| Dual Control | Commissionerate system |
| Dual command structure over the district police means that control and direction over the police vests with the SP (head of district police) and the District Magistrate (executive). | Unified command structure with the Commissioner of Police (rank of the Deputy Inspector General or above) as the sole head of the force within the city. Allows for quicker responses to law and order situations. |
| Separation of powers of the DM (e.g., issues arrest warrants and licenses) and the police (e.g., investigate crimes and make arrests). Therefore, less concentration of power in the police, and accountability to DM at the district level. | Powers of policing and magistracy concentrated in Commissioner. Directly accountable to state government and state police chief. Lesser accountability to the local administration. |
| SP is assisted by Additional/Assistant/ Deputy SPs, Inspectors and constabulary. | Commissioner is assisted by Special/ Joint/ Additional/ Deputy Commissioners, etc. Inspector downwards rank structure is the same. |