The police in Canada's ranks differ according to the different police forces and depend on different laws at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The rank system of the RCMP is partly a result of their origin as a paramilitary force. Upon its founding on February 1, 1920, the RCMP adopted the rank insignia of the Canadian Army (which in turn came from the British Army), which is almost identical to that of the current Canadian Army. Like in the military, the RCMP also has a distinction between commissioned and non-commissioned officers. The non-commissioned ranks are mostly based on military ranks (apart from constable). Non-commissioned officer ranks above staff sergeant resemble those that formerly existed in the Canadian Army but have since been replaced by warrant officers. The commissioned officer ranks, by contrast, use a set of non-military titles that are often used in Commonwealth police services. The number of higher ranks, like chief superintendent and a deputy commissioner, has been added to and increased since the formation of the force, while the lower commissioned rank of sub-inspector has been dropped.
Officers
Others
Parliamentary Protective Service
The PPS uses a similar ranks system to the RCMP, with the director being a chief superintendent on secondment from the RCMP. The officer-in-charge of PPS operations holds the rank of superintendent, team managers hold the rank of sergeant, supervisors hold the rank of corporal, and officers with no leadership responsibility hold the rank of constable.
Alberta
Alberta Sheriffs Branch
Peace officer ranks for the Alberta Sheriffs Branch:
Calgary Police Service
Edmonton Police Service
Lethbridge Police Service
British Columbia
British Columbia Sheriff Service
British Columbia Conservation Officer Service
British Columbia Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement
No traditional ranking system outside of the ceremonial unit is in place.
- Departmental sergeant major -
- Troop sergeant - three chevrons
- - one chevron
Metro Vancouver Transit Police
New Westminster Police Department
Vancouver Police Department
- Special municipal constable (traffic authority/jail guard/community safety personnel)
Other British Columbia Police Services
Abbotsford Delta Nelson Port Moody Surrey West Vancouver Victoria
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Manitoba
Winnipeg Police Service
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Royal Newfoundland Constabulary
The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary is the provincial police service for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
High Sheriff of Newfoundland and Labrador
The Office of the High Sheriff of Newfoundland and Labrador is a provincial law enforcement agency in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Founded in 1729, it is the oldest law enforcement agency in Canada.
- High sheriff
- Sub-sheriff
- Deputy sheriff II
- Deputy sheriff I
- Bailiff
Northwest Territories
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia Sheriff Service
The Nova Scotia Sheriff Service enforce orders from the courts in Nova Scotia and provide protective services to the Judiciary and courts system staff. At justice centres a sheriff leads a group of Sheriff Service staff, with all others being deputy sheriffs.
Halifax Regional Police
Rank structure within the Halifax Regional Police is a standard structure similar to many other law enforcement organizations within Canada. Starting with the highest-ranking commissioned officer within the department Chief of Police to the lowest rank of Constable.
Nunavut
Ontario
Ontario Provincial Police
Rank structure within the Ontario Provincial Police is paramilitary or quasi-military in nature, with several "non-commissioned" ranks leading to the "officer" ranks. Detective ranks fall laterally with the uniform ranks and is not a promotion above. Police constables in the OPP are uniquely known as "provincial constables."
Historic now defunct ranks:
- Staff superintendent
- Divisional inspector
- Cadet
Toronto Police Service and York Regional Police
The rank insignia of the Toronto Police Service is similar to that used by police services elsewhere in Canada and in the United Kingdom, except that the usual "pips" are replaced by maple leaves. The St. Edward's Crown is found on insignia of staff sergeant, all superintendent ranks and all commanding officer ranks. The same rank insignia are also used by the York Regional Police.
