The police in Canada's ranks differ according to the different police forces and depend on different laws at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
editThe rank system of the RCMP is partly a result of their origin as a paramilitary force. Upon its founding on February 1, 1920, the RCMP adopted the rank insignia of the Canadian Army (which in turn came from the British Army), which is almost identical to that of the current Canadian Army. Like in the military, the RCMP also has a distinction between commissioned and non-commissioned officers.[1][2] The non-commissioned ranks are mostly based on military ranks (apart from constable). Non-commissioned officer ranks above staff sergeant resemble those that formerly existed in the Canadian Army but have since been replaced by warrant officers.[3] The commissioned officer ranks, by contrast, use a set of non-military titles that are often used in Commonwealth police services. The number of higher ranks, like chief superintendent and a deputy commissioner, has been added to and increased since the formation of the force, while the lower commissioned rank of sub-inspector has been dropped.
- Officers
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 Royal Canadian Mounted Police[4] |
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| Commissioner | Deputy commissioner | Assistant commissioner | Chief superintendent | Superintendent | Inspector | |||||||||||
| Commissaire | Sous-commissaire | Commissaire adjoint | Surintendant principal | Surintendant | Inspecteur | |||||||||||
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- Others
| Non-commissioned officers | Constables | Depot | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Royal Canadian Mounted Police[4] |
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| Corps sergeant major | Sergeant major | Staff sergeant major | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Corporal | Constable | Cadet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sergent-major du corps | Sergent-major | Sergent-major d'état major | Sergent d'état-major | Sergent | Caporal | Gendarme | Cadet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Parliamentary Protective Service
editThe PPS uses a similar ranks system to the RCMP, with the director being a chief superintendent on secondment from the RCMP.[5] The officer-in-charge of PPS operations holds the rank of superintendent, team managers hold the rank of sergeant, supervisors hold the rank of corporal, and officers with no leadership responsibility hold the rank of constable.[6][7]
Alberta
editAlberta Sheriffs Branch
editPeace officer ranks for the Alberta Sheriffs Branch:[8]
| Ranks | Chief sheriff | Deputy chief | Superintendent | Inspector | Branch sergeant major | Sergeant | Sheriff III FTO | Sheriff III | Sheriff II | Sheriff I |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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No insignia | No insignia |  |
Calgary Police Service
edit| Rank | Chief | Deputy chief | Superintendent | Inspector | Regimental sergeant major | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Senior constable level 2 | Senior constable level 1 | Constable (classes 1 to 5) | Auxiliary (non-sworn) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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No insignia | No insignia |
| Slip-on | Slip-on | Slip-on | Slip-on | Arm patch | Arm patch | Arm patch | Arm patch | Arm patch |
Edmonton Police Service
edit| Ranks[9] | Chief of police | Deputy chief | Superintendent | Inspector | Corps sergeant major | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Senior constable | Constable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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No insignia |
Lethbridge Police Service
edit| Ranks | Chief of police | Deputy chief | Inspector | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Senior constable | Constable |
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No insignia |
British Columbia
editBritish Columbia Sheriff Service
edit| Ranks[10] | Chief sheriff | Deputy chief | Superintendent | Staff inspector | Inspector | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Deputy sheriff | Recruit sheriff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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British Columbia Conservation Officer Service
edit- Chief conservation officer
- Deputy chief conservation officer
- Inspector
- Staff sergeant
- Sergeant
- Conservation officer
British Columbia Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement
editNo traditional ranking system outside of the ceremonial unit is in place.
- Departmental sergeant major -
- Troop sergeant - three chevrons
- - one chevron
Metro Vancouver Transit Police
edit| Rank | Chief officer | Deputy chief officer | Superintendent | Inspector | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Constable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insignia | |
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New Westminster Police Department
edit| Rank | Chief constable | Deputy chief constable | Superintendent Major | Superintendent | Inspector | Staff Sergeant | Sergeant | Corporal | First class constable qualified | First class constable | Second class constable | Third class constable | Fourth class constable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Vancouver Police Department
edit| Rank[11] | Chief constable | Deputy chief constable | Superintendent | Inspector | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Police constable 1st class/detective | Police constable 2nd class | Police constable 3rd class | Police constable 4th class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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- Special municipal constable (traffic authority/jail guard/community safety personnel)
Manitoba
editWinnipeg Police Service
edit| Rank | Chief of police | Deputy chief of police | Superintendent | Inspector | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Detective sergeant / patrol sergeant | Senior constable | Constable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insignia |  |
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New Brunswick
editThis section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (September 2020) |
Newfoundland and Labrador
editRoyal Newfoundland Constabulary
editThe Royal Newfoundland Constabulary is the provincial police service for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
| Rank | Commanding officers | Senior officers | Police officers | Officers in training | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief constable | Deputy chief | Superintendent | Inspector | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Constable | Cadet | |
| Insignia |  |
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High Sheriff of Newfoundland and Labrador
editThe Office of the High Sheriff of Newfoundland and Labrador is a provincial law enforcement agency in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Founded in 1729, it is the oldest law enforcement agency in Canada.
