Australian police ranks
Hierarchy of Australian police organisations
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 WalesPolice 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 | ||||||||||||||||
 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 | ||||||||||||||||
 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 | ||||||||||||||||
 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 | ||||||||||||||||
 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 | ||||||||||||||||
 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 | ||||||||||||||||
 Northern Territory Police[8][9]2019–present |  | | | | |  |  |  |  | | ||||||||||
| Commissioner | Deputy commissioner | Assistant commissioner | Commander | Superintendent | Senior sergeant | Sergeant | Senior constable | Constable first class | Recruit constable | |||||||||||
| Commissioner | Superintendent | Inspector | Sergeant | Constable | Recruit | |||||||||||||||
 Australian Federal Police(ACT Policing)[10][11] |  |  |  |  |  |  | |  | | |  |  | ||||||||
| Commissioner | Deputy commissioner | Assistant commissioner[note 4] | 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 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||
| 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 | | | ||||||||
| Assistant commissioner | Chief superintendent | Senior superintendent | Superintendent | Chief inspector | Senior inspector | Inspector | Senior sergeant | Sergeant | Senior constable | Constable first class | Constable | Police recruit | ||||||
| ACT Policing[12] 1917–1979 ACTPol | No equivalent | | No equivalent | | |  | | No equivalent | | | ||||||||
| Deputy commissioner | Superintendent | Senior inspector | Inspector first-class | Inspector second-class | Sergeant first-class | Sergeant second-class | Sergeant third-class | 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] | Chief superintendent | Superintendent | Chief inspector | Inspector | Station sergeant[note 6] | Senior sergeant | Sergeant | 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 | Superintendent | Station sergeant[note 8] | Sergeant | Leading senior constable | Senior constable | Constable first class | Constable | Police recruit | |||||||
Victoria
| 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 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Chief Commissioner | Deputy commissioner | Assistant commissioner | Commander | Chief superintendent | Superintendent | Chief inspector | Inspector | Senior sergeant | Sergeant | Senior constable | Reservist | Constable |
Queensland
| Queensland Police Service[16] 1975–1978 | | | | | | No equivalent | | | | | No equivalent | | | | ||
| Commissioner | Deputy commissioner | Assistant commissioner | Chief superintendent | Superintendent | Inspector | Senior sergeant | Sergeant first class | Sergeant second class | Senior constable | Constable first class | Constable | |||||
| 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 | | | | ||
| Commissioner | Deputy commissioner | Assistant commissioner | Chief superintendent | Superintendent | Inspector | Senior sergeant | Sergeant | Senior constable | Constable (18 months of service) | Constable | ||||||
| Queensland Police Service[13][19] 1997–2001 | | | | | | No equivalent | | | | | No equivalent | | | | ||
| Commissioner | Deputy commissioner | Assistant commissioner | Chief superintendent | Superintendent | Inspector | Senior sergeant | Sergeant first class | Sergeant second class | Sergeant | Senior constable | Constable | |||||
| Queensland Police Service[20][21] 2002–2019 |  |  |  |  |  | No equivalent |  |  | No equivalent |  | No equivalent |  |  |  | ||
| Commissioner | Deputy commissioner | Assistant commissioner | Chief superintendent | Superintendent | Inspector | Senior sergeant | Sergeant | Senior constable | Constable (5 years) | Constable | ||||||
Northern Territory
| Northern Territory Police[13] 1984 | | | | No equivalent | | | | | | | | | | |
| Commissioner | Deputy commissioner | Assistant commissioner | 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 |  | |
| Commissioner | Deputy commissioner | Assistant commissioner | Commander | Superintendent | Senior sergeant | Sergeant | Senior constable | Constable first class | Recruit constable | |||||
| Northern Territory Police[8] 2012–2019 | | | | | | No equivalent | | No equivalent | | | | No equivalent | | |
| Commissioner | Deputy commissioner | Assistant commissioner | Commander | Superintendent | Senior sergeant | Sergeant | Senior constable | Constable first class | 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.
- ^ a b c 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
See also
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.
- ^ a b "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.
- ^ a b c "Regulations Under the Australian Federal Police Act 1979". 10 October 1979. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f 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.
