Police rank
Lists of the ranks of various police agencies and forces all around the world:
Albania
Andorra
Functions
Grades
Argentina
[Argentine Federal Police]
[Buenos Aires Provincial Police]
Armenia
Officers
Enlisted
Australia
Generally, all police forces of Australia follow this rank structure with some individual state police forces have ranks differing slightly.Insignia of rank displayed on epaulette in italics and brackets
For an overview of all distinct state and federal rank structures,
- Senior commissioned ranks
- * Commissioner '
- * Deputy commissioner '
- * Assistant commissioner '
- * Commander '
- Commissioned ranks
- * Chief superintendent '
- * Superintendent '
- *Chief inspector '
- * Inspector '
- Senior non-commissioned ranks
- * Senior sergeant '
- * Sergeant '
- Non-commissioned ranks
- * Senior constable '
- * Constable '
- * Probationary constable
- Each state has its own distinct rank structure
- * Australian Capital Territory
- * Australian Federal Police
- * New South Wales
- * Northern Territory
- * Queensland
- * South Australia
- * Tasmania
- * Victoria
- * Western Australia
Austria
Commissioners
Leading officers
NCOs
Bangladesh
Rapid action battalions
Belarus
Officers
Enlisted
Belgium
Bolivia
Officers
Enlisted
Brazil
Brazil has several different police forces, each with its own ranks. At a federal level, there are the Federal Police, the Federal Highway Police and the Federal Railway Police. At a state level, there are the Military Police and the Civil Police. At a city level, there is the Municipal Guard. In terms of staff, the Military Police and the Civil Police are the most important, although in terms of headlines and prestige, the Federal Police concentrates most of the media attention.The Civil Police are responsible for investigating crimes while the Military Police are responsible for preventing them.
The Civil Police are organized accordingly to functions. Scrivener is the lower rank position responsible for the internal work inside the police premises. Detective or investigator is the position responsible for actions outside the premises. Delegate is the senior official responsible for the lower ranks and for coordinating the whole work of the Civil Police. The Civil Police also have the assistance of experts, which are the technical body. The Federal Police follows a very similar structure to the Civil Police, the Federal Highway and Railway police.
The ranks listed below are valid for the state military police agencies and are listed, respectively, from higher to lower ranks:
- Comandante geral
- Coronel
- Tenente-coronel
- Major
- Capitão
- 1º tenente
- 2º tenente
- Aspirante-a-oficial
- Subtenente
- 1º sargento
- 2º sargento
- 3º sargento
- Cabo
- Soldado de 1ª classe
- Soldado de 2ª classe
Military police also consists of SWAT units, like, BOPE, Rio de Janeiro's Batalhão de Operações Policiais Especiais, and COE, Comandos e Operações Especiais from São Paulo. Also there is an anti-riot unit called Batalhão de Choque and São Paulo's specialized police, ROTA, Rondas Ostensivas Tobias de Aguiar, and a motorcycles battalion, A Ronda Ostensiva Com Apoio de Motocicletas. Police in São Paulo also use Helicopteros Aguia. As a general rule every state's Military Police is called Policia Militar, except Rio Grande do Sul's police, which are called as the Brigada Militar. The Military Police have a drug abuse resistance education program, PROERD, or Programa Educacional de Resistência às Drogas e à Violência that teaches youth about not using drugs and alcohol. Also, some police cars are designed to patrol schools, and those cars are painted to say "Patrulha Escolar". There are also the Policia Ambiental, or Policia Florestal, the canine units, and water police formations like maritime, fluvial and coastal police units under either the military police or the civil police.
Brunei
Royal Brunei Police Force
Source:Bulgaria
Officers
Enlisted
Canada
While some smaller or area specific police forces 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:Ranks of the [Royal Canadian Mounted Police]
Source:Ranks of the [Sûreté du Québec]
Source:Ranks of the [Royal Newfoundland Constabulary]
Chile
These are the ranks used by Chilean police services.Investigations Police of Chile
Officers
- Director general
- Prefecto general
- Prefecto inspector
- Prefecto
- Subprefecto
- Comisario
- Subcomisario
- Inspector
- Subinspector
- Detective
- Aspirante
Officers
Non-commissioned officers and enlistedChina
People's Police
Chinese police officers under the Ministry of Public Security use rank insignia on both side of shoulders on the duty uniform. Senior officers ranking at commissioner and superintendent levels wear these on the white collar uniforms, and for inspector level and below, officers wear them on the sky blue collar uniforms.Senior officers
Administrative positions do not exactly tally with ranks among inspector level and junior officers, admin positions, are various and flexible, it depends on each individual's qualifications and multiple skills, performance efficiency and effectiveness, years of service, personality and communication ability, potential leadership. Loyal and qualified officers with no misconduct record, are eligible to get rank promotion every four years. For example, a normal PC holding a non-commissioned position during his or her entire police career, with the increasing years of service, the highest rank he or she may attain is either Insp 3rd class, or Insp 1st class. Alternatively, young officers who are holding university degree, usually after three years of service, once his or her overall performance and ability meet operation needs, recommended by his or her team leader or a higher commanding officer, may have chance to get promoted.Officers at this mid-rank level play very important roles as the "cornerstone" of the national police force. As most of them have already served quite long years, with accumulated work experiences, no matter standing at commanding or non-commanding position, they are either undertaking major responsibilities in public security or nurturing young officers with self model behaviours and proper instructions.
