers, the M.P.A. also trains officers of the State Forest Deptt., State Excise Deptt and State Transport Corporation. It has also run course for the Bombay Electric and Suburban Transport (BEST) on matters of security. The M.P.A. has had distinction of organising Police Science Congress in 1993 & national level All India Police Duty Meet in 1980 & 55th All India Police Duty Meet in 2012 aimed at discussing various aspects of effective policing in the backdrop of growing challenges. The M.P.A. also had privilege in hosting Maharashtra State Police Games for 4 times in 1983, 1994, 2005 & lately 2014.
A Director, an officer of the rank of Spl. I.G.P. heads M.P.A., and is assisted by a Jt. Director of the rank of Dy.I.G.P. It has a training faculty of various ranks including three Supdts. Of Police assisted by Asst. Directors (Dy.Ss.P and P.I.s) and Law officers. It boasts of a fully equipped conference hall, a Gymnasium, Computer Lab, Swimming pool, and hostel accommodation for 2000 officers with expansion programmes on the anvil. The M.P.A. has modern small arms firing range and a multi channel firearms training simulator (FATS) to facilitate modern training in fire-arms. Construction of a modern auditorium, a hostel for senior officers and a centenary complex for housing various training facilities have also been undertaken under the modernization plans. MPA has also initiated a plan to continuously impart training to the serving officers of Maharashtra Police through class-room as well as well virtual medium. An e-learning platform for conducting virtual training is being started to cover all the officers under and e-Academy initiative of the MPA.