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.
Azerbaijan Officers Police of Azerbaijan Police colonel general Police lieutenant general Police major general Police colonel Police lieutenant colonel Police major Police captain Police senior lieutenant Police lieutenant Police sub-lieutenant Police cadet
Enlisted Police of Azerbaijan Police senior sergeant Police sergeant Police junior sergeant Police private
Bangladesh Superior officers Metropolitan branch Commissioner of policeIn Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner of policeAdditional police commissionerIn Dhaka Metropolitan Police Additional police commissionerJoint commissioner of policeOnly in Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy commissioner of police Additional deputy commissioner of police Senior assistant commissioner of police Assistant commissioner of police Industrial police Director general Additional director general Director Deputy director Senior assistant director Assistant director
Subordinate officers Armed branch Armed inspector of police Armed sub-inspector Armed assistant sub-inspector Naik Constable Industrial police Deputy assistant director Circle commander Assistant sub-inspector Naik Constable Traffic division Traffic inspector Sergeant Town sub-inspector Assistant town sub-inspector Traffic constable
Brunei Gazetted officers Inspector general Commissioner Superintendent Inspector Royal Brunei Police Force Inspector general of police Deputy inspector general of police Commissioner Deputy commissioner Senior assistant commissioner Assistant commissioner Senior superintendent Superintendent Deputy superintendent Assistant superintendent Senior inspector Inspector Probationary inspector Cadet inspector
Non gazetted officers Sergeant Other Royal Brunei Police Force No insignia Sergeant major Staff sergeant Sergeant Corporal Lance corporal Constable
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 Commissioners general Commissioners Supervisors People's Police Commissioner general Deputy commissioner general Commissioner 1st class Commissioner 2nd class Commissioner 3rd class Supervisor 1st class Supervisor 2nd class Supervisor 3rd class
Others Superintendents ConstablesTrainees People's Police Superintendent 1st class Superintendent 2nd class Superintendent 3rd class Constable 1st class Constable 2nd class Probationary constable Cadet In China, ranks can be separate from position, and according to Article 8 of the "People's Republic of China's Law on People's Police Ranks", the following positions require an officer with the following ranks:
The person(s) responsible for a Ministry level agency/unit of the People's Police has to be ranked Commissioner General The person(s) responsible for a deputy ministry level agency/unit of the People's Police has to be ranked Deputy Commissioner General The person(s) responsible for a Department level agency/unit of the People's police can be either ranked Commissioner First Class or Commissioner Second Class The person(s) responsible for a deputy department level agency/unit of the People's Police can either be a Commissioner Second Class or Commissioner Third Class The person(s) responsible for a division level agency/unit of the People's Police can be ranked between commissioner third class to supervisor second class The person(s) responsible for a deputy division level agency/unit can be ranked between Supervisor first class to supervisor third class The person(s) responsible for an office level agency/unit can be ranked between Supervisor 1st class to superintendent 1st class The person(s) responsible for a deputy office level agency/unit can be ranked between Supervisor 2nd class to Superintendent 2nd class Police sergeants can be ranked between Supervisor 3rd class to Superintendent 3rd class Police officers can be ranked between Superintendent 1st class to Constable 2nd class
Auxiliary police (Sichuan) InsigniaRank (Chinese)Rank (English)Auxiliary Sergeant 1st ClassAuxiliary Sergeant 2nd ClassAuxiliary Sergeant 3rd ClassAuxiliary Officer 1st ClassAuxiliary Officer 2nd ClassAuxiliary Officer 3rd ClassProbationary Auxiliary Officer
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.
Officers
Non-commissioned officers and men
Units of the China Coast Guard wear identical insignia as a part of the PAP.
Hong Kong
Rank group Gazetted Inspectorate Hong Kong Police Force Commissioner of Police Deputy commissioner Senior assistant commissioner Assistant commissioner Chief superintendent Senior superintendent Superintendent Chief inspector Senior inspector Inspector Probationary inspector Rank group Non-commissioned officer Rank and file Hong Kong Police Force Station sergeant Sergeant Senior police constable Police constable
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.
