Tell me abt American police ranks

[Leka]

Hi to evryone!
I recieved few messages saying that the rank of lieutenant is high in USA. Not in Russia!!! Here in Russia lieutenant is rather low level. But I know this rank is quite high in USA. I would really APRECIATE if you explain me your system of ranks. I am too ignorant in this field. For example: In Russia is the following (Sorry for spelling, I don't have a dictionary with me):
1. Line officer ( I mean the begginer)
2. Junior sergeant
3. Sergant
4. --? (I don't know this word in English)
5. Junior liutenant
6. Leutenant
7. Senior lieutenant
8. Captain
9. Major
10. Sub colonel
11. Colonel
12. General

Usually people who graduate law degree at University and right after join the police get the rank of lieutenant. Usually we become investigators at the age of 20 y.o. studying the investigation process being civilian students or in special police colleage. If a police officer in Russia graduates law degree he get automaticaly a lieutenant skipping other lower ranks. So, my rank is rather modest here. I have never been a sergeant. After graduation of civil faculty of law and joining the police I became a lieutenant at once. The rank of major is considered to be high here. We have police Academies. They last from 6 month to 2 years but in this case your carreer will start from the begin.

[Creeker]

In the USA, we don't have a Nationalised Police Force. Because of that, we also don't have standardised rank structures that are uniform across the country. For instance in some agencies the Chief Of Police can be called a Colonel, while at others he is simply "Chief of Police".

At my former agency... a Sheriff's Agency... the rank structure was as follows:
1. Deputy
2. Deputy First Class
3. Master Deputy
4. Sgt.
5. Sr. Sgt.
6. Lieutenant
7. Capt.
8. Major
9. Chief Deputy
10. Assistant Sheriff
11. Sheriff

This line up ignores the branch of Internal Affairs, called "Professional Standards", in which the employees are referred to as "Inspector" and the Chief of them, of course is the "Chief Inspector". Members of this Unit were mandatorily Sgt.'s other than their Chief, prior to entering the Unit. Detectives or Investigators with the Agency were not considered to have been promoted upon being assigned to the Investigations Branch, as there is no pay raise other than an increase in OT and a slight stipend to pay for some dry cleaning expenses.

[Leka]

[QUOTE=Creeker]In the USA, we don't have a Nationalised Police Force. Because of that, we also don't have standardised rank structures that are uniform across the country. For instance in some agencies the Chief Of Police can be called a Colonel, while at others he is simply "Chief of Police".

Sorry, I don't understand. Is there in USA different systems of LE? Every State has different ranks? In Russia we have all the same. We even wear the same patches and same uniform from West to East. So, no big choice for patch collectors.

[mosetti]

I am in a small department. Our Rank structure is:

Officer
Corporal
Sergeant
Senior Sergeant
Lieutenant
Captain
Chief of Police
Resident Manager (kind of like a Police Commisioner)

[jricks]

Yes, there are different agecies for each area of government. My state, Kentucky has the Kentucky State Police which has jurisdiction (power of arrest) in the entire state. The state also has a state Vehicle Enforcement agency, which primarilly deals with trucks and weigh stations. Each city or town has it own department, as does each county in which the city is located.

My agency, one of three in the county has
Patrolman (entry level officer) (4)
Lieutenant (supervisor)(1)
Colonel (Chief of Police)(1)

My former agency had the following structure.
Patrolman
Corporal
Detective
Sergeant
Lieutenant
Major
Lieutenant Colonel (Asst. Chief)
Colonel (Chief)

Each agency has its own patch and uniform color scheme. The highest rank in Kentucky is Colonel, though state agencies do have appointed Commissioners as their head.

Hope that clears some of the confusion up.

[kywildcats]

[QUOTE=Leka]

In the USA, we don't have a Nationalised Police Force. Because of that, we also don't have standardised rank structures that are uniform across the country. For instance in some agencies the Chief Of Police can be called a Colonel, while at others he is simply "Chief of Police".

Sorry, I don't understand. Is there in USA different systems of LE? Every State has different ranks? In Russia we have all the same. We even wear the same patches and same uniform from West to East. So, no big choice for patch collectors.

