Australian police ranks

Last updated December 14, 2024

Australian police ranks and insignia are loosely based on the ranks of the United Kingdom police forces and differ between state and territory forces. Ranks listed here descend in seniority from left to right.

Current ranks

	Commissioner				Superintendent			Inspector		Sergeant					Constable						Student
New South Wales Police Force ^[1]
New South Wales Police Force ^[1]	Commissioner	Deputy commissioner	Senior assistant commissioner	Assistant commissioner		Chief superintendent	Superintendent	Chief inspector	Inspector		Senior sergeant	Incremental sergeant	Sergeant		Leading senior constable	Incremental senior constable	Senior constable	Constable		Probationary constable	Policing student
	Commissioner				Superintendent			Inspector		Sergeant					Constable						Student
Victoria Police ^[2] 2010–present
Victoria Police ^[2] 2010–present	Chief commissioner	Deputy commissioner		Assistant commissioner	Commander	Chief superintendent ^{[note 1]}	Superintendent	Chief inspector^{[note 2]}	Inspector		Senior sergeant		Sergeant		Leading senior constable		Senior constable	First constable^[3]	Constable	Probationary constable
	Commissioner				Superintendent			Inspector		Sergeant					Constable						Student
Queensland Police Service ^[4] 2019–present
Queensland Police Service ^[4] 2019–present	Commissioner	Deputy commissioner		Assistant commissioner		Chief superintendent	Superintendent	Chief inspector (title, not rank)	Inspector	Senior sergeant – with recognition of service^{[note 3]}	Senior Sergeant	Sergeant – with recognition of service^{[note 3]}	Sergeant		Leading senior constable (title, not rank)	Senior constable – with recognition of service^{[note 3]}	Senior constable		Constable
	Commissioner				Superintendent			Inspector		Sergeant					Constable						Student
South Australia Police ^[5]
South Australia Police ^[5]	Commissioner	Deputy commissioner		Assistant commissioner	Commander	Chief superintendent	Superintendent	Chief inspector	Inspector	Senior sergeant first class	Senior sergeant		Sergeant	Brevet sergeant		Senior constable first class	Senior constable	Constable first class	Constable	Probationary constable
	Commissioner				Superintendent			Inspector		Sergeant					Constable						Student
Western Australia Police ^[6] 2009–present
Western Australia Police ^[6] 2009–present	Commissioner	Deputy commissioner		Assistant commissioner	Commander		Superintendent		Inspector			Senior sergeant	Sergeant				Senior constable	Constable first class	Constable
	Commissioner				Superintendent			Inspector		Sergeant					Constable						Student
Tasmania Police ^[7]
Tasmania Police ^[7]	Commissioner	Deputy commissioner		Assistant commissioner	Commander				Inspector			Senior sergeant	Sergeant			Senior constable qualified	Senior constable	First class constable	Constable
	Commissioner				Superintendent			Inspector		Sergeant					Constable						Student
Northern Territory Police ^[8]^[9] 2019–present
Northern Territory Police ^[8]^[9] 2019–present	Commissioner	Deputy commissioner		Assistant commissioner	Commander		Superintendent				Senior sergeant		Sergeant				Senior constable	Constable first class
	Commissioner				Superintendent			Inspector		Sergeant					Constable						Recruit
Australian Federal Police (ACT Policing)^[10]^[11]
Australian Federal Police (ACT Policing)^[10]^[11]	Commissioner	Deputy commissioner^{[note 4]}	Assistant commissioner		Commander		Superintendent		Inspector		Sergeant					Leading senior constable	Senior constable	Constable first class	Constable		Police recruit
	Commissioner				Superintendent			Inspector		Supervisor					Officer				Assistant officer
Australian Border Force
Australian Border Force	Commissioner of the ABF	Deputy commissioner	Assistant commissioner		Commander	Border Force chief superintendent	Border Force superintendent		Border Force inspector				Border Force supervisor			Senior Border Force officer	Leading Border Force officer	Border Force officer	Assistant Border Force officer (level 2)	Assistant Border Force officer (level 1)