Junior officers
Loyal and qualified officers with no misconduct record, are eligible to attain rank promotion at every three-year of service.Rank does not have any connection with position, it can only shows how many years you have been work for police unit.
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, save for the China Coast Guard which uses navy-style ranks and uniform plus the China Maritime Safety Administration.Officers
Non-commissioned officers and men
Colombia
Officers
Non-commissioned officers and enlisted
Croatia
Regular police ranks
Special intervention police ranks
- Commander of intervention police
- Deputy of commander of intervention police
- Instructor in headquarters of intervention police
- Commander of intervention police unit
- Deputy of commander of intervention police unit
- Commander of troop in intervention police
- Deputy of commander of troop in intervention police
- Commander of platoon in intervention police - instructor
- Commander of section in intervention police
- Leader of intervention group
- Police officer in intervention group
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Officers
Others
Denmark
Estonia
Estonian Police and Border Guard Service">Police and Border Guard Board">Estonian Police and Border Guard Service
- General of police
- Inspector-general of police
- Colonel
- Lieutenant colonel
- Major
- Captain
- Lieutenant
- Senior superintendent
- Superintendent
- Head constable, chief inspector
- Senior constable, senior inspector
- Constable, inspector
- Basic constable, sub-inspector
[Estonian Internal Security Service]
- General of police
- Inspector-general of police
- Colonel
- Lieutenant colonel
- Major
- Captain
- Lieutenant
- Senior superintendent
- Superintendent
- Head assistant
- Senior assistant
- Assistant
- Basic assistant
Egypt
Officers
Other ranks
- Warrant officer
- Sergeant
- Corporal
- Private
Finland
Police Authority of Åland">Law enforcement in Åland">Police Authority of Åland
The rank insignia are the same as for the equivalent rank in the national police, except that the Finnish Lion is replaced by the Stag of Åland.France
''Police Nationale''
''Gendarmerie''
OfficiersSous-officers
Hommes du rang > volontaires + réservistes
Grade | Insignia rank Départementale & mobile |
Aspirant de gendarmerie issu du volontariat | |
Gendarme adjoint maréchal-des-logis | |
Gendarme adjoint brigadier chef | |
Gendarme adjoint brigadier | |
Gendarme adjoint volontaire 1ère classe | |
Gendarme adjoint volontaire |
''Police Municipale''
''[Garde champêtre]''
Environmental police
Office français de la biodiversité">French Office for Biodiversity">Office français de la biodiversité
Germany
The following ranks are in use by state police forces. Detective ranks follow the same scheme, replacing the word Polizei with Kriminal, for example a plainclothed detective lieutenant is called Kriminalkommissar. The Federal Police of Germany basically follow the scheme, but deviates in the flag ranks.Senior Command Ranks
These are comparable to military flag officers, and are appointed by the state minister of interior. For federal agencies the federal minister of interior is responsible. They are usually specialists in public administration and have a master-level law degree. Since they are outside of the career system, they receive payment according to the B-scale of public officer payment grades.- President of the federal police, the highest police rank, only used by the federal police, responsible to the federal ministry of interior
- President of police , commands an independent regional authority of state police, directly subordinated to the corresponding state ministry of interior.
- Vice president of police, also used in some states, serves as assistant to the state police commander
- Inspector of/director of police, this rank is named differently in some states. The officer commands the stand-by police forces of the state.
Command Ranks
- Police commander acts as lieutenant to the president of police or heading a branch service of state police. As a career position it corresponds to grade A16. Four gold stars on shoulder patch.
- Police senior chief superintendent, commands a subdivision of a regional authority of state police, either territorial or by branches, grade A15, three gold stars.
