Police ranks of the United Kingdom

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Police ranks are a system of hierarchical relationships in police organisations. [1] The rank system defines authority and responsibility in a police organisation, [2] and affects the culture within the police force. [3] Usually, uniforms denote the bearer's rank by particular insignia affixed to the uniforms. [4] [5]

Contents

Most of the police forces of the United Kingdom (including those of the British Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies) use a standardised set of ranks. However, as law enforcement in the United Kingdom is organised separately in the three jurisdictions of England and Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland, and as most law enforcement is carried out by police officers serving in regional police services known as territorial police forces, some variations in rank organisation, insignia and responsibilities may occur within the United Kingdom. An example of this are the slight variations in the most senior ranks of the Metropolitan Police and the City of London Police. [6] [7] Parallel to the regional services are UK-wide agencies, such as the British Transport Police and the national specialist units of certain territorial police forces, with a possibility of further variations.

Due to policing in many countries developing from military organisations and operations, police ranks in many countries follow a logic similar to that of military ranks. [5] [8] [9] Most of the British police ranks that exist today were, however, deliberately chosen by Home Secretary Sir Robert Peel so that they did not correspond with military ranking. They were enacted under the Metropolitan Police Act 1829.

History of police ranks

All police forces have used a wide variety of ranks to meet their organisational needs, especially the Metropolitan Police Service. [10] Ranks have been created, abolished, amalgamated and sometimes revived during the history of British policing. [11] [12] [13] [14]

In the following table, "MET only" means those ranks are specific for the Metropolitan Police.

Police ranks of the United Kingdom

Powers

In law, every attested police officer is a constable whatever their actual rank, in the sense that officers of any rank have the same powers of arrest. The basic police powers of arrest and search of an ordinary constable are identical to those of a superintendent or chief constable; however certain higher ranks are given administrative powers to authorise certain police actions. In England and Wales, these include the powers to:

In relation to police officers of the Home Office or territorial police forces of England and Wales, section 30 of the Police Act 1996 states that "a member of a police force shall have all the powers and privileges of a Constable throughout England and Wales and the adjacent United Kingdom waters". Police officers do not need to be on duty to exercise their powers and can act off-duty if circumstances require it (technically placing themselves back on duty). Officers from the police forces of Scotland and Northern Ireland and non-territorial special police forces have different jurisdictions. See List of law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom, Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories for a fuller description of jurisdictions.

Detective, reserve, training and temporary ranks

Detectives

Officers holding ranks up to and including chief superintendent who are members of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) or Special Branch (and certain other units) have the prefix "detective" before their rank. Due to the nature of their duties, these officers generally wear plain clothes (except for ceremonial purposes) and so do not wear the corresponding rank insignia; however, they still operate within the same structure as their uniformed counterparts.

In the United Kingdom, detective ranks are not superior to those of uniformed officers and a detective has the same powers and authority as a uniformed officer of the same rank. The "detective" prefix designates that the officer has received suitable training and passed related examinations to conduct serious or complex criminal investigations. [16]

Special constables

There are various grades of special constable which assist in the tasking and management of the constabulary. The ranks are management grades; those holding them are not "sergeants" or "inspectors" for the purposes of the law (for example, authorisations to order the removal of disguises or to set up roadblocks). Originally, specials held the same ranks and used the same rank insignia as regular officers, but there was a general shift to distinct terms such as "area officer" and "divisional officer" in the 1980s. However, since 2000, the National Policing Improvement Agency has encouraged special constabularies to return to rank structures and epaulette insignia identical to their regular counterparts. Although most forces have now reverted to regular rank titles (with the prefix "special"), only some have reverted to regular rank insignia. Senior special constables have no authority over regular officers, but very experienced officers may occasionally be given administrative supervision of mixed units of regular and special constables for certain events where no regular supervisory officer is available.

Trainee, temporary and acting ranks

Constables who are training to become detective constables sometimes bear the title trainee investigator (T/I) or trainee detective constable (T/DC).

The prefix "temporary" before a rank (e.g. temporary detective sergeant, abbreviated T/DS) denotes an officer who has been temporarily promoted to a rank (and so who does actually hold that rank, albeit on a temporary basis), whilst the prefix "acting" (e.g. acting inspector, abbreviated A/Insp) denotes an officer who is performing the role of a higher rank than the one actually held (sometimes informally termed "acting up"). Temporary ranks are often used for set periods (e.g. a six-month appointment to a particular role), whereas acting ranks, although sometimes held for extended periods, are often used for a very short time (e.g. a single shift when additional supervisory officers are required, or to replace an officer on short-term leave).

