(a)Floating outposts and patrol launches are at the disposal of the Superintendent of the district to which allocated subject to the general control of the Deputy Inspector-General. They are intended to be a mobile force for the purpose of protection of bona fide users of the main waterways of the district and for the control and detection of river criminals, and the prevention of river crime. The Superintendent with the consent of the Range Deputy Inspector-General may alter the location of any launch or floating outpost but shall invariably specify in a district order the police-station to which it is proposed to be allotted and define its jurisdiction so that the responsibility of the Circle Inspector and officer-in-charge of the police-station with regard to the observance of the rules relating to these crafts may be specified, and the patrol area of the officer-in-charge of the floating outpost defined.(b)It shall be the duty of the Range Deputy Inspector-General to see that effort is not wasted by allowing two floating outposts to patrol the whole or part of the same area, and to bear in mind the principal that these patrols are for the main waterways, the lesser routes being already provided for by station patrol boats.(c)The strength of a floating outpost is 1 Assistant Sub-Inspector and 5 constables. The extra strength allotted to a police-station with a patrol launch is 1 Sub-Inspector and 3 constables. The individual personnel will be attached to the parent police-station and the whole staff of Assistant Sub-Inspectors and constables will take turn and turn about on outpost duty-usually at 3 months' intervals. Similarly all the Sub-Inspectors at the police-station shall in turn do launch patrolling. When moved from one station to another the outpost shall take its allotted strength to the new station. When possible the Sub-Inspector allotted for a launch shall be accommodated in the upper deck excluding the office and record-room. In other cases the Assistant Sub-Inspector-in-charge may occupy these upper deck quarters.(d)To each floating outpost shall be attached 1 ghasi, boat with 1 manjhi and 3 mallahs. These boats shall be hired by the Superintendent at a rate not exceeding Rs. 60 each per mensem from recognised contractors, tenders being called for where possible. The tenderer shall undertake to provide always a serviceable boat with the requisite crew to perform not less than 15 night patrols per month.(e)There shall be two muskets at each floating outpost and patrol launch with 20 rounds of ball ammunition for each musket and 10 rounds of buckshot ammunition for each floating outpost and patrol launch. The officer-in-charge shall be personally responsible for the cleanliness, care and safety of these weapons. They shall be taken out with the prescribed ammunition with every patrol party.(f)Detailed rules for the working of floating outposts and patrol launches are contained in Appendix XXV.
