Police are always for the protection and welfare of people and to maintain law and order in the country. Australian police hierarchy is quite similar to US police hierarchy, arranged in a specific layout of ranks.
Normally all the states of Australia follow this specific hierarchy which is described in this article. The general insignia of ranks of police ranks of Australia are portrayed on an epaulette in italics and brackets. The Australian police hierarchy is described from the highest rank to the lower one as below with a brief description of all the ranks:
Commissioned Police Ranks
Highest level in the Australian police hierarchy is commissioned police ranks. This level is further sub categorized into five sub categories which are briefly explained as below:
v Deputy Commissioner– The highest rank in Australian police hierarchy is deputy commissioner. The insignia is denoted by two batons crossed below a pip. All the police ranks report to this officer.
v Assistant Commissioner– Subordinate to deputy commissioner is this rank, a high commissioned police rank with an insignia of two crossed batons.
v Commander – Mid level commissioned police rank. The personnel appointed on this rank are responsible for overall supervision of security operations or any special police operations.
v Superintendent– A lower level commissioned officer rank with an insignia of a crown over a pip.
v Inspector – The lowest rank in the commissioned officer ranks is of inspector rank with three pips as insignia.
Non- Commissioned Police Ranks
The second highest level in Australian police hierarchy is non – commissioned police ranks. This rank is further sub categorized which is described as below with a brief explanation:
v Senior Non – Commissioned Police Ranks–Highest non – commissioned police rank and further sub categorized as below:
- Senior Sergeant – The top most rank among non – commissioned police officers in this hierarchy with insignia of three chevrons, crown and surmounted by a laurel wreath.
- Sergeant – A senior level non – commissioned police officer with an insignia of three chevrons and subordinate to senior sergeant.
v Junior Non – Commissioned Police Ranks – Subordinate to senior non – commissioned police rank is junior non commissioned police ranks. This is basically a group of constabulary ranks which comprises of all the officers at constable ranking. This rank is further sub categorized in three sub divisions which are described as below with brief explanation:
- Senior Constable–Subordinate to sergeant police rank with an insignia of two chevrons. This rank is the highest rank in junior non – commissioned police ranks.
- Constable – With an insignia of one chevron, a lower level non – commissioned police officer.
- Probationary Constable – The lowest level non – commissioned police officer in the Australian police hierarchy. Insignia denoted by a blank epaulette.
Recruit / Cadet
The lowest rank in the Australian police hierarchy is the students under training referred as cadet or recruits. They are not provided with any insignia.
Know more about New South Wales Police Hierarchy Click Here