Under section 107 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (England and Wales only), sergeants and chief inspectors may be designated (by an officer of at least the rank of superintendent) to exercise the powers of an inspector or a superintendent respectively. Such a designation will generally accompany such an officer being given an acting rank, so for most operational purposes there is no difference between substantive, temporary and acting ranks at Inspector and above (although there may be differences as to pay, pensions and insignia). However, under section 36 of that act, only substantive sergeants may be appointed custody officers.

Police cadets

Ranks within volunteer police cadet schemes vary considerably across the territorial police forces.

Police community support officers (PCSO)

Police community support officers, in general, do not have a rank system. The South Yorkshire Police and Kent Police, however, have designated PCSO supervisors. [ citation needed ]

Traffic wardens

Traffic wardens were administered by the police and exercised some police powers to control traffic or issue fixed penalty notices for traffic offences. As of September 2017, very few police traffic wardens exist with a legacy of only ten police traffic wardens remaining in England and Wales. [17] Section 46 of the Policing and Crime Act 2017 has in effect abolished police traffic wardens allowing police to focus on their core duties. [18] [ failed verification ] The duties of traffic wardens have been passed to local authority civil enforcement officers (formerly parking attendants) who, under decriminalised parking enforcement, have powers to issue penalty charge notices for breaches of parking laws on highways or in local authority car parks and compel the production of a disabled parking permit (blue badge) for inspection.

A similar situation has developed in Scotland with the functions of traffic wardens being taken over by local councils. In many areas parking legislation has been decriminalised and is enforced solely by council-employed parking attendants.

All officers have a unique identification number. These are usually referred to as shoulder or collar numbers, referring to the fact that they were once worn on the uniform collar and later on the epaulettes by constables and sergeants. Uniformed officers in many forces still wear them on the epaulettes, but other forces have badges or other ways of displaying their identification numbers. Kent Police, for instance, refers to its numbers as force numbers and officers wear them on a velcro tab on their stab vest or on a badge attached to their shirt or tunic. Officers in all forces of the rank of inspector or above do not usually wear their numbers.

In most forces these identification numbers are simple numbers, with one to five digits.

The Metropolitan Police and Police Scotland, as well as a few other forces, use a letter and number system:

Metropolitan Police:

Police Scotland:

In the Metropolitan Police, the borough code is a two-letter code which follows the digits (but displayed above them on epaulettes). Before the reorganisation into boroughs, each division had a different code, with sergeants having two-digit numbers and constables having three-digit numbers.

Rank insignia

Badges of rank are usually worn on the epaulettes. However, when in their formal uniform sergeants wear their rank insignia on their upper sleeves. [6] [7] When police tunics had closed collars (not open collars as worn with ties), constables and sergeants did not wear epaulettes but had their divisional call number on their collar (hence they are still often referred to as collar numbers). Sergeants wore their stripes on their upper sleeve. Inspectors and more senior ranks wore epaulettes at a much earlier stage, although they once wore their rank insignia on their collars. Most forces no longer use divisional call numbers, and retain only the collar number and rank insignia.

Great Britain

Senior officers usually wear distinguishing marks around the outer edge of the peaks of their caps (or under the capbadge for female officers, who do not wear peaked caps). Normally this is a raised black band for inspectors and chief inspectors, a silver (gold in the City of London Police) band for superintendents and chief superintendents, and a row of silver oak leaves for chief officers. Chief constables, the Commissioner of the City of London Police, and all commissioner ranks of the Metropolitan Police wear oakleaves on both the outer and inner edges of their peaks (or a double row beneath the capbadge for female officers). In Scotland, however, the mark is a silver band for inspectors and chief inspectors, a silver band and silver oakleaves on the outer and inner edges of the peak respectively for superintendents and chief superintendents, and silver oakleaves on the outer and inner edges of the peak for all chief officers.

Additionally, officers at or above the rank of commander or assistant chief constable wear gorget patches on the collars of their tunics. The gorget patches are patterned after those worn by general officers of the British Army and Royal Marines; the police versions, however, are of silver on black (gold on black in the City of London Police) rather than gold on red, in keeping with the police uniform colours.