- Police chief superintendent, grade A14, two gold stars
- Police superintendent, commands a local police division or special branch, grade A13, one gold star
Senior Ranks
- Police senior chief inspector, may serve in lieu of a police councillor, grade A13, four silver stars.
- Police chief inspector I and II, grades A11 and A12, three silver stars, in some states four stars when in grade A12
- Police inspector, grade A10, two silver stars
- Police Junior inspector, grade A9, one silver star
Junior Ranks (Mittlerer Dienst)
Those ranks are usually obtained during or after two years service in training companies of the Bereitschaftspolizei.
The ranks are indicated by light blue or light green stars.
- Police sergeant I, may serve in lieu of a police inspector, grade A9 with upgrade, four or five stars
- Police sergeant II, grade A9, four stars
- Senior constable, grade A8, three stars
- Police constable, grade A7, 2 stars.
- Police officer I, grade A6, one star
- Police officer II , grade A5
Pre-commission
- Officers on probation, usually the word is appended to the rank, to which the person is going to be commissioned, e.g. Polizeikommissaranwärter. Pay is a reduced amount of the corresponding rank.
Greece
Officers
NCO and enlisted
Guatemala
Poicía Nacional Civil
Hong Kong
Gazetted">Hong Kong Government Gazette">Gazetted
- Commissioner of police : crest over pip over wreathed and crossed batons
- Deputy commissioner of police : crest over wreathed and crossed batons
- Senior assistant commissioner of police : pip over wreathed and crossed batons
- Assistant commissioner of police : wreathed and crossed batons
- Chief superintendent of police : crest over two pips
- Senior superintendent of police : crest over pip
- Superintendent of police : crest
Inspectorate
- Chief inspector of police : three pips
- Senior inspector of police : two pips over bar
- Inspector of police : two pips
- Probationary inspector of police : pip
Junior police officers (JPOs)
- Station sergeant : wreathed crest
- Sergeant : three downward-pointing chevrons
- Senior constable : downward-pointing chevron
- Police constable : slide with ID number
Hungary
Officers
Other
Iceland
Source:India
Gazetted officers
Gazetted officers include all the Indian Police Service officers and all State Police Services officers of and above the rank of assistant superintendent of police or deputy superintendent of police in the Indian Police Service and State Police Service forces respectively.Non-gazetted officers
Indonesia
These are the ranking system currently used by the Indonesian National Police, having been used since 1 January 2001:Commissioned officers
Enlisted
Iran
Officers
Enlisted
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 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
Ranks of the Garda Síochána the Police service of the Republic of Ireland.A Garda allocated to detective duties, up to and including the rank of Chief Superintendent, is a detective and the word Detective is prefixed to their rank.
Israel
Officers
Enlisted
Italy
Officers
Enlisted
Japan
Kenya
The Kenya Police wear badges of rank on the shoulders and sleeve of their uniform to denote their rank. In line with the ongoing reforms, the uniforms committee is also working on new insignia for the revised rank structure, which will have to be approved by the National Police Service Commission. The order of Kenya Police ranks is as follows:- Inspector-General
- Deputy Inspector-General
- Senior Assistant Inspector-General
- Assistant Inspector-General
- Senior Superintendent
- Superintendent
- Assistant Superintendent
- Chief Inspector
- Inspector
- Senior Sergeant
- Sergeant
- Constable
South Korea
Ranks:- Police Officer
- * Newly commissioned officers are appointed as Policeman Assistant for one year probationary period. The uniform and insignia of an assistant is identical to those of a Policeman.