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 Police equivalent Director general Director general AdditionalDirector general of police Inspector general Deputy inspector general Senior superintendent Superintendent Additional superintendent Deputy superintendent Assistant superintendent
Other ranks
Indonesia
Officers General officers Field officers Subaltern officers Indonesia Police general Police commissioner general Police inspector general Police brigadier general Police chief commissioner Police adjunct chief commissioner Police commissioner Police adjunct commissioner Police 1st inspector Police 2nd inspector
Others Sub-inspectors Constables High-rank enlisted Junior enlisted Indonesia Police 1st sub-inspector Police 2nd sub-inspector Police chief brigadier Police brigadier Police 1st brigadier Police 2nd brigadier Police sub brigadier Police 1st sub-brigadier Police 2nd sub-brigadier Senior patrolman 1st patrolman 2nd patrolman
Iran Commissioned officer ranks The rank insignia of commissioned officers.
Student officer ranks Rank group 4th year 3rd year 2nd year 1st year Iranian Law Enforcement CommandAmin Police Academy
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 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 is a gendarmerie service which deals with incidents that are beyond the control of the Iraqi Police Service, but are not so serious the Iraqi Army are involved, and the supporting force that is made up of the Department of Border Enforcement.
The Iraqi Police commissioned officers ranks are the same that of the Iraqi Armed Forces, ordered lowest to highest with symbol on epaulette however the difference is that the Police ranks have silver insignia whereas the Armed Forces ranks have golden insignia.
Furthermore, there is a category of ranks in between the commissioned ranks and other ranks that is simply translated as "warrant officer" rank category.
Insignia Officers Iraqi Police General Lieutenant general Major general Brigadier Colonel Lieutenant colonel Major Captain First lieutenant Second lieutenant
Warrant officers Warrant officer Iraqi Police Warrant officer (1st class) Warrant officer (2nd class) Warrant officer (3rd class) Warrant officer (4th class) Warrant officer (5th class) Warrant officer (6th class) Warrant officer (7th class) Other ranks Constabulary ranks Iraqi Police Staff sergeant Sergeant Corporal Policeman 1st class Policeman
Israel Officers Israel Police English Commissioner Deputy commissioner Assistant commissioner Commander Chief superintendent Superintendent Chief inspector Inspector Sub-inspector Officer cadet
Others Israel Police English Station sergeant major Sergeant major First sergeant Master sergeant Sergeant first class Staff sergeant Sergeant Corporal Constable
Japan
Insignia Name English Notes () Commissioner general The chief of the National Police Agency.The rank outside. Single capacity. () Superintendent general The chief of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.Single capacity. () Senior commissioner Deputy commissioner general, deputy superintendent general,chief of the regional police bureau,chief of the prefectural police headquarters, others. () Commissioner The chief of the prefectural police headquarters () Assistant commissioner The chief of a police station (large).National police agency officers occupy the ranks above it. () Superintendent The chief of a police station (small or middle),vice commanding officer of a police station,commander of a riot unit. () Police chief inspector Squad commander of a police station, leader of a riot company () Inspector Squad sub-commander of a police station,leader of a riot platoon.national police officers 1st class's careers start from this rank. () Sergeant Field supervisor, leader of police box.National police officers 2nd class's careers start from this rank. () Senior police officer Honorary rank of police officer () Police officer Prefectural police officers' careers start from this rank Source:
South Korea
Ranks: Insignia Name English Commissioner general* Chief superintendent general** Senior superintendent general Superintendent general Senior superintendent Superintendent Senior inspector Inspector Assistant inspector Senior police officer Police officer*At most one may be appointed at a time**At most five may be appointed at a time Police officer () Newly commissioned officers are appointed as policeman assistant () for a one-year probationary period. The uniform and insignia of an assistant are identical to those of a policeman. Auxiliary policeman () 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
Macau The Public Security Police Force of Macau (CPSP) includes the following categories, ranks and respective main functions:
Command and Management ()
Superintendent general (): commander of the CPSP, represent CPSP in public events Superintendent (): deputy commander of the CPSP Officials () 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 Agents () Sub-chief (): coordinator of complex tasks