The ranks below are used by all territorial forces in the United Kingdom, and the specialist national forces: the British Transport Police, Ministry of Defence Police, and Civil Nuclear Constabulary. [19] Other specialist forces, and those outside of the United Kingdom (including British Overseas Territories such as Bermuda and Gibraltar, which are parts of the British sovereign territory in most of which internal competencies of governance are mostly delegated to local governments, and the Crown Dependencies of the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, which are not parts of the British sovereign territory) use the same general system, but often have fewer senior ranks.

Chief constable is the title of the head of each United Kingdom territorial police force except the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police, which are headed by commissioners. Ranks above chief superintendent are usually non-operational management roles, and are often referred to as "chief officer" ranks, but the longer phrase "chief police officer" or similar in legislation is specifically a commissioner or chief constable, a "senior police officer" being their immediate deputy. [20] The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police is often considered to be the highest police rank within the United Kingdom, [21] although in reality every chief constable and the two commissioners are supreme over their own forces and are not answerable to any other officer.[ citation needed ]

Epaulettes are normally black with white sewn on or silver metal insignia, although high-visibility uniforms are often yellow with black insignia.

Epaulette insignia

Uniform insignia

The rank of an officer can be found in varying details of the uniform such as headgear, sleeve patches and tunic collar details.
Insignia on hats and uniforms can vary between forces within the UK and the following tables below will not accurately represent all constabularies within the UK.

Rank insignia for Great Britain Police officer headwear
Rank Chief constable Deputy chief constable Assistant chief constable Chief superintendent Superintendent Chief inspector Inspector Sergeant Constable Police community support officer
Commissioner Deputy commissioner Assistant commissioner Deputy assistant commissioner Commander
Female patrol PoliceHeadgearFemale8-Highest.png PoliceHeadgearFemale7-Senior.png PoliceHeadgearFemale5-Mid.png PoliceHeadgearFemale3-Constable.png PoliceHeadgearFemale2-PCSOB.png
PoliceHeadgearFemale1-PCSOA.png
Female traffic officer PoliceHeadgearFemale6-MidRPU.png PoliceHeadgearFemale4-ConstableRPU.png
Male foot patrol PoliceHeadgear4-HighestPeakedCap.png PoliceHeadgear3 - PeakedCap3.png PoliceHeadgear3 - PeakedCap2.png PoliceHeadgear2 - PeakedCap1.png PoliceHeadgear1 - BrunswickHelmet.png PoliceHeadgear3 - PCSOCap2.png
PoliceHeadgear3 - PCSOCap1.png
Male mobile patrol PoliceHeadgear2 - PeakedCap1.png
Male traffic officer PoliceHeadgear4-MidRankRoadsPolicingUnit.png PoliceHeadgear3 - RoadTrafficCap.png
Notes
  • Hats worn by inspectors and chief inspectors have raised black bands along the outer edge of the peaks for male officers or black arcs below the cap badges for female officers.
  • All English and Welsh forces retain the custodian helmet and other traditional headwear for ceremonial duties.

British Transport Police

As a variation to the standard set, the deputy chief constable of the British Transport Police wears two rows of oak leaves on their hat. [22]

Northern Ireland

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) adopted the same rank system as elsewhere in the United Kingdom on 1 June 1970, but has a different version of the rank insignia, with the star from the PSNI badge replacing the crown. [23] Unusually, the star is worn below the pip by chief superintendents and by the chief constable, who wears both symbols above his tipstaves. The PSNI has retained the RUC's distinctive inverted (point-up) sergeants' chevrons, worn on the lower sleeve in formal uniform. PSNI officers do not wear the custodian helmet and female officers wear a different hat from other forces.

The PSNI rank structure and epaulette insignia is the same as the territorial police in Great Britain, except that the crown is replaced with the design from the PSNI badge and sergeants' chevrons are point up. In addition to the epaulettes being a green colour rather than a black, this is to match their green uniforms.

Headgear rank marking is the same as for England and Wales.

Scotland

Police Scotland headwear is slightly different for the following ranks:

Territorial police forces variations

City of London Police

City of London Police ranks
RankCommissioner Assistant commissioner Commander Chief superintendent Superintendent Chief inspector Inspector Sergeant Constable
Insignia COLP Commissioner (Tudor Crown).svg COLP Assistant Commissioner SQ.svg COLP Commander SQ.svg COLP CSupt (Tudor Crown).svg COLP Supt (Tudor Crown).svg COLP CInsp SQ.svg COLP Insp SQ.svg COLP PS SQ.svg COLP PC SQ.svg
Note
  • City of London Police insignia are worn on square patches on the upper arm of working dress or on the epaulettes in more formal dress.

