2010-12-26

Police Rank (Australia, Taiwan, Britain, the US)

Australia (TV: Rush, City Homicide)

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, see Australian police ranks.

Commissioned Ranks
Deputy Commissioner (two crossed batons below a pip)
Assistant Commissioner (two crossed batons)
Commander (three pips in a triangular pattern below a crown)
Superintendent (one pip below a crown)
Inspector (three pips)



Senior Non-Commissioned Ranks
Senior Sergeant (three chevrons and laurel wreath)
Sergeant (three chevrons)

Non-Commissioned Ranks
Senior Constable (two chevrons)
Constable (one chevron)
Probationary Constable (blank epaulette)

Taiwan


Police Supervisor General (警監特級)
Police Supervisor Rank One (警監一級)
Police Supervisor Rank Two (警監二級)
Police Supervisor Rank Three (警監三級)
Police Supervisor Rank Four (警監四級)
Police Officer Rank One (警正一級)
Police Officer Rank Two (警正二級)
Police Officer Rank Three (警正三級)
Police Officer Rank Four (警正四級)
Police Rank One (警佐一級)
Police Rank Two (警佐二級)
Police Rank Three (警佐三級)
Police Rank Four (警佐四級)


United Kingdom (TV: Identity, Paradox, Law & Order UK)
See also: Police ranks of the United Kingdom

The British police ranks that exist today were deliberately chosen so that they do not mirror British Military ranks, due to public concern about military intervention into civil disorder.
Each officer upon joining the police is sworn in legally as a Constable, which is also the title of the starting rank. While at the rank of Constable, each officer is required to undergo a two-year probationary period and work in a uniformed policing role. After the two year period has passed, the individual officer may apply for promotion to the first supervisory rank of Sergeant or a specialised role.

The prefix 'detective' is given to officers who are trained in criminal investigations, who are usually assigned to the Criminal Investigation Department or other investigative units. However, just because an officer has detective status it does not automatically mean they have seniority over non-detectives. For example, a uniformed Constable and a Detective Constable are equal in rank.

Many forces in the United Kingdom have several different branches, such as the road policing unit and support unit. In some, officers are uniformed due to the roles requiring such, others are staffed by plain-clothes detectives.

In Manchester, there is one DC who signs her emails as DVI (Domestic Violence Investigator) Kathryn "Kat" Baldwinson, but this is the only instance we are aware of the use of the initials DVI.

Most territorial police forces and special police forces outside of London, have a standard set of ranks:
(Detective/Uniformed) Constable
(Detective/Uniformed) Sergeant
(Detective/Uniformed) Inspector
(Detective/Uniformed) Chief Inspector
(Detective/Uniformed) Superintendent
(Detective/Uniformed) Chief Superintendent
Assistant Chief Constable
Deputy Chief Constable
Chief Constable

Ranks up to Chief Superintendent can be held in either a uniformed or detective capacity, whereas after that the "Chief Officer" ranks are concerned with the overall management and effective running of the force.

Within London's Metropolitan Police Service the ranks are identical to those outside London, until Chief Superintendent. In London, the chief officer ranks are:
Commander
Deputy Assistant Commissioner
Assistant Commissioner
Deputy Commissioner
Commissioner



United States (TV: The Closer, Castle, Dexter, etc...)
Main article: Police ranks of the United States

The United States police rank model is generally quasimilitary in structure. Although the large and varied number of federal, state, and local police departments and sheriff's office have different ranks, a general model, from highest to lowest rank, would be:
Chief of police/police commissioner/superintendent/sheriff
Deputy Chief of police/Deputy Commissioner/Deputy Superintendent/undersheriff
Inspector/commander/colonel
Major/deputy inspector
Captain
Lieutenant
Sergeant
Detective/Inspector/Investigator
Officer/Deputy Sheriff/corporal



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_rank

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