- Auxiliary Policeman
- *Sergeant Constable
- *Corporal Constable
- *Private Constable First Class
- *Private Constable
Latvia
Officers
Enlisted
Lithuania
Officers
Other
Source:Luxembourg
The Grand Ducal Police of Luxembourg has the following ranks :Source:
Macau
The Public Security Police Force of Macau includes the following categories, ranks and respective main functions :- Senior ranks
- :Superintendent general : commander of the CPSP,
- :Superintendent : deputy commander of the CPSP,
- :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,
- :Sub-chief : coordinator of complex tasks;
- Basic ranks
- :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
- Commissioner General
- Chief Police Commissioner
- Senior Police Commissioner
- Police Commissioner
- Chief Inspector
- Assistant Chief Inspector
- Senior Inspector
- Inspector
- Sub-inspector
- Sergeant
- Senior Policeman
- Policeman
Malaysia
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">National Guard (Mexico)">National Guard
Officers
- Commissioner General – Comisario General
- Chief Commissioner – Comisario Jefe
- Commissioner – Comisario
- Inspector General – Inspector General
- Chief Inspector – Inspector Jefe
- Inspector – Inspector
- First Deputy Inspector – Primer Subinspector
- Second Deputy Inspector – Segundo Subinspector
- Officer – Oficial
- Sub-Officer – Suboficial
Basic echelon personnel
- Senior Agent – Agente Mayor
- Agent – Agente
- Deputy Agent – Subagente
- Guardsman – Guardia
Federal Police">Federal Police (Mexico)">Federal Police
Commissioned officers
Basic Scale Ladder
[Yucatán State Police]
Source:Montenegro
uses following rank structure:Netherlands
National Police Corps">Law enforcement in the Netherlands">National Police Corps
Royal Marechaussee
Officers
Other
Nicaragua
Officers
Others
Norway
Pakistan
The following ranks are observed in the various police organisations across Pakistan- 1. Constable
- 2. Head Constable
- 3. Assistant Sub Inspector
- 4. Sub Inspector
- 5. Inspector
- 6. Deputy Superintendent of Police / Assistant Superintendent of Police
- 7. Superintendent of Police
- 8. Senior Superintendent of Police
- 9. Deputy Inspector General of Police
- 10. Additional Inspector General of Police
- 11. Inspector General of Police
Paraguay
Officers
NCOs
Philippines
The following ranks are currently in force in the PNP:Officers
There is no 2nd Lieutenant rank-equivalent in the PNP.Enlisted
Poland
Officers
Other
Portugal
The Public Security Police of Portugal includes the following categories, ranks, insignia and respective main functions:- Police 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 / regional command
- * Superintendent: commanding officer of a district command or second-in-command of a metropolitan / regional command
- * Intendent: division commander in a metropolitan / 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 Chiefs
- * Principal Chief: auxiliary of a unit commanding officer
- * Chief: supervisor of staff and leader of police teams
- Police Agents
- * Principal Agent: a senior principal agent 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 5th year of the Training Course for Police Officers
- * Cadet: student of the 4th year of the CFOP
- * Cadet: student of the 3rd year of the CFOP
- * Cadet: student of the 2nd year of the CFOP
- * Cadet: student of the 1st year of the CFOP
Romania
''Corpul ofiţerilor de poliţie'' (Police Officers' Corps)
''Corpul agenţilor de poliţie'' (Police Agents' Corps)
Russia
Officers
Enlisted
San Marino
Gendarmeria
Serbia
- General of the Police
- Chief Police Adviser/Counselor
- Police Adviser/Counselor
- Chief Police Inspector
- Independent police inspector
- Police Inspector
- Police Sergeant
- Junior Police Sergeant 1st Class
- Junior Police Sergeant
- Independent Policeman
- Senior Policeman
- Policeman 1st Class
- Policeman
- Junior Policeman 1st Class
- Junior Policeman
Singapore
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
- * Commissioner of Police
- * Deputy Commissioner of Police
- * Senior Assistant Commissioner
- * Assistant Commissioner
- * Deputy Assistant Commissioner
- * Superintendent of Police
- * Deputy Superintendent of Police
- * Assistant Superintendent of Police
- * Inspector of Police
- Police officers
- *Senior Station Inspector of Police
- * Senior Station Inspector of Police
- * Station Inspector of Police
- * Senior Staff Sergeant
- * Staff Sergeant
- * Sergeant : With three different grades noted by a number from 1 to 3 placed in parentheses and suffixed to the rank abbreviation; namely, SGT, SGT, and SGT.
- * Corporal
- * Lance Corporal : Obsolete for the regular force. Currently only available for the Gurkha Contingent.
- * Police Constable : This rank is no longer granted to regulars. However, officers below the rank of inspector being discharged from the police force on disciplinary grounds are first reduced to the rank of constable before their discharge.
- * Special constable : Full-time National Servicemen. Promoted FTNS officers will have the SC prefix to their rank, e.g. SC/Cpl, SC/Sgt.