City of London Police insignia are gold where that of other forces is silver. For example, rank insignia and collar numbers on epaulettes are gold, as are the bands and oak leaves on the caps of senior officers, [27] and officers of or above the rank of commander wear gold-on-black gorget patches on the collars of their tunics.

The City of London Police also previously had variations for some acting ranks such as sergeant and inspector: acting sergeants wore their chevrons above their divisional letters (or later "CP" for all officers, following the abolition of the force's divisions), whereas substantive sergeants wear them below their collar numbers. Acting inspectors were denoted by a crown in the place of their divisional letters, whilst keeping their collar number and chevrons.

The City of London Police use a different colour scheme for their police headwear. Instead of the black and white sillitoe "tartan" they use red and white. The assistant commissioner and commander wear a single row of oak leaves on their hats, [28] [29] and only the commissioner wears two rows. [30]

Merseyside Police

Inspectors and chief inspectors in Merseyside Police wear silver instead of black lace on their hats, [31] as did Liverpool City Police before them.

Metropolitan Police

The Metropolitan Police uses different ranks above chief superintendent. The fabric used in the crowns is blue, whereas other police forces use red. Although they rank as deputy chief constables, deputy assistant commissioners wear two rows of oak leaves on their hats. [32] [33]

Isle of Man Constabulary

Epaulette insignia

The Isle of Man police ranks follow the structure of other British police rank structures however it is notably missing the chief superintendent and assistant chief constable ranks within their own structure. The epaulettes for the constables and sergeants also have an addition of the Isle of Man Constabulary logo and motto above their collar numbers. Headgear rank marking is the same as for England and Wales.

Special constabularies insignia

Special constabulary epaulettes frequently bear the letters SC (with or without a crown above) to differentiate them from regular officers. Within the City of London Special Constabulary is the Honourable Artillery Company Specials; members of this unit wear HAC on the shoulders in addition to other insignia. [34] Senior special constables wear the same markings on their hats as equivalent regular ranks.

Special constabularies using the NPIA approved rank insignia
ConstabularyChief officerDeputy chief officerSpecial superintendentSpecial chief inspectorSpecial inspectorSpecial sergeantSpecial constableNotes
Durham Special Constabulary [35] NPIA SCO.svg NPIA SSupt.svg NPIA SCI.svg NPIA SInsp.svg Durham SSgt.svg Durham SC.svg
  • The special superintendent is not currently in use.
Hampshire Special Constabulary [36] Rank insignia for Hampshire Constabulary - Special Superintendant.svg Rank insignia for Hampshire Constabulary - Special Chief Inspector.svg Rank insignia for Hampshire Constabulary - Special Inspector.svg Rank insignia for Hampshire Constabulary - Special Sergeant.svg Rank insignia for Hampshire Constabulary - Special Constable.svg
  • Collar numbers begin with a 9
Kent Special Constabulary Kent SCO.png Supt.svg CInsp.svg Wiltshire Insp.svg Kent SSergeant.png Kent SConstable.png
  • The ranks of special constable and special sergeant feature the force emblems.
Merseyside Special Constabulary [37] NPIA SCO.svg NPIA SCI.svg NPIA SInsp.svg NPIA S SGT with crowns 2 prefix.svg NPIA SC.svg
Northamptonshire Special Constabulary [38] Assistant Chief Constable.svg Northamptonshire SInsp.svg Northamptonshire SSgt.svg Durham SC.svg
South Wales Special Constabulary [39] NPIA SCO.svg NPIA SSupt.svg NPIA SInsp.svg NPIA S SGT with crowns 7 prefix.svg SC with crowns 7 prefix.svg
  • South Wales Police issue special constabulary officers with the prefix of 7 for their collar numbers.
South Yorkshire Special Constabulary [40] South Yorks SCO.svg NPIA SCO.svg NPIA SCI.svg NPIA SInsp.svg NPIA S SGT with crowns 7 prefix.svg SC with crowns 7 prefix.svg
Wiltshire Special Constabulary [41] Wiltshire Supt.svg Wiltshire Insp.svg Wiltshire SSgt.svg Wiltshire SC.svg
Gloucestershire Special Constabulary [42] Gloucestershire SCO Proposed.svg Gloucestershire SCInsp Proposed.svg Gloucestershire SInsp Proposed.svg Gloucestershire SSgt Proposed.svg Gloucestershire SC Proposed.svg
  • Proposed new insignia in 2019
City of London Special Constabulary COLP Commander SQ.svg COLP SCSupt (Tudor Crown).svg COLP SSupt (Tudor Crown).svg COLP SCInsp SQ.svg COLP SInsp SQ.svg COLP SSGT SQ.svg COLP SC SQ.svg
  • The Honourable Artillery Company special constables wear the letters HAC in addition.
  • The deputy chief officer of the special constabulary rank is named "special chief superintendent".
  • The chief officer of the special constabulary is named "special commander".
Notes
  • Blank spaces in the table indicate that a rank is not used in a force's structure.
  • This table of constabularies is not complete.

