Kolkata Police (formerly known as Calcutta Police), the oldest Commissionerate and the pioneering police organization of this country, came into existence way back in 1856 when the Governor–General promulgated an Act treating Calcutta Police as an separate organization and S. Wauchope, the then Chief Magistrate of Calcutta (erstwhile name of the city of Kolkata) was appointed as the first Commissioner of Police.   The role of Kolkata Police has been defined under the Calcutta Police Act, 1866 & the Calcutta Suburban Police Act, 1866. Presently this organisation is dedicated towards maintenance of law & order, traffic management, prevention & detection of crime in the city of Kolkata as well as spearheading multifarious citizen friendly endeavours for the city-dwellers of different ages throughout the year.  Since inception, Calcutta Police Directorate (presently known as Kolkata Police Directorate) has been functioning as an integral part of Kolkata Police Organization towards dealing and discharging various administrative and financial matter related jobs. Kolkata Police Directorate is headed by the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata.  It primarily functions with employees termed as ministerial staff who are being inducted mainly through Public Service Commission, West Bengal.  At present, the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata and Joint Commissioner of Police (HQrs.), Kolkata are functioning as the appointing authority of the officers of Gazetted rank and employees of sub-ordinate ranks of ministerial staff respectively working under Kolkata Police Directorate.  They are being assisted by two officers viz. Administrative Officer, Kolkata Police of WBCS (Exe) Cadre and Controller of Finance, Kolkata Police of WBA & AS Cadre in the matter of administration and finance related matters respectively.

The head office of Kolkata Police Directorate situated at 18, Lalbazar Street, Kolkata 700 001 comprises of 22 Sections for dealing work related to administrative and financial matters of the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata.  All the 33 offices functioning under Kolkata Police work under the administrative control of Kolkata Police Directorate headed by the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata.