Police ranks are a system of hierarchical relationships in police organizations. The rank system defines authority and responsibility in a police organization, and affects the culture within the police force. Police ranks, dependent on country, are similar to military ranks in function and design due to policing in many countries developing from military organizations and operations, such as in Western Europe, former Soviet countries, and English-speaking countries. Usually, uniforms denote the bearer's rank by particular insignia affixed to the uniforms.
Rank is not only used to designate leadership, but to establish pay-grade as well. As rank increases, pay-grade follows, but so does the amount of responsibility.
Albania
Algeria
Andorra
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Argentine Federal Police
Officers
Others
Buenos Aires Provincial Police
Armenia
Officers
Enlisted
Australia
Example
Austria
Commissioners
Leading officers
Supervising officers and police officers
Azerbaijan
Officers
Enlisted
Bangladesh
Superior officers
Subordinate officers
Belarus
Officers
Other
Belgium
Bermuda
Bolivia
Officers
Others
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Republika Srpska
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Ranks of the Botswana Police Service:
- Commissioner of police
- Deputy commissioner of police
- Senior assistant commissioner
- Assistant commissioner
- Senior superintendent
- Superintendent
- Assistant superintendent
- Inspector
- Sub-inspector
- Sergeant
- Constable
- Special constable
Brazil
Brazil has several different police forces, each with its own ranks. At a federal level, there are the Federal Police (, the equivalent to the FBI), the Federal Highway Police (), the Federal Railroad Police () and the (). At a state level, there are the Military Police (, ostensive/preventive, a gendarmerie type force unlike the military police of many other countries, the Brazilian equivalent of which is the army police), the Civil Police (, investigative) and the (). At city level, there is the Municipal Guards ().
Civil police
The Brazilian Civil Police rank follows, from higher to lower, as:
- (Commissioner/Delegate)
- (Clerk)
- (Agent/Investigator/Inspector/Specialist)
- (Forensics expert)
Military police
The following details the ranks of the military police, which are also used by the National Public Security Force.
The ranks are valid for the state military police agencies (such as the Military Police of Minas Gerais, São Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro) and are listed, respectively, from higher to lower ranks:
Commanders
Officers
Student Officers
Others
Student NCOs
Brunei
Gazetted officers
Non gazetted officers
Bulgaria
Officers
Others
Canada
While some smaller or area specific police forces (ports, docks, tunnels etc.) may use variations on, or fewer of, these ranks, most territorial police forces and special police forces have a standard set of operational ranks based on either of the two systems shown here:
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Officers
Others
Royal Newfoundland Constabulary
Sûreté du Québec
Chad
Officers
Enlisted
Chile
These are the ranks used by Chilean police services.
Investigations Police of Chile (PDI) officers
Since 2017 this agency has rank insignia.
Carabineros de Chile
Officers
Non-commissioned officers and enlisted
China
People's Police
Chinese police officers use rank insignia on both side of shoulders on the duty uniform. Senior officers ranking at commissioner general and commissioner levels wear these on the white collar uniforms, and for supervisor level and below, officers wear them on the sky blue collar uniforms.
Officers
Others
In China, ranks can be separate from position, and according to Article 8 of the "People's Republic of China's Law on People's Police Ranks", the following positions require an officer with the following ranks:
- The person(s) responsible for a Ministry level agency/unit of the People's Police has to be ranked Commissioner General
- The person(s) responsible for a deputy ministry level agency/unit of the People's Police has to be ranked Deputy Commissioner General
- The person(s) responsible for a Department level agency/unit of the People's police can be either ranked Commissioner First Class or Commissioner Second Class
- The person(s) responsible for a deputy department level agency/unit of the People's Police can either be a Commissioner Second Class or Commissioner Third Class
- The person(s) responsible for a division level agency/unit of the People's Police can be ranked between commissioner third class to supervisor second class
- The person(s) responsible for a deputy division level agency/unit can be ranked between Supervisor first class to supervisor third class
- The person(s) responsible for an office level agency/unit can be ranked between Supervisor 1st class to superintendent 1st class
- The person(s) responsible for a deputy office level agency/unit can be ranked between Supervisor 2nd class to Superintendent 2nd class
- Police sergeants can be ranked between Supervisor 3rd class to Superintendent 3rd class
- Police officers can be ranked between Superintendent 1st class to Constable 2nd class
Auxiliary police (Sichuan)
People's Armed Police
The People's Armed Police, as part of the People's Liberation Army, uses the same ranks and uniform as the PLA itself.
Officers
Non-commissioned officers and men
Units of the China Coast Guard wear identical insignia as a part of the PAP.
Colombia
Officers
Non-commissioned officers and enlisted
Croatia
Regular police ranks
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Officers
Others
Denmark
Estonia
Officers
Others
Egypt
Officers
Others
Ethiopia
The rank structure of the Ethiopian Federal Police is as follows:
- Commissioner general
- Deputy commissioner general
- Commissioner
- Deputy commissioner
- Assistant commissioner
- Commander
- Deputy commander
- Chief inspector
- Inspector
- Deputy inspector
- Assistant inspector
- Chief sergeant
- Sergeant
- Deputy sergeant
- Assistant sergeant
- Constable
Fiji
Finland
France
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Officers
Non-commissioned offices and volunteer assistant gendarmes
Germany
Higher Police Service
Elevated Police Service
Middle Police Service
Police support employees
Greece
Officers
NCO and enlisted
Guatemala
Hong Kong
Hungary
Officers
Others
Iceland
Source:
India
State/union territory police forces
The Indian police hierarchy is structured into three distinct categories: the Indian Police Service (IPS), State Police Service (SPS), and State Police Subordinate Service. Both the IPS and SPS are classified under the gazetted officer category, while the State Police Subordinate service falls under the non-gazetted category. Service forces respectively.
Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs)
Central Armed Police Forces include the BSF, ITBP, SSB, CRPF, CISF, NSG, and AR. They function under the Ministry of Home Affairs, government of India.
Officers
Other ranks
Indonesia
Officers
Others
Iran
Commissioned officer ranks
The rank insignia of commissioned officers.
Student officer ranks
Other ranks
The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
Iraq
The Iraqi Police is made up of three branches, under the command of the Ministry of Interior, these being the Iraqi Police Service which tasked with general patrol of Iraq's cities, the Federal Police (earlier was called National Police) which is a gendarmerie service which deals with incidents that are beyond the control of the Iraqi Police Service, but are not so serious the Iraqi Army are involved, and the supporting force that is made up of the Department of Border Enforcement.
The Iraqi Police commissioned officers ranks are the same that of the Iraqi Armed Forces, ordered lowest to highest with symbol on epaulette however the difference is that the Police ranks have silver insignia whereas the Armed Forces ranks have golden insignia.
Furthermore, there is a category of ranks in between the commissioned ranks and other ranks that is simply translated as "warrant officer" rank category.
Insignia
Officers
Warrant officers
Other ranks
Republic of Ireland
Israel
Officers
Others
Italy
Polizia di Stato
Carabinieri
Officers
Others
Guardia di Finanza
Officers
Non-commissioned officers
Japan
Kenya
South Korea
Ranks:
- Police officer ()
- Newly commissioned officers are appointed as policeman assistant () for a one-year probationary period. The uniform and insignia of an assistant are identical to those of a policeman.
- Auxiliary policeman ()
- Sergeant constable (ìÂÂê²½, é¦Âè¦)
- Corporal constable (ìÂÂê²½, ä¸Âè¦)
- Private constable first class (ì¼경, ä¸Âè¦)
- Private constable (ì´경, äºÂè¦)
Laos
Officers
Enlisted
Latvia
The rank system of the Latvian State Police is as follows:
Lesotho
Lithuania
Luxembourg
The Grand Ducal Police of Luxembourg has the following ranks (from top to bottom):
Macau
The Public Security Police Force of Macau (CPSP) includes the following categories, ranks and respective main functions:
- Command and Management ()
Superintendent general (): commander of the CPSP, represent CPSP in public events
Superintendent (): deputy commander of the CPSP
- Officials ()
- : Intendent (): commanding officer of level I units
- : Sub-Intendent (): commanding officer of level II units
- : Commissioner (): commanding officer of level III units
- : Sub-commissioner (): commanding officer of level IV units
- : Chief (): commanding officer of level V units
- Agents ()
- : Sub-chief (): coordinator of complex tasks
- : Principal constable (): coordinator of simple tasks
- : Constable first class (): executor of operational, technical or administrative tasks
- : Constable (): executor of operational, technical or administrative tasks
North Macedonia
Malaysia
Gazetted officers
Non-gazetted officers
Maldives
Malta
Mexico
According to the General Law for the National System for Public Security, the federal, state and municipal police forces are mandated to have the same hierarchical organization. In addition, the national guard uses its own rank system.
National guard
The national guard was formed by absorbing units and officers from the federal police, military police, and naval police.
Commissioned officers
Basic scale ladder
Yucatán State Police
Montenegro
Officers
Other
Myanmar
Commissioned officers
Enlisted ranks
Namibia
Nepal
The Nepal Police has fourteen ranks. Three new ranks, Senior Sub Inspector (SSI), Senior Head Constable (SHC), and Assistant Head Constable (AHC), were recently added to the Nepal Police. <noinclude>
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Netherlands
Royal Marechaussee (gendarmerie)
Officers
NCO/enlisted
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Officers
Others
Nigeria
The ranks within the Nigeria Police Force are established by law, including the Police Act of 2020. The structure flows from the Inspector-General of Police as the highest rank to the Constable as the lowest.
The full hierarchy of the Nigeria Police Force ranks, from highest to lowest, is as follows:
Commissioned Officers (Superior Police Officers)
- Inspector-General of Police (IGP): The head of the entire force, appointed by the President.
- Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG): The second-in-command of the Force.
- Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG).
- Commissioner of Police (CP): In charge of police contingents in a state.
- Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP).
- Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP).
- Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP).
- Superintendent of Police (SP).
- Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP).
- Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP): This rank includes ASP I and ASP II (Cadet ASP).
- Inspector of Police: Includes Inspector I and Inspector II (Cadet Inspector).
Non-Commissioned Officers (Rank-and-File)
- Sergeant Major.
- Sergeant.
- Corporal.
- Constable: The entry-level rank. This includes Police Constable (PC) I and II.
- Police Recruit: The lowest entry point before full constable rank.
This rank structure is provided for in the Police Act and associated regulations. Promotions through these ranks are managed by the Police Service Commission on the recommendation of the Inspector-General of Police Ranks in the Nigeria Police Force in descending order:
Niue
Norway
Pakistan
Commissioned and gazetted officer
Junior commissioned and enlisted officer
- Note: Khaki Black Shirt and Khaki Pant is used by all Provincial Police Forces in Pakistan with Exemption of Punjab and Federal Police.
Panama
Commissioned officer ranks
Other ranks
Paraguay
Officers
Others
Peru
Philippines
Officers
Others
Poland
Polish State Police
Officers
Other
Portugal
The public security police (PSP) of Portugal includes the following categories, ranks, insignia and respective main functions:
- Officers
- Chief superintendent: national director of the PSP,
- Chief superintendent: deputy national director or inspector general of the PSP
- Chief superintendent: commanding officer of a metropolitan or regional command
- Superintendent: commanding officer of a district command or second-in-command of a metropolitan or regional command
- Intendent: division commander in a metropolitan or regional command or second-in-command of a district command
- Sub-intendent: division commander in a district command or second-in-command of a division commanded by an intendent
- Commissioner: second-in-command of a division commanded by a sub-intendent
- Sub-commissioner: commanding officer of a police squad (police station)
- Chiefs
- Principal chief: auxiliary of a unit commanding officer
- Chief: supervisor of staff and leader of police teams
- Agents
- Principal agent: a senior principal agent who may perform the same functions as a chief, others perform the same functions as an agent
- Agent: functions of police constable
- ISCPSI students:
- Officer candidate: student of the fifth year of the training course for police officers (CFOP)
- Cadet: student of the fourth year of the CFOP
- Cadet: student of the third year of the CFOP
- Cadet: student of the second year of the CFOP
- Cadet: student of the first year of the CFOP
National Republican Guard
Officers
NCOs and constables
Romania
Romanian Police
Police officers' corps ()
Police agents' corps ()
Romanian Gendarmerie
Commissioned officers
Other ranks
Russia
Police of Russia
Officers
Other ranks
Main Directorate for Criminal Investigation of the Ministry of the Interior
Ministry of Interior criminal investigators have jurisdiction over cases concerning harm to health, crimes against property, economic crimes, drug trafficking, banditry and other such cases.
Officers
Enlisted
Investigative Committee of Russia
The Investigative Committee of Russia has jurisdiction over cases concerning murder, rape, kidnapping, encroachment on the life of a law enforcement officer and other such cases.