There is a large variation in the design of epaulettes used across Great Britain for specials. This has been recognised at national level and as part of the Special Constabulary National Strategy 2018–2023 the structure and insignia is under review with the intention to standardise. [43] Other special constabularies use combinations of bars, half bars, pips, crowns, laurel wreaths, collar numbers, force crests and the SC identity (with or without a crown) to distinguish ranks (and/or role).

Special constabularies using the alternative "bar style" rank insignia
ConstabularyChief officerDeputy chief officerAssistant chief officerSpecial chief superintendentSpecial superintendentSpecial chief inspectorSpecial inspectorSpecial sergeantSpecial constableNotes
Avon and Somerset Special Constabulary [44] CO.svg SSupt.svg SCI.svg SInsp.svg A&S SSgt.svg A&S SC.svg
Bedfordshire Special Constabulary [45] 4Bars+SC+Crown.svg SSupt with Crown.svg SInsp with Crown.svg SSGT with Crowns no prefix.svg SC with Crowns no prefix.svg
British Transport Police [46] CO.svg SSupt.svg SCI.svg SInsp.svg SSgt.svg Special Constable.svg
Cambridgeshire Special Constabulary [47] 4Bars+SC+Crown.svg 2Bars+SC+Crowns.svg SSupt with Crown.svg SCI with Crown.svg SInsp with Crown.svg Cleveland SSgt.svg Cleveland SC.svg
Cheshire Special Constabulary [48] CheshireSCCO.svg CheshireSCSupt.svg SSupt.svg SCI.svg SInsp.svg Cheshire SSgt.svg Cheshire SC.svg
Cleveland Special Constabulary [49] 4Bars+SC+Crown.svg 2Bars+SC+Crowns.svg SCI with Crown.svg SInsp with Crown.svg Cleveland SSgt.svg Cleveland SC.svg
Cumbria Special Constabulary [50] CO.svg SSupt.svg SCI.svg SInsp.svg A&S SSgt.svg A&S SC.svg
  • All special constable collar numbers start with a 6 or a 7
  • The deputy chief officer rank is currently vacant
  • The chief officer rank is currently vacant
Derbyshire Special Constabulary [51] Derbyshire SInsp.svg Derbyshire SSgt.svg Derbyshire SC.svg
Devon and Cornwall Special Constabulary [52] StaffsCO.svg DandC SSupt.svg StaffsInsp.svg DandC SSgt.svg DandC SC.svg
Dorset Special Constabulary [53] Dorset CO.svg Dorset DCO.svg Dorset Supt.svg Dorset SInsp.svg Dorset SSgt.svg Dorset SC.svg
Dyfed-Powys Special Constabulary [54] 4Bars+SC+Crown.svg SCI with Crown.svg SInsp with Crown.svg South Wales SSgt.svg SC with crowns 7 prefix.svg
Essex Special Constabulary [55] DCO.svg SSupt.svg SInsp.svg A&S SSgt.svg A&S SC.svg
Gloucestershire Special Constabulary [56] Gloucestershire SCO.svg Gloucestershire SCI.svg Gloucestershire SInsp.svg Gloucestershire SSgt.svg Gloucestershire SC.svg
Greater Manchester Special Constabulary [57] CO.svg SCI.svg SInsp.svg Dorset SSgt.svg Dorset SC.svg
Gwent Special Constabulary [58] CO.svg Gwent SCInsp.svg Gwent SInsp.svg Gwent SSgt.svg Gwent SC.svg
Hertfordshire Special Constabulary [59] CO.svg SSupt.svg SCI.svg SInsp.svg West Mercia SSgt.svg West Mercia SC.svg
ConstabularyChief officerDeputy chief officerAssistant chief officerSpecial chief superintendentSpecial superintendentSpecial chief inspectorSpecial inspectorSpecial sergeantSpecial constableNotes
Lancashire Special Constabulary [60] PS Epaulette.svg SInsp.svg Lancashire SSGT.svg Special Constable.svg
  • Regular police sergeant acts as a chief officer
Leicestershire Special Constabulary [61] SCI with Crown.svg SInsp with Crown.svg Leicestershire SSgt.svg Leicestershire SC.svg
