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 (Portuguese: Polícia Federal, the equivalent to the FBI), the Federal Highway Police (Polícia Rodoviária Federal) and the Federal Railroad Police (Portuguese: Polícia Ferroviária Federal). At a state level, there are the military police (polícia militar, a gendarmerie type force unlike the military police of many other countries, the Brazilian equivalent of which is the army police) and the civil police (polícia civil). At city level, there is the Municipal Guards (Guarda Municipal).

Civil police

The Brazilian Civil Police rank follows, from higher to lower, as:

• Comissário/Delegado (Commissioner/Delegate)
• Escrivão (Clerk)
• Agente/Investigador/Inspetor/Especialista (Agent/Investigator/Inspector/Specialist)
• Perito criminal (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:

Officers

Others

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

• Director general
• Prefecto general
• Prefecto inspector
• Prefecto
• Subprefecto
• Comisario
• Subcomisario
• Inspector
• Subinspector
• Detective
• Aspirante

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

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, while the China Maritime Safety Administration uses a different system.

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

Police Nationale

Gendarmerie

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

Gazetted

• Commissioner of police (CP) (Traditional Chinese: 警務處處長): crest over pip over wreathed and crossed batons
• Deputy commissioner of police (DCP) (Traditional Chinese: 警務處副處長): crest over wreathed and crossed batons
• Senior assistant commissioner of police (SACP) (Traditional Chinese: 警務處高級助理處長): pip over wreathed and crossed batons
• Assistant commissioner of police (ACP) (Traditional Chinese: 警務處助理處長): wreathed and crossed batons
• Chief superintendent of police (CSP) (Traditional Chinese: 總警司): crest over two pips
• Senior superintendent of police (SSP) (Traditional Chinese: 高級警司): crest over pip
• Superintendent of police (SP) (Traditional Chinese: 警司): crest

Inspectorate

• Chief inspector of police (CIP) (Traditional Chinese: 總督察): three pips
• Senior inspector of police (SIP) (Traditional Chinese: 高級督察): two pips over bar
• Inspector of police (IP) (Traditional Chinese: 督察): two pips
• Probationary inspector of police (PI) (Traditional Chinese: 見習督察): pip

Junior police officers (JPOs)

Non-commissioned officers (NCOs)

• Station sergeant (SSGT) (Traditional Chinese: 警署警長): wreathed crest
• Sergeant (SGT) (Traditional Chinese: 警長): three downward-pointing chevrons

Rank and file

• Senior constable (SPC) (Traditional Chinese: 高級警員): downward-pointing chevron
• Police constable (PC) (Traditional Chinese: 警員): slide with ID number

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.

Non-gazetted officers

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

Enlisted ranks

Assam Rifles

No insignia Subedar Major
सूबेदार मेजर Subedar
सूबेदार Naib Subedar
नायब सूबेदार Warrant officer
- Havildar
हवलदार Rifleman
-

Border Security Force

No insignia Subedar Major
- Inspector
- Sub-inspector
- Assistant Sub-inspector
- Head Constable
- Constable
-

Central Industrial Security Force

No insignia Inspector
निरीक्षक Sub inspector
उप निरीक्षक Assistant Sub inspector
सहायक उप निरीक्षक Head Constable
हवलदार Constable
-

Central Reserve Police Force

No insignia Subedar Major
- Inspector
- Sub-inspector
- Assistant Sub-inspector
- Head Constable
- Constable
-

National Security Guard

No insignia Subedar Major
सूबेदार मेजर Assistant Commander-1
- Assistant Commander-2
- Assistant Commander-3
- Ranger Grade I
- Ranger Grade II
- Combatised tradesmen
-

Sashastra Seema Bal

No insignia Subedar Major
सूबेदार मेजर Inspector
- Sub inspector
- Assistant Sub inspector
- Head Constable
- Naik
नायक Lance Naik
लांस नायक Constable
-

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 Iraqi 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 are a paramilitary organisation which deals with incidents that are beyond the control of the Iraqi Police, but are not so serious the Iraqi Army are involved, and the supporting force that is made up of the Department of Border Enforcement.

