Police Officer Preparation & Law Enforcement Resource - Archive

What is the Police Rank structure? Ive looked online but cant find anything about it. From what I understand, a sergeant is pretty high, but an everyone is an Officer (Im used to Marine Corps. Ranks and its nothing like this) is a Detective a rank? is Sergeant higher than Detective? (Im confused as hell)

Patrolman
Patrolman First Class ( usually only found in larger departments)
Corporal
Sergeant
Liutenant ( larger dept's)
Captain ( larger dept's)
Chief

It typically takes longer to make rank in a PD as compared to the military. It took me 3 1/2 yrs to make Sgt in the USAF.

It took me 16 yrs in my PD. ( partly because there were NO openings)

Our Chief is purely an administrator ( but he is a certified LEO)
Our Lt. is MAINLY an administrator who occasionally goes out on the road.
I am a 1 or 2 hr per day administrator who spends the rest of the time out on the road.
My Corporal is in charge of the road when I am at the station or on vacation.

Thanks for the answer mcsap, justone more questions bout it, where do Detectives and Investigators fit into the picture? From the Department im applying to ive figured out that things like SWAT are not ranks, there just special dutys, but detective is actually a promotion.

Thanks for the answer mcsap, justone more questions bout it, where do Detectives and Investigators fit into the picture? From the Department im applying to ive figured out that things like SWAT are not ranks, there just special dutys, but detective is actually a promotion.

Ya, ours is different but I believe usually it goes from Officer to Detective to Sgt, Lt, Cpt etc. Some departments have other mixes in between like Detective Sgt.

In the departments around here, the detective is merely an assignment, as in plainclothes (taskforce or in the bureau). There are also detective corporals and detective sergeants.

Note that this is just an observation, as I am on the GS scale, being a fed. :)

Mine is:

Police officer

Sgt/Detective

Lieutenant

Captain

Commander

Asst. Chief

Chief.

Captain is the highest civil service rank, all above that serve at the pleasure of the Chief. The chief serves at the pleasure of the mayor.

What is the Police Rank structure? Ive looked online but cant find anything about it. From what I understand, a sergeant is pretty high, but an everyone is an Officer (Im used to Marine Corps. Ranks and its nothing like this) is a Detective a rank? is Sergeant higher than Detective? (Im confused as hell)

For our sheriff's office it's as follows (from lowest to highest):

Deputy
Sergeant
Lieutenant
Captain
Deputy Chief
Major (AKA Assistant Sheriff)
Chief Deputy
Sheriff

My agency;
Deputy
Corporal/Detective
Sergeant
Lieutenant
Commander
Chief Deputy
Sheriff

just one more questions bout it, where do Detectives and Investigators fit into the picture?

at my dept an officer is at pay grade PS-10, two grades higher is a detective / investigator, and two grades higher than that is sergeant... and so on.

Our Detectives do not get paid anymore than a patrol officer ( except the Det. Sgt). They do get more seniority with a higher badge number and they are allowed to USE their uniform allowance to buy streetclothes ( the rest of us can't). They also do not work midnights or Sundays so they do get some perks.

Our Detectives do not get paid anymore than a patrol officer ( except the Det. Sgt). They do get more seniority with a higher badge number and they are allowed to USE their uniform allowance to buy streetclothes ( the rest of us can't). They also do not work midnights or Sundays so they do get some perks.


I didnt know that badge numbers matterd at all, I was under the impression that you kept the same number throughout your carreer, Damn this is going to take awhile to get used to.

Yours was
Deputy
Corporal / FTO
Sergeant
Lieutenant
Commander
Assistent Sheriff / under sheriff
Sheriff


Detective was not a rank, only an assignmnet.

Just as a comparison across the waters.


VicPol (http://upholdtheright.com/ranks.htm)

In the UK

Constable
Sergeant
Inspector
Chief Inspector
Superintendant
Chief Superintendant
Assistant Chief constable
Deputy Chief constable
Chief constable

The rank structure in the Metropolitan police is slightly different near the top.

Patrol Officer, Sgt, Lt, Deputy Chief and Chief is our ranking.

Detectives, FTO's, Task Force, E.R.T. (our SWAT) and other positions are all assignments, no promotions.
Detectives and FTO's get extra "comp time" for their duties.

Dep Chiefs and Chief are all basically Lt's

Detective around here = investigations. No difference in pay just an assignment.

In the UK

Constable
Sergeant
Inspector
Chief Inspector
Superintendant
Chief Superintendant
Assistant Chief constable
Deputy Chief constable
Chief constable

The rank structure in the Metropolitan police is slightly different near the top.

The two London forces have to be different from everybody else ;)

The Metropolitan Police rank structure is as follow:-

* Commissioner
* Deputy Commissioner
* Assistant Commissioner
* Deputy Assistant Commissioner
* Commander
* Chief Superintendent
* Superintendent
* Chief Inspector
* Inspector
* Sergeant
* Constable

and for the City of London:-

# Commissioner
# Assistant Commissioner
# Commander
# Chief Superintendent
# Superintendent
# Chief Inspector
# Inspector
# Sergeant
# Constable

Detectives are normally referred to as Detective Constable Smith etc but they are not a higher rank/grades.



Crustacean.

My department:

-Police Officer
-Master Police Officer
-Detective/Corporal
-Sergeant
-Lieutenant
-Captain
-Major
-Asst. Chief
-Chief

Everything other than officer and MPO are promotions. Officers achieve MPO status after ten years and it's basically just a raise and a single chevron to wear on your sleeve. There's no supervisory responsibility that comes along with the rank. Detectives and corporals are on the same pay grade, but corporals are considered supervisors. They mainly work uniformed and administrative assignments while detectives work only in investigations.