Slovenia
[Slovenian National Police Force]
South Africa
Officers
Non-commissioned officers
Spain
Cuerpo Nacional de Policía">National Police Corps">Cuerpo Nacional de Policía
Guardia Civil - Civil Guard">Civil Guard (Spain)">Guardia Civil - Civil Guard
[Ertzaintza]
[Mossos d'Esquadra]
[Policía Foral]
- Foral Police Chief
- Chief Commissioner
- Commissioner
- Inspector
- Sub-Inspector
- Corporal
- Foral Constable
Cuerpo General de La Policía Canaria">Policía Canaria">Cuerpo General de La Policía Canaria
Sri Lanka
Gazetted Officers
- Inspector General of Police
- Senior Deputy Inspector General of police
- Deputy Inspector General of police
- Senior Superintendent of police
- Superintendent of police
- Assistant Superintendent of police
- Chief Inspector of police
- Inspector of police
- Sub Inspector of police
Non-Gazetted Officers
- Police Sergeant Major
- Police Sergeant Class 1
- Police Sergeant Class 2
- Police Constable Class 1
- Police Constable Class 2
- Police Constable Class 3
- Police Constable Class 4
Sweden
Switzerland
Municipal police corps in the [Canton of Zürich]
Taiwan
Tanzania
Source:Thailand
Commissioned officers
Non-commissioned officers
Turkey
Emniyet Genel Müdürlüğü - Turkish Police- Director General
- Director 1st Grade
- Director 2nd Grade
- Director 3rd Grade
- Director 4th Grade
- Superintendent
- Chief Inspector
- Inspector
- Sub-Inspector
- Sergeant
- Corporal
- Police Officer
Ukraine
The National Police of Ukraine uses the following rank system starting 2015:
Officers
Junior officers
United Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi
United Kingdom
While some smaller or area specific police forces may use variations on, or fewer of, these ranks, most territorial police forces and special police forces have a standard set of operational ranks:- Police Constable
- Sergeant
- Inspector
- Chief Inspector
- Superintendent
- Chief Superintendent
Within London's Metropolitan Police Service the Chief Officer ranks are:
- Commander
- Deputy Assistant Commissioner
- Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
- Deputy Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
- Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
- Commander
- Assistant Commissioner
- Commissioner of the City of London Police
United States
The United States law enforcement ranking model is generally quasi-military in structure. Each level of law enforcement has different ranks and vary considerably from agency to agency. There is no nationally set law enforcement rank structure, but they tend to follow similar patterns.Federal
The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security 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 shown below:- Director or Chief
- Assistant/ Deputy Director/ Chief
- Special Agent in Charge
- Assistant Special Agent in Charge
- Supervisory Special Agent
- Special Agent
State
- Colonel
- Lieutenant Colonel
- Major
- Captain
- Lieutenant
- *Staff Sergeant, Sergeant First Class, First Sergeant, Master Sergeant, or Sergeant Major
- Sergeant
- Corporal
- Senior/Master Trooper/Patrolman
- Trooper
- Probationary Trooper
- Cadet, Recruit, Trainee
County
- Sheriff, Chief
- Undersheriff, Chief Deputy, Deputy Chief
- *Assistant Sheriff
- *Division Chief
- *Colonel
- *Area Commander or Lieutenant Colonel
- *Major
- Captain, Commander
- Lieutenant
- *Sergeant Major
- *Staff Sergeant
- Sergeant
- Corporal
- Master Deputy, Senior Deputy, or Senior Deputy Sheriff
- Deputy, or Deputy Sheriff
- Cadet, Recruit, Trainee, or Probationary Deputy
Municipal/City
Chief officers
- Chief of Police
- Deputy/Assistant Chief
Supervisory ranks
- Colonel/Commander/Inspector
- Lieutenant Colonel
- Major
- Captain
- Lieutenant
- Sergeant
Officers
- Corporal
- Detective
- Police Officer
- Police Cadet
- Recruit, Trainees
Uruguay
[National Police of Uruguay]
Vatican City State
[Corps of Gendarmerie of Vatican City]
Venezuela
Vietnam
Officers
NCOs and enlisted
Zimbabwe
Commissioned Officers
- Commissioner General - Commander of the Zimbabwe Republic Police
- Deputy Commissioner General - Command any one of the four Divisions of the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
- Commissioner - Provincial Commanders.
- Assistant Commissioner - Deputy Provincial Commanders.
- Chief Superintendent - District Commanders.
- Superintendent - Deputy District Commanders
- Chief Inspector - Officers in Charge of Police Stations with high crime rate or high population density.
- Inspector - Officers in Charge of Police Stations with low crime rates or low population density/Deputizes Chief Inspectors.
Non-Commissioned Officers
- Assistant Inspector - Members in Charge of Sections or Police Posts/Deputizes Inspectors in Charge of Police Stations.
- Sergeant Major - Deals with Disciplinary matters for the ranks of Sergeant and below.
- Sergeant - First line supervisors.
- Constable - General duty police officers.