  • Special chief inspector acts as special constable lead
Lincolnshire Special Constabulary [62] DandC SSupt.svg StaffsInsp.svg SSgt no crown no prefix.svg SC no crown no prefix.svg
Metropolitan Special Constabulary [63] 4Bars+SC+Crown.svg 2Bars+SC+Crowns.svg SCI with Crown.svg SInsp with Crown.svg Met SSgt Epaulette.svg Met SC Epaulette.svg
Norfolk Special Constabulary [64] 4Bars+SC+Crown.svg SSupt with Crown.svg SCI with Crown.svg SInsp with Crown.svg South Wales SSgt.svg SC with crowns 7 prefix.svg
Northumbria
Special
Constabulary
[65]
Special Constable.svg
  • Northumbria Special Constabulary abolished its ranks in 2006. All officers hold the rank of special constable, although those who previously held a supervisory rank are entitled to continue wearing their rank insignia.
North Wales Special Constabulary [66] 4Bars+SC+Crown.svg SCI with Crown.svg SInsp with Crown.svg NorthWalesSSgt Epaulette.svg NorthWalesSC Epaulette.svg
Nottinghamshire Special Constabulary [67] Notts CO.svg Notts SCInsp.svg Notts SInsp.svg Notts SSgt.svg Notts SC.svg
Police Scotland [68] Police Scotland SC.svg
  • Police Scotland do not currently have a rank structure for special constables.
Staffordshire Special Constabulary [69] StaffsCO.svg StaffsDCO.svg StaffsSCI.svg StaffsInsp.svg Staffs SSgt.svg Staffs SC.svg
Suffolk Special Constabulary [70] 4Bars+SC+Crown.svg 3Bars+SC+Crowns.svg SCI with Crown.svg SInsp with Crown.svg Suffolk SSgt.svg Suffolk SC.svg
Surrey
Special
Constabulary
CO.svg Special Inspector Surrey.png Surrey SC.svg
Thames Valley Special Constabulary [71] 4Bars+SC+Crown.svg 3Bars+SC+Crowns.svg 2Bars+SC+Crowns.svg SCI with Crown.svg SInsp with Crown.svg TVP SSGT.svg TVP SC.svg
  • Assistant chief officer is not currently in use
Warwickshire Special Constabulary [72] CO.svg DCO.svg SCI.svg SInsp.svg Northamptonshire SC.svg Durham SC.svg
West Mercia Special Constabulary [73] CO.svg SSupt.svg SCI.svg SInsp.svg West Mercia SSgt.svg West Mercia SC.svg
West Midlands Special Constabulary [74] West Midlands Chief Officer.svg 4Bars+SC+Crown.svg SInsp with Crown.svg West Midlands SSGT.svg West Midlands SC.svg
West Yorkshire Special Constabulary [75] CInsp.svg West Yorks Senior Section Officer.svg West Yorks Section Officer.svg West Yorks SC.svg
  • The special sergeant is known as a section officer
  • The special inspector is known as a senior section officer
  • A regular chief inspector acts as a chief officer
ConstabularyChief officerDeputy chief officerAssistant chief officerSpecial chief superintendentSpecial superintendentSpecial chief inspectorSpecial inspectorSpecial sergeantSpecial constableNotes
Notes
  • Blank spaces in the table indicate that a rank is not used in a force's structure.
  • This table of constabularies is not complete.

Miscellaneous police forces

There are, in the United Kingdom, a number of miscellaneous constabularies. These are not operated, regulated or funded by the Home Office, although they are fully authorised (by Act of Parliament) establishments. In general, they provide the policing for ports, docks, tunnels, or other particular institutions. Although these forces tend to require high standards of training and accountability, which closely mirror those of the Home Office police forces, they are usually much smaller in terms of personnel, and therefore utilise fewer of the 'standard' ranks.