In America we have Federal Agencies, like the FBI, DEA, CIA, US Marshalls, ATF, etc. Then, each state has a police force usually called the State Police or Highway Patrol (Examples: Kentucky State Police or California Highway Patrol). Most cities also have a police force. In Kentucky, for example, there is the Lexington Police Deparment, the Frankfort Police Department, the Versailles Police Department, the Georgetown Police Department, etc. Then, each county has a Sheriff's Office. The entire county, like Madison County, Fayette County, Scott County, Franklin County would have their own Sheriff's Department that patrols the entire county, not just a city in that county. Each deparment is independant and will have different uniforms and possibly different ranks. The officers would only answer to other officers in their jurisdiction. So a Captain in the Frankfort, Kentucky Police Department, for example, would have no authority over an Officer or Sergeant in the Lexington, Kentucky Police Department.

[Tim Dees]

Sorry, I don't understand. Is there in USA different systems of LE? Every State has different ranks? In Russia we have all the same. We even wear the same patches and same uniform from West to East. So, no big choice for patch collectors.

Leka, most people from other countries, especially those that have national police forces, have trouble understanding this. There are almost 18,000 individual police agencies in the United States. The largest is the New York City Police Department, with around 39,000 officers, and there are over 1000 police and sheriff's departments with only one full-time officer each. 80% of the departments in the United States have fewer than 25 officers.

No two of those departments are exactly the same. They all have different uniforms, pay scales, methods of doing things, and rank structures. However, they are still basically the same. All are governed by the Coonstitution of the United States, and while state laws differ, even these are basically the same. A serious crime (we call these felonies) in one state is still a serious crime in another.

A police lieutenant is whhat is called a "middle manager." Lieutenants usually supervise sergeants, who in turn supervise police officers or deputy sheriffs. Regardless of how much formal education one has, one usually starts his career as a police officer or deputy sheriff, and then has to be promoted at least twice to be a lieutenant.

[PhilipCal]

American Police Ranks

As noted, in the United States, law enforcement is at the Federal(National)State, and Local levels. That can be rather confusing for a person used to a National Police, which the U.S. doesn't have. I am a recently retired State Officer. The Alabama Dept of Public Safety has the following "Arresting Officer" ranks. Trooper. This is the rank at which all Officers enter the Dept. Corporal. This is the first supervisory rank. Sergeant. This rank supervises Corporals and Troopers, and often commands a small post or unit. Lieutenant. This rank supervises Sergeants, Corporals and Troopers. A Lt. often serves as a post or unit commander, or supervises planning and operational staffs. Captain. This rank commands a Highway Patrol Troop, or Alabama Bureau of Investigation District Office. A Capt may also serve as an Assistant Division Chief of one the Departments 6 divisons. Major. this officer is a Division Chief. Divisions are as follows. Administrative, Alabama Bureau of Investigation, Highway Patrol, Service, Protective Services, Driver's License. Lt. Col. There is one Lt. Col. He/she serves as the Assistant Director of the Department. Colonel. This Officer is appointed by the Governor, and directs(commands) the Department of Public Safety.

[Cadet262]

The dept I work at. its

Officer
Corporal
Sergeant
Lutenient
Captain
Assistant Chief
Chief

[hemicop]

Police Ranks

Leka, Tim Dees perhaps explained it best, which makes explaining a Dept's. ranking system so Difficult. In America with no National Police Force it can get quite confusing.My Dept (Phx P.D.) is a city police agency meaning my authority to arrest someone is mainly direceted at arresting someone within my city,although under certain circumstances that can be waived to allow state-wide (within Arizona only)authority. This kind of goes back to a question you once asked " why are American police so different ? and "why are Americans so different ?" ( I'm paraphrasing your question). We simply don't have a system that is all encompassing. We do have Federal (aka National) agencies that are responsible for various Federal laws but their role is investigative and they don't patrol areas like a typical policeman. In my agency we have olice officer,sergeant,lieuetenant, commander (equivilent to a captain) an assistant chief (who oversees a burueau like detectives) and then a chief. The assistant chiefs are appointed by the chief who is appointed by the Town Council,a group of elected civilian officials. The Assistant Chiefs are technically Commanders as they are assigned their "Assistant Chief" position. All members of the Dept. start out as police officer regardless of education & achieve rank by taking competitive tests. All personnel (in theory) can be investigated,demoted even jailed if necessary, but all must start out as police officers.

[Caspertoo]

Recruit Deputy
Deputy
Senior Deputy
Corporal
Detective
Sergeant
Lieutenant
Commander
Chief Deputy
Deputy Sheriff
Sheriff

[Caspertoo]

This line up ignores the branch of Internal Affairs, called "Professional Standards", in which the employees are referred to as "Inspector" and the Chief of them, of course is the "Chief Inspector".

I could think of other names IA or PS is known by

[Creeker]

Yes, I suppose they are at times a necessary evil, however more often than not it seems to me they go to extra means to prove they are needed.