Ottawa Police Service
Peel Regional Police
Kingston Police
Cobourg Police Service
Durham Regional Police Service
- Chief of police
- Deputy chief
- Chief administrative officer
- Superintendent
- Inspector
- Detective sergeant
- Staff sergeant
- Detective
- Sergeant
- Detective constable
- Senior constable
- Constable - 1st class
- Constable - 2nd class
- Constable - 3rd class
- Constable - 4th class
- Special court constables
Halton Regional Police Service
- Chief of police
- Deputy chief
- Superintendent
- Inspector
- Staff sergeant / detective sergeant
- Sergeant / detective
- Police constable / detective constable
Waterloo Regional Police Service
- Chief of police (crown and three maple leaves)
- Deputy chief (crown and two maple leaves)
- Superintendent (crown)
- Inspector (two maple leaves)
- Staff sergeant (crown and three chevrons)
- Sergeant (three chevrons)
- Constable
West Grey Police
- Chief of police
- Inspector
- Sergeant / Detective
- Special Constable
- Constable
- Auxiliary constable
Prince Edward Island
Charlottetown Police Service
- Chief of police
- Deputy chief
- Superintendent
- Inspector
- Staff sergeant
- Sergeant
- Constable
Summerside Police Service
- Chief of police
- Deputy chief
- Staff sergeant
- Sergeant
- Corporals
- Constable
Kensington Police Service
- Chief of police
- Deputy chief
- Sergeant
- Constable
Quebec
Service de Police de la Ville de Gatineau (SPVG)
- Director ()
- Executive officer ranks (Grades d'officier-cadre)
- Associate director ()
- Chief inspector ()
- Inspector ()
- Officier ranks (Grades d'officier) :
- Lieutenant / detective lieutenant (/)
- Group leader (Chef de groupe)
- non-commissioned officer ranks (grades Sous-Officier) :
- Sergeant / detective sergeant (/)
- Team leader (Chef d'équipe)
- Regular ranks (grades réguliers) :
- Constable with superior function (Agent fonction supérieure)
- Constable ()
Sûreté du Québec (SQ)
Kativik Regional Police
Ranks and insignia of the Kativik Regional Police Force are similar to those of .
Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM)
Ranks of the :
- Director ()
- Associate director ()
- Assistant director ()
- Chief inspector ()
- Inspector ()
- Commander ()
- Lieutenant / detective lieutenant (/)
- Quarter sergeant ()
- Sergeant / detective sergeant (/)
- Senior constable ()
- Constable ()
Service de police de la Ville de Laval
- Director ()
- Associate director ()
- Assistant director ()
- Chief inspector ()
- Inspector ()
- Lieutenant / detective lieutenant (/)
- Sergeant / detective sergeant (/)
- Constable ()
Service de police de la Ville de Québec (SPVQ)
- Director ()
- Associate director ()
- Lieutenant ()
- Sergeant ()
- Constable ()
Saskatchewan
Regina Police Service
The Regina Police Service is a police force in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan that has the following ranks:
Saskatoon Police Service
The Saskatoon Police Service is made up of the following ranks:
Weyburn Police Service
The Weyburn Police Service is a Canadian Police Service in the Province of Saskatchewan.
- Chief constable
- Deputy chief
- Sergeant
- Corporal
- Constable
Yukon
Specialized police services
Niagara Parks Police Service
- Chief of police
- Inspector
- Sergeant
- Constable
- Communications officer
- Provincial offences officer
Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service
The Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service (NAPS) is the police agency for Nishnawbe-Aski Nation (NAN).
- Chief of police
- Deputy chief
- Regional inspector / regional commander
- Administrative sergeant
- Staff sergeant
- Sergeant (detective sergeant, road sergeant)
- Constable (detective constable)
Transit Enforcement Unit
The Transit Enforcement Unit (TEU; formerly known as the Special Constable Services Department) is the transit law enforcement and corporate security unit of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) in Toronto.
- Chief special constable
- Staff sergeant (patrol / system security / fare inspection / training and logistical support)
- Sergeant (patrol / fare inspection / training and logistical support)
- Special constable (patrol)
- Protective services guard (security / revenue protection)
- Fare inspector (provincial offences officer)
University of Toronto Campus Community Police Service
- Director
- Associate director
- Staff sergeant
- Sergeant (rank currently not in use)
- Corporal (platoon / shift supervisor)
- Special constables / constables (1st to 4th class)
- Building patroller (security guard, not designated special constables)
Toronto Community Housing Community Safety Unit (CSU)
- Chief
- Deputy Chief
- Inspector (rank currently not in use)
- Staff sergeant
- Sergeant
- Corporal (Trainers, Field Intelligence Officers)
- Special Constable (1st to 4th class)
- Special Constable In-Training
Auxiliary police
Different Canadian auxiliary police programs use various ranks, including some of the following:
Former police forces
Alberta Provincial Police
The Alberta Provincial Police was a police force active in Alberta, Canada, from 1917 until 1932.
- Commissioner
- Superintendent
- Assistant superintendent
- Inspector
- Detective
- Sergeant
- Constable
Newfoundland Ranger Force
The Newfoundland Ranger Force was the police force of the Dominion of Newfoundland before its confederation with Canada.
- Chief ranger
- Lieutenant
- Inspector
- Staff sergeant
- Sergeant
- Corporal
- Ranger 1st class
- Ranger 2nd class
- Ranger 3rd class
North-West Mounted Police
References