Public order roles and rank insignia

Officers taking part in public order and public safety (POPS) events and incidents wear colour-coded rank slides to denote command and support roles. Bronze commanders can be of varying ranks and not just chief inspectors as shown below. Tactical advisers can also be of differing ranks, but are most commonly constables or sergeants. It is a requirement under the College of Policing Public Order Manual that all officers, regardless of rank, display an identifying number on their epaulettes. Therefore, ranks such as inspector have collar/warrant numbers displayed on their public order colour-coded epaulettes that they might not have as part of their normal uniform.

UK Police public order roles and insignia [76]
RoleBronze CommanderPSU CommanderSerial SergeantEvidence Gathering TeamMedicTactical advisorSerial constable
Epaulette insignia CInsp Bronze Commander with numbers.svg Insp PSU Commander with numbers.svg Sgt Numbers Above.svg Evidence Gathering Team.svg Medic.svg Tactical Advisor.svg UK police constable epaulette, 2016.svg
Variants Sgt Numbers Below.svg EGT with title.svg Medic with title.svg Tactical Advisor with title.svg Tactical Advisor with title POTA.svg

Police community support officers (PCSO)

Police community support officers bear epaulettes with the words "Police community support officer" and their shoulder number, or, in the Metropolitan Police, a borough identification code and shoulder number. South Yorkshire Police PCSO supervisors wear a bar above the words "Police community support officer supervisor" and the shoulder number.

Police cadets

Leicestershire Police head police cadet epaulette Leicestershire Police Head Police Cadet Epaulette.jpg
Leicestershire Police head police cadet epaulette

The following table serves as an example of ranks within volunteer police cadet schemes, which vary considerably. Cadets appointed "mayor's cadets" are given a special badge or epaulettes to wear.

Cadet ranks and insignia
UK
cadets
OfficersCadet senior NCOsCadet junior NCOsCadetsRecruits
CDT 8CDT 7CDT 6CDT 5CDT 4CDT 3CDT 2CDT 1CDT (R)

Metropolitan
volunteer
police
cadets
VPC Rank 4 lines.png VPC Rank 3 lines.png VPC Rank 2 lines.png VPC Rank 1 line.png VPC Rank no lines.png No insignia
No equivalentHead cadetNo equivalentDeputy head cadetNo equivalentTeam leader
cadet
Deputy team
leader cadet
Police cadetRecruit
HCdtDHCdtTLCdtDTLCdtCdtRct

Hampshire
volunteer
police
cadets
Hampshire Volunteer Police Head Cadet Old.svg Hampshire Volunteer Police Deputy Head Cadet Old.svg Hampshire Volunteer Police Cadet Team Leader Old.svg Hampshire Volunteer Police Cadet Old.svg No insignia
No equivalentHead cadetNo equivalentDeputy head cadetNo equivalentTeam leader
cadet
No equivalentPolice cadetRecruit
HCdtDHCdtTLCdtCdtRct

Defunct rank insignia

The following table presents defunct rank insignia of the Metropolitan Police.

Out of commission Metropolitan Police rank insignia
RankEpaulette insigniaYear introducedYear removedYears active
War reserve constable [77] WarReserveConstableEpaulette.png 193919489
Station sergeant [78] Station Sergeant.png 1890198090
Junior station inspector Junior Station Inspector 2nd.png 1936194913
Station inspector Sub Divisional Inspector.png 1880193656
Station inspector Station Inspector.png 1936194913
Sub-divisional inspector Sub Divisional Inspector.png 1880192242
Sub-divisional inspector Uk-police-03.PNG 1922194119
Sub-divisional inspector Uk-police-04.PNG 194119498
Chief inspector Uk-police-05.PNG ?1953?
Superintendent Uk-police-06.PNG ?1953?
Superintendent grade II Uk-police-05.PNG 1953197421
Superintendent grade I Uk-police-06.PNG 1953197421
Chief constable Uk-police-07.PNG 1886194660
Deputy commander Uk-police-07.PNG 1946196822
Commander Uk-police-08.PNG 1946196822
Deputy commissioner Uk-police-09.PNG 1922200179

See also

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The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI; Irish: Seirbhís Póilíneachta Thuaisceart Éireann; Ulster-Scots: Polis Service o Norlin Airlan), officially the Police Service of Northern Ireland (incorporating the Royal Ulster Constabulary), is the police service responsible for law enforcement and the prevention of crime within Northern Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City of London Police</span> English territorial police force