Federal Security Service
The Federal Security Service has jurisdiction over cases of treason, espionage, terrorism, hostage-taking and other crimes against national security.
Officers
Enlisted
Rwanda
Ranks of the Rwanda National Police:
- Corporal
- Sergeant
- Senior sergeant
- Chief sergeant
- Assistant inspector of police
- Inspector of police
- Chief inspector of police
- Superintendent of police
- Senior superintendent of police
- Chief superintendent of police
- Assistant commissioner of police
- Commissioner of police
- Deputy commissioner general of police
- Commissioner general of police
San Marino
Saudi Arabia
Officers
Enlisted
Senegal
Officers
Enlisted
Serbia
- Police general ()
- Police colonel ()
- Police lieutenant colonel ()
- Police major ()
- Police captain ()
- Police lieutenant ()
- Police second lieutenant ()
- Officer cadet ()
- Chief warrant officer ()
- Warrant officer class 1 ()
- Warrant officer class 2 ()
- Sergeant major ()
- Sergeant first class ()
- Staff sergeant ()
- Police sergeant ()
- Constable 1st class ()
- Constable ()
- Constable candidate ()
Singapore
Below shown are the rank structure of the Singapore Police Force. Latest changes made to the ranks of the SPF were made in 2016. Officers with ranks that were made obsolete would continue to carry their ranks until their next promotion.
Senior police officers (commissioned)
Police officers
Slovenia
General âÂÂ, and senior officers
Junior officers
Somaliland
Officers
Enlisted
South Africa
Officers
Other
Spain
Cuerpo Nacional de PolicÃÂa
Guardia civil â Civil guard
Sri Lanka
Gazetted officers
Non-gazetted officers
Sweden
Chief and senior officers
Inspectors and sergeants
Constables and cadets
Switzerland
Gendarmerie of Vaud
Republic of China (Taiwan)
National Police Agency
Republic of China Military Police
Tanzania
Gazetted officers
Non gazetted officers
Thailand
Commissioned officers
Other
Turkey
Police
Gendarmerie
Ukraine
The ranks used by the National Guard of Ukraine are the same as the ones used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Officers
Junior officers
United Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi
United Kingdom
United States
The United States law enforcement ranking model is generally quasi-military in structure. Each level of law enforcement (federal, state, and local) has its own rank structure and insignia, and these vary considerably from agency to agency. There is no nationally set law enforcement rank and insignia structure but they tend to follow similar patterns. Because of that, this is not an exhaustive list. Some departments, particularly small ones, have very few ranks, while large ones have ranks as extensive as United States military rank structures.
Federal
The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) contain multiple law enforcement agencies and are the largest federal departments responsible for law enforcement; however, other governmental departments and agencies have law enforcement bodies. Each federal law enforcement agency has a unique rank structure. Many federal law enforcement agencies rank structures resemble military rank structure but have different cogitations regarding responsibilities and duties. In general, all law enforcement groups in United States follow a similar pattern: director/chief, assistant/deputy director/chief, special agent in charge, assistant special agent in charge, supervisory special agent, special agent.
Examples of federal police ranks in the United States include:
State
State law enforcement agencies often have a pronounced paramilitary rank structure with rank titles such as: colonel, lieutenant colonel, major, captain, lieutenant, staff sergeant, sergeant, corporal, trooper.
Example
Alabama Highway Patrol and Alabama Department of Public Safety
County
County sheriffs are usually elected, chiefs of county police departments are appointed. In a sheriff's department common ranks are undersheriff, assistant sheriff (large departments), senior deputy sheriff, and deputy sheriff, while in a county police department paramilitary titles may be used, which also are to be found in large sheriff's departments.
Example of a sheriff's department
Santa Clara County, California
Example of a county police department
Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Municipal/city
Municipal or city police departments can use paramilitary ranks or more distinct police ranks, or a combination of both. Commissioners or chiefs are normally heading the departments, aided by commanders and inspectors or colonels or majors. Captain, lieutenant and sergeant are standard ranks. Below them are corporals, detectives, police officers.
Example of a city police department
Aurora Police Department, Colorado
Uruguay
Vanuatu
Commissioned officers
Non-commissioned personnel
Vatican City State
Officers
Others
Venezuela
Bolivarian National Guard of Venezuela
Vietnam
Students and officers
NCOs and enlisted
Zimbabwe
Commissioned officers
Non-commissioned officers
See also
Notes
References