Former ranks

Federal

Name	Commissioner			Superintendent				Inspector			Sergeant			Constable
Commonwealth Police ^[12] 1917–1979 COMPOL	No equivalent			No equivalent							No equivalent			No equivalent
Commonwealth Police ^[12] 1917–1979 COMPOL	No equivalent		Assistant commissioner	No equivalent	Chief superintendent	Senior superintendent	Superintendent	Chief inspector	Senior inspector	Inspector	No equivalent	Senior sergeant	Sergeant	No equivalent	Senior constable	Constable first class	Constable	Police recruit
ACT Policing ^[12] 1917–1979 ACTPol	No equivalent			No equivalent										No equivalent
ACT Policing ^[12] 1917–1979 ACTPol	No equivalent		Deputy commissioner	No equivalent	Superintendent		Senior inspector	Inspector first-class		Inspector second-class	Sergeant first-class	Sergeant second-class	Sergeant third-class	No equivalent	Senior constable	Constable first class	Constable	Police recruit
Federal Police (ACT Policing)^[12]^[13] 1979–1990 AFP (ACTPol)				No equivalent										No equivalent
	Commissioner	Deputy commissioner	Assistant commissioner^{[note 5]}	No equivalent	Chief superintendent		Superintendent	Chief inspector		Inspector	Station sergeant ^{[note 6]}	Senior sergeant	Sergeant	No equivalent		Constable first class	Constable	Police recruit
Federal Police (ACT Policing)^[14]^[15] 1990–2019 AFP (ACTPol)					No equivalent			No equivalent				No equivalent
	Commissioner	Deputy commissioner	Assistant commissioner^{[note 7]}	Commander	No equivalent		Superintendent	No equivalent			Station sergeant ^{[note 8]}	No equivalent	Sergeant	Leading senior constable	Senior constable	Constable first class	Constable	Police recruit

Victoria

Name	Commissioner			Commander	Superintendent		Inspector		Sergeant		Constable
Victoria Police ^[13] circa 1984
Victoria Police ^[13] circa 1984	Chief commissioner	Deputy commissioner	Assistant commissioner	Commander	Chief superintendent	Superintendent	Chief inspector	Inspector	Senior sergeant	Sergeant	Senior constable		Constable
Victoria Police 2003–2010
Victoria Police 2003–2010	Chief commissioner	Deputy commissioner	Assistant commissioner	Commander	Chief superintendent	Superintendent	Chief inspector	Inspector	Senior sergeant	Sergeant	Senior constable	Reservist	Constable

Queensland

Name	Commissioner			Superintendent			Inspector			Sergeant				Constable
Queensland Police Service ^[16] 1975–1978							No equivalent						No equivalent
Queensland Police Service ^[16] 1975–1978	Commissioner	Deputy commissioner	Assistant commissioner	Chief superintendent	Superintendent		No equivalent	Inspector		Senior sergeant	Sergeant first class	Sergeant second class	No equivalent	Senior constable	Constable first class	Constable
Queensland Police Service ^[13]^[17] 1978–1991
Queensland Police Service ^[13]^[17] 1978–1991	Commissioner	Deputy commissioner	Assistant commissioner	Superintendent first class	Superintendent second class	Superintendent third class	Inspector first class	Inspector second class	Inspector third class	Senior sergeant	Sergeant first class	Sergeant second class	Sergeant third class	Senior constable	Constable first class	Constable
Queensland Police Service ^[13]^[18] 1991–1997							No equivalent				No equivalent		No equivalent
Queensland Police Service ^[13]^[18] 1991–1997	Commissioner	Deputy commissioner	Assistant commissioner	Chief superintendent	Superintendent		No equivalent	Inspector		Senior sergeant	No equivalent	Sergeant	No equivalent	Senior constable	Constable (18 months of service)	Constable
Queensland Police Service ^[13]^[19] 1997–2001							No equivalent						No equivalent
Queensland Police Service ^[13]^[19] 1997–2001	Commissioner	Deputy commissioner	Assistant commissioner	Chief superintendent	Superintendent		No equivalent	Inspector		Senior sergeant	Sergeant first class	Sergeant second class	No equivalent	Senior constable		Constable
Queensland Police Service ^[20]^[21] 2002–2019							No equivalent				No equivalent		No equivalent
Queensland Police Service ^[20]^[21] 2002–2019	Commissioner	Deputy commissioner	Assistant commissioner	Chief superintendent	Superintendent		No equivalent	Inspector		Senior sergeant	No equivalent	Sergeant	No equivalent	Senior constable	Constable (5 years)	Constable