The City of London Police is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement within the City of London, England, including the Middle and Inner Temples. The force responsible for law enforcement within the remainder of the London region, outside the city, is the much larger Metropolitan Police, a separate organisation. The City of London, which is now primarily a financial business district with a small resident population but a large commuting workforce, is the historic core of London, and has an administrative history distinct from that of the rest of the metropolis, of which its separate police force is one manifestation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chief constable</span> Police officer rank in the United Kingdom

Chief Constable is the rank used by the chief police officer of every territorial police force in the United Kingdom except for the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police, as well as the chief officers of the three 'special' national police forces, the British Transport Police, Ministry of Defence Police, and Civil Nuclear Constabulary. The title is also held by the chief officers of the principal Crown Dependency police forces and the Sovereign Base Areas Police in Cyprus. The title was also held, ex officio, by the president of the Association of Chief Police Officers under the Police Reform Act 2002. It was also the title of the chief officer of the Royal Parks Constabulary until this agency was disbanded in 2004.

A Police Community Support Officer, or as written in legislation Community Support Officer, is a uniformed member of police staff in England and Wales, a role created by Section 38(2) of the Police Reform Act 2002, which was given Royal Assent by Queen Elizabeth II on 24 July 2002. They are not warranted, but hold a variety of police powers and the power of a constable in various instances by the forty-three territorial police forces in England and Wales and the British Transport Police.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Special Constabulary</span> British volunteer police force

The Special Constabulary is the part-time volunteer section of statutory police forces in the United Kingdom and some Crown dependencies. Its officers are known as special constables.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devon and Cornwall Police</span> English territorial police force

Devon and Cornwall Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the ceremonial counties of Devon and Cornwall in South West England. The force serves approximately 1.8 million people over an area of 3,967 square miles (10,270 km2).

Chief superintendent is a senior rank in police forces, especially in those organised on the British model.

Inspector, also police inspector or inspector of police, is a police rank. The rank or position varies in seniority depending on the organization that uses it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary</span> English territorial police force

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing the counties of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in South East England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northamptonshire Police</span> English territorial police force

Northamptonshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the county of Northamptonshire in the East Midlands of England, in the United Kingdom.

Superintendent (Supt) is a rank in the British police and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries, the full version is superintendent of police (SP). The rank is also used in most British Overseas Territories and in many former British colonies. In some countries, such as Italy, the rank of superintendent is a low rank.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metropolitan Special Constabulary</span>

The Metropolitan Special Constabulary (MSC) is the volunteer police force of the Metropolitan Police Service. It is one of three Special Constabularies operating within London, the others being part of the City of London Police and British Transport Police. The service was created over 190 years ago under the Special Constables Act 1831. As of November 2021 it consists of 1,450 officers, making it the largest in the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Collar number</span> Individual identification numbers used by British law enforcement

A collar number, also known as a shoulder number, force identification number (FIN) or occasionally as force number, identifies police officers, police community support officers (PCSO), special constables and some police staff in UK police forces – other law enforcement agencies, such as HM Prison Service, have also adopted identification numbers. Although now displayed on epaulettes, it is still commonly referred to as a collar number. Although most forces issue a collar number to all warranted officers regardless of role, only uniformed officers of the ranks constable and sergeant actually display the numbers.

Head constable was a rank used in some British and British colonial police forces, and is still used in the Indian police.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Montserrat Police Service</span> Police service of Montserrat

The Royal Montserrat Police Service is the police service of the British Overseas Territory island of Montserrat in the Caribbean.

Station sergeant is a police rank senior to sergeant and junior to inspector in some British and Commonwealth police forces. The rank insignia is usually a sergeant's three chevrons surmounted by a crown, or sometimes four chevrons. The Metropolitan Police, which was the first force to introduce the rank, originally used four chevrons, but later changed to a crown over three chevrons, which was identical to the insignia worn by a staff sergeant in the British Army. A police officer holding the rank will be the senior sergeant in a police station, or in some cases the commander of a smaller sub-divisional police establishment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force</span>

The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force is the national police force of the Turks and Caicos Islands, a British Overseas Territory in the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean and northern West Indies. It is one of the oldest police forces in the world.

The police in Canada's ranks differ according to the different police forces and depend on different laws at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels.

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