Australian police ranks

Australian police ranks and rank 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 Wales Police 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						Student
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						Student
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						Student
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						Student
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						Student
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						Student
Northern Territory Police[8][9] 2019–present
	Commissioner	Deputy commissioner		Assistant commissioner	Commander		Superintendent				Senior sergeant		Sergeant				Senior constable	Constable first class
	Commissioner				Superintendent			Inspector		Sergeant					Constable						Recruit
Australian Federal Police (ACT Policing)[10][11]
	Commissioner	Deputy commissioner[note 4]	Assistant commissioner		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

Name	Commissioner			Commander	Superintendent		Inspector		Sergeant		Constable
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

Name	Commissioner			Superintendent			Inspector			Sergeant				Constable
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		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

Name	Commissioner			Superintendent		Inspector		Sergeant			Constable
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

Western Australia

1979-2006

Name	Officer Ranks								Non-Commissioned Officer Ranks			Other Ranks
Western Australia Police Force [23]	"crossed batons in a laurel wreath surmounted by a crown, silvered metal. Gorget made of offset silver bullion thread in an oak-leaf pattern with a silver bullion thread button on a royal blue velvet background"	"crossed batons in a laurel wreath surmounted by a star, silvered metal. Gorget is to be identical with the one worn by the Commissioner"	"crossed batons in a laurel wreath, silvered metal. Gorget is to be identical with the one worn by the Commissioner"	"3 small stars surmounted by a crown, silvered metal. Gorget is to be identical with the one worn by the Commissioner"	"2 stars surmounted by a crown, silvered metal. Gorget is to be identical with the one worn by the Commissioner"	"one star surmounted by a crown, silvered metal. Gorget made of silvered pressed metal in an oak-leaf pattern with a silvered metal button on a royal blue velvet background"	"one crown, silvered metal. Gorget made of chrome bar and button on a black velvet background"	"3 stars, silvered metal. Gorget is to be identical with the one worn by a Chief Inspector"	"3 broad chevrons with a crown"	"3 broad chevrons"	"2 broad chevrons separated by a narrow chevron"	"2 narrow chevrons"	"one narrow chevron"	no insignia
	Commissioner	Deputy Commissioner	Assistant Commissioner	Commander	Chief Superintendent	Superintendent	Chief Inspector	Inspector	Senior Sergeant	Sergeant First Class	Sergeant	Senior Constable	Constable First Class	Constable

Notes

1. The ranks of Chief Inspector and Chief Superintendent are no longer used or promotable.
2. The ranks of Chief Inspector and Chief Superintendent are no longer used or promotable.
3. 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
4. Chief of ACT Policing
5. Chief of ACT Policing
6. Sergeant in specific roles as determined by the Commissioner
7. Chief of ACT Policing
8. Sergeant in specific roles as determined by the Commissioner

See also

• Police rank
• Police ranks in Canada
• New Zealand Police ranks
• Police ranks of the United Kingdom