Northern Territory

Name	Commissioner			Superintendent		Inspector		Sergeant			Constable
Northern Territory Police ^[13] 1984				No equivalent
Northern Territory Police ^[13] 1984	Commissioner	Deputy commissioner	Assistant commissioner	No equivalent	Superintendent	Chief inspector	Inspector	Sergeant first class	Sergeant second class	Sergeant third class	Senior constable	Constable first class	Constable	Recruit constable
Northern Territory Police ^[22] 1984–2012						No equivalent			No equivalent				No equivalent
Northern Territory Police ^[22] 1984–2012	Commissioner	Deputy commissioner	Assistant commissioner	Commander	Superintendent	No equivalent		Senior sergeant	No equivalent	Sergeant	Senior constable	Constable first class	No equivalent	Recruit constable
Northern Territory Police ^[8] 2012–2019						No equivalent			No equivalent				No equivalent
Northern Territory Police ^[8] 2012–2019	Commissioner	Deputy commissioner	Assistant commissioner	Commander	Superintendent	No equivalent		Senior sergeant	No equivalent	Sergeant	Senior constable	Constable first class	No equivalent	Recruit constable

Notes

↑ The ranks of Chief Inspector and Chief Superintendent are no longer used or promotable.
↑ The ranks of Chief Inspector and Chief Superintendent are no longer used or promotable.
1 2 3 The 'Recognition of service' tab for each rank is not a separate rank with the Queensland Police Service, rather simply a means of highlighting the wearer's experience at that level
↑ Chief of ACT Policing
↑ Chief of ACT Policing
↑ Sergeant in specific roles as determined by the Commissioner
↑ Chief of ACT Policing
↑ Sergeant in specific roles as determined by the Commissioner

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References

↑ "Rank Insignia – NSW Police Force". New South Wales Police Force. Archived from the original on 4 December 2007. Retrieved 30 December 2007.
↑ "Victoria Police – Insignia of Police Ranks". VicNews - The Victorian Scanning News. Archived from the original on 4 January 2008. Retrieved 30 December 2007.
↑ "First Constable (63/11)". Archived from the original on 5 February 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
↑ "QPS Ranks". www.police.qld.gov.au. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
↑ "South Australia Police - Rank Insignia". The International Encyclopedia of Uniform Insignia Around the World. Archived from the original on 21 May 2011. Retrieved 30 December 2007.
↑ "Western Australia Police - Rank Insignia". Western Australia Police. Archived from the original on 6 January 2008. Retrieved 30 December 2007.
↑ "Tasmania Police – Rank Insignia and Title". Tasmania Police . Retrieved 4 October 2015.
1 2 "New NT Police Uniform – Alice Springs and Southern Region Command". NT Police, Fire, and Emergency Services. 2 February 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
↑ "Graduating officer Liam Devine with NT Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw". ABC . 12 January 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
↑ "AFP National Guidelines on Uniform and Standards of Dress". CiteSeerX 10.1.1.738.8340 .
↑ "Inspector title returns to ACT Policing". 29 May 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
1 2 3 "Regulations Under the Australian Federal Police Act 1979". 10 October 1979. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
1 2 3 4 5 6 Swanton, Bruce; Hannigan, Garry (1985). Police Source Book 2 (PDF). Australian Institute of Criminology. p. 181. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
↑ "AFP National Guidelines on Uniform and Standards of Dress". CiteSeerX 10.1.1.738.8340 .
↑ "Inspector title returns to ACT Policing". 29 May 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
↑ "Queensland Police 1975–1978" . Retrieved 18 January 2020.
↑ "Queensland Police 1978–1991" . Retrieved 18 January 2020.
↑ "Queensland Police 1991–1997" . Retrieved 18 January 2020.
↑ "Queensland Police 1997–2001" . Retrieved 18 January 2020.
↑ "Queensland Police 2002" . Retrieved 18 January 2020.
↑ Queensland Police Service (16 August 2019). "Rank insignia". police.qld.gov.au. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
↑ "Insignia, Patches and Badges – NT Police Museum". sites.google.com. Retrieved 13 May 2016.