Iraqi Police officers ranks are the same that of Iraqi army ordered lowest to highest with symbol on epaulette:

Officers

Enlisted

Republic of Ireland

Israel

Officers

Others

Italy

Polizia di Stato

Carabinieri

Officers

Others

Japan

Kenya

South Korea

Ranks:

• Police officer (순경, 巡警)
  • Newly commissioned officers are appointed as policeman assistant (순경시보, 巡警試補) for a one-year probationary period. The uniform and insignia of an assistant are identical to those of a policeman.
• Auxiliary policeman (의경, 義警)
  • Sergeant constable (수경, 首警)
  • Corporal constable (상경, 上警)
  • Private constable first class (일경, 一警)
  • Private constable (이경, 二警)

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 (Cargos de Comando e Direcção)

Superintendent general (superintendente-geral): commander of the CPSP, represent CPSP in public events

Superintendent (superintendente): deputy commander of the CPSP

• Officials (Oficiais)

  Intendent (intendente): commanding officer of level I units

  Sub-Intendent (subintendente): commanding officer of level II units

  Commissioner (comissário): commanding officer of level III units

  Sub-commissioner (subcomissário): commanding officer of level IV units

  Chief (chefe): commanding officer of level V units

• Agents (Agentes)

  Sub-chief (subchefe): coordinator of complex tasks

  Principal constable (guarda principal): coordinator of simple tasks

  Constable first class (guarda de primeira): executor of operational, technical or administrative tasks

  Constable (guarda): 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

Netherlands

National police corps

Royal Marechaussee (military police)

Officers

NCO/enlisted

New Zealand

Nicaragua

Officers

Others

Nigeria

Ranks in the Nigeria Police Force in descending order:

• Inspector general
• Deputy inspector-general of police
• Assistant inspector-general of police
• Commissioner of police
• Deputy commissioner of police
• Assistant commissioner of police
• Chief superintendent of police
• Superintendent of police
• Deputy superintendent of police
• Assistant superintendent of police
• Assistant superintendent on probation
• Cadet assistant superintendent
• Chief inspector
• Principal inspector
• Confirmed inspector
• Unconfirmed inspector
• Cadet inspector
• Sergeant major
• Sergeant
• Corporal
• Constable

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 (Corpul ofiţerilor de poliţie)

Police agents' corps (Corpul agenţilor de poliţie)

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 (General policije)
• Police colonel (Pukovnik policije)
• Police lieutenant colonel (Potpukovnik policije)
• Police major (Major policije)
• Police captain (Kapetan)
• Police lieutenant (Poručnik)
• Police second lieutenant (Potporučnik)
• Officer cadet (Pripravnik potporučnik)
• Chief warrant officer (Zastavnik 1 klase)
• Warrant officer class 1 (Zastavnik)
• Warrant officer class 2 (Mladji zastavnik)
• Sergeant major (Stariji vodnik 1 klase policije)
• Sergeant first class (Stariji vodnik policije)
• Staff sergeant (Vodnik 1 klase)
• Police sergeant (Vodnik)
• Constable 1st class (Mladji policajac 1 klase)
• Constable (Mladji policajac)
• Constable candidate (Pripravnik mlađi vodnik)

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

Somaliland

Officers

Enlisted

South Africa

Officers

Other

Spain

Cuerpo Nacional de Policía

Guardia civil – Civil guard

Sri Lanka

Gazetted officers

Non-gazetted officers

Sweden

Chief and Senior Officers

Inspectors and Sergeants

Constables and Cadets

Switzerland

Municipal police corps in the Canton of Zürich

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.

Example

United States Border Patrol

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

National Police of Uruguay

Vanuatu

Commissioned officers

Non-commissioned personnel

Vatican City State

Officers

Others

Venezuela

Vietnam

Students and officers

NCOs and enlisted

Zimbabwe

Commissioned officers

Non-commissioned officers

See also

• Military rank
• United States law enforcement decorations
• Fire department ranks by country
• Ranks of Gendarmeries

Notes

References