What are the ranks in a police department?
Most all uniformed law enforcement agencies are established along semi-military or paramilitary command structures. It’s difficult to give a general description of police ranks because many departments and agencies refer to them somewhat differently. (e.g.: the lowest rank can be called many things: officer/patrolman/private/deputy/trooper – the next higher rank might be called: master patrolman/private first class/senior trooper. The next higher rank is usually universally called: corporal. The next higher is universally referred to as: sergeant. Then comes the ‘command’ ranks: lieutenant – captain – major – deputy chief – assistant chief/chief deputy – chief of police/sheriff. Some departments (oftentimes due to ‘tradition”) call some of the command ranks by different names (i.e.: inspector instead of major-colonel instead of deputy or assistant chief). In Investigative Divisions (again dpending on the size of the department) the ranks might be: plainclothesman – investigator – detec