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[3] The ranks of Chief Inspector and Chief Superintendent are no longer used or promotable.

[4] The ranks of Chief Inspector and Chief Superintendent are no longer used or promotable.

[:0-7] 1 2 3 The 'Recognition of service' tab for each rank is not a separate rank with the Queensland Police Service, rather simply a means of highlighting the wearer's experience at that level

[15] Chief of ACT Policing

[18] Chief of ACT Policing

[19] Sergeant in specific roles as determined by the Commissioner

[22] Chief of ACT Policing

[23] Sergeant in specific roles as determined by the Commissioner

[nswpolice-1] "Rank Insignia – NSW Police Force". New South Wales Police Force. Archived from the original on 4 December 2007. Retrieved 30 December 2007.

[vicpolice-2] "Victoria Police – Insignia of Police Ranks". VicNews - The Victorian Scanning News. Archived from the original on 4 January 2008. Retrieved 30 December 2007.

[WebCite-TPAV-5] "First Constable (63/11)". Archived from the original on 5 February 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2013.

[6] "QPS Ranks". www.police.qld.gov.au. Retrieved 22 June 2022.

[sapolice-8] "South Australia Police - Rank Insignia". The International Encyclopedia of Uniform Insignia Around the World. Archived from the original on 21 May 2011. Retrieved 30 December 2007.

[wapolice-9] "Western Australia Police - Rank Insignia". Western Australia Police. Archived from the original on 6 January 2008. Retrieved 30 December 2007.

[taspolice-10] "Tasmania Police – Rank Insignia and Title". Tasmania Police . Retrieved 4 October 2015.

[New_NT-11] 1 2 "New NT Police Uniform – Alice Springs and Southern Region Command". NT Police, Fire, and Emergency Services. 2 February 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2021.

[12] "Graduating officer Liam Devine with NT Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw". ABC . 12 January 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2021.

[13] "AFP National Guidelines on Uniform and Standards of Dress". CiteSeerX 10.1.1.738.8340 .

[14] "Inspector title returns to ACT Policing". 29 May 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2021.

[Regulations-16] 1 2 3 "Regulations Under the Australian Federal Police Act 1979". 10 October 1979. Retrieved 21 January 2021.

[Source_Book-17] 1 2 3 4 5 6 Swanton, Bruce; Hannigan, Garry (1985). Police Source Book 2 (PDF). Australian Institute of Criminology. p. 181. Retrieved 21 January 2021.

[20] "AFP National Guidelines on Uniform and Standards of Dress". CiteSeerX 10.1.1.738.8340 .

[21] "Inspector title returns to ACT Policing". 29 May 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2021.

[24] "Queensland Police 1975–1978" . Retrieved 18 January 2020.

[25] "Queensland Police 1978–1991" . Retrieved 18 January 2020.

[26] "Queensland Police 1991–1997" . Retrieved 18 January 2020.

[27] "Queensland Police 1997–2001" . Retrieved 18 January 2020.

[28] "Queensland Police 2002" . Retrieved 18 January 2020.

[29] Queensland Police Service (16 August 2019). "Rank insignia". police.qld.gov.au. Retrieved 18 January 2020.

[30] "Insignia, Patches and Badges – NT Police Museum". sites.google.com. Retrieved 13 May 2016.

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