A little confused on rank

[Tye516]

I have been talking with a local police agency, specifically about the ride alongs i have been doing. However, I am i little confused of how to address one of the officers who works there. When I first spoke with him over the phone he said his name was Lt. "Smith". So in a formal document where I had to address his name i put it as Lt. But on his badge and his card that he gave me it says he is a Captian. He is in charge of Patrol (I believe he is called the Captian of Patrol? i may be wrong). So when I speak to him do i refer to him as Lt. "Smith" or Capt. "Smith"?

Thanks in advance for the clarification

[SgtCHP]

If his badge and business card say "CAPTAIN" then he should be addressed as such. It could be he was promoted after you first spoke with him. Or, perhaps, he was newly promoted and forgot that he is now a Captain.

[nuthead]

Simply ask him and explain why you're confused.

[nonickname69]

I would go with politely asking. You don't need to give him a life story on why you don't know.

"Sir, I'm sorry, I forgot what your rank was."

[nasa808]

If all fails, just call him sir.

[mikeymedic]

Could have been promoted before you ever talked to him. Maybe he is still getting used to his title. did he have 1 bar on his collar or 2.

[Nessmuk]

Ask.

When I started, the shift Capt. was out for medical and a senior Lieutenant was "Acting Captain"...I still called him "Captain" as that was the role he was playing considering he had junior Lt.s reporting to him.

Nothing wrong with asking - it will show your interest.

[Bully]

Unless when you saw him in person, he confirmed that he was the one you talked to on the phone, there could be 2 Smiths there.

[LT Dangle]

All this over a ride along?

We need to get out of the business of being cheap entertainment.

[Nobody]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/07/wisconsin.capone.hideout.auction/index.html

[candidateyellow]

Check his collar. One bar is Lieutenant, two bars is a captain. Or just ask.

[DetDep]

maybe his first name is lieutenant

Hilarious! Mystery solved.

[Michigan]

Unless when you saw him in person, he confirmed that he was the one you talked to on the phone, there could be 2 Smiths there.

Impossible.

[Tye516]

Impossible.

yes that is impossible.(Smith was used as a fake name incase you couldn't pick that up)

Ill refer to him as Capt., and no its not just for a ride along ill be working with the PD. Thanks.

[orlandofed5-0]

maybe his first name is lieutenant

or he's a new rank - lieutenant-captain (like a lt. col, he's not a full captain yet)

Is that like a corporal-captain, you know the one the army thought about during the Korean War and used Captains Pierce and Honeycutt to get a sampling of the officer cadre.

Its like Sgt. Major or Lt. General.