- High sheriff
- Sub-sheriff
- Deputy sheriff II
- Deputy sheriff I
- Bailiff
Northwest Territories
editThis section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (September 2020) |
Nova Scotia
editNova Scotia uses Sheriffs.[12]
Nunavut
editThis section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (September 2020) |
Ontario
editOntario Provincial Police
editRank structure within the Ontario Provincial Police is paramilitary or quasi-military in nature, with several "non-commissioned" ranks leading to the "officer" ranks. Detective ranks fall laterally with the uniform ranks and is not a promotion above. Police constables in the OPP are uniquely known as "provincial constables."[13]
| Rank | Commissioner | Deputy commissioner | Chief superintendent | Superintendent | Inspector | Sergeant major | Staff sergeant / Detective staff sergeant | Sergeant / Detective sergeant | Provincial constable / Detective constable 1st to 4th class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insignia
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| Title | Special constable | Special constable | Auxiliary constable |
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| Notes | GHQ security, Queen's Park security | Digital forensics, forensic investigators, court security, offender transport | Auxiliary policing program |
Historic now defunct ranks:
- Staff superintendent
- Divisional inspector
- Cadet
Toronto Police Service and York Regional Police
editThe rank insignia of the Toronto Police Service is similar to that used by police services elsewhere in Canada and in the United Kingdom, except that the usual "pips" are replaced by maple leaves. The St. Edward's Crown is found on insignia of staff sergeant, all superintendent ranks and all commanding officer ranks. The same rank insignia are also used by the York Regional Police.[14]
| Rank | Commanding officers | Senior officers | Police officers | Officers in training | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief of police | Deputy chief of police | Staff superintendent | Superintendent | Staff inspector | Inspector | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Constable | Cadet | |
| Insignia
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Shoulder boards not used for these ranks | |||
Ottawa Police Service
edit| Rank | Commanding officers | Senior officers | Police officers | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief of police | Deputy chief of police | Superintendent | Inspector | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | First class constable | Second class constable | Third class constable | Fourth class constable | |
| Insignia
(slip-on) |
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Peel Regional Police
edit| Rank | Commanding officers | Senior officers | Police officers | Recruits | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief of police | Deputy chief of police | Staff superintendent | Superintendent | Staff inspector (not currently in use) | Inspector | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Senior police constable | Police constable first class | Police constable second class | Police constable third class | Police constable fourth class | Police cadet | |
| Insignia
(slip-on) |
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No insignia | |||
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Shoulder boards not used for these ranks | |||||||
| Rank | Special constables | |
|---|---|---|
| Special constable supervisor | Special constable | |
| Insignia
(slip-on) |
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Kingston Police
edit| Rank | Commanding officers | Senior officers | Police officers | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief of police | Deputy chief of police | Superintendent | Staff Inspector | Inspector | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Senior police constable | Constable | |
| Insignia
(slip-on) |
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Cobourg Police Service
edit| Rank | Commanding officers | Senior officers | Police officers | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief of police | Deputy chief of police | Inspector | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Constable | |
| Insignia | |
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Shoulder boards are not used for these ranks. | ||
Durham Regional Police Service
edit- Chief of police
- Deputy chief
- Chief administrative officer
- Superintendent
- Inspector
- Detective sergeant
- Staff sergeant
- Detective
- Sergeant
- Detective constable
- Senior constable
- Constable - 1st class
- Constable - 2nd class
- Constable - 3rd class
- Constable - 4th class
- Special court constables
Halton Regional Police Service
edit- Chief of police
- Deputy chief
- Superintendent
- Inspector
- Staff sergeant / detective sergeant
- Sergeant / detective
- Police constable / detective constable
Waterloo Regional Police Service
edit- Chief of police (crown and three maple leaves)
- Deputy chief (crown and two maple leaves)
- Superintendent (crown)
- Inspector (two maple leaves)
- Staff sergeant (crown and three chevrons)
- Sergeant (three chevrons)
- Constable
West Grey Police
edit- Chief of police
- Inspector
- Sergeant / Detective
- Special Constable
- Constable
- Auxiliary constable
Prince Edward Island
editThis section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (September 2020) |
Quebec
editSûreté du Québec
edit| Ranks of Sûreté du Québec[15][16] | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General staff officers | Officers | Sub-Officers | Agents | |||||
| Directeur general | Directeur adjoint | Inspecteur chef | Inspecteur | Capitaine | Lieutenant | Sergent | Chef d'equipe | Agent |
| Director general of the SQ | Associate director | Chief inspector | Inspector | Captain | Lieutenant | Sergeant | Team leader | Constable |
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No insignia |
Kativik Regional Police
editRanks and insignia of the Kativik Regional Police Force are similar to those of Sûreté du Québec.
| Ranks of Kativik Regional Police | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Officers | Sub-Officers | Agents
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| Chef | Chef deputé | Capitaine | Sergent | Agent | ||||
| Chief | Deputy Chief | Captain | Sergeant | Constable | ||||
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Service de police de la Ville de Montréal
editRanks of the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal:[17]
- Director (directeur)
- Associate director (directeur-adjoint)
- Assistant director (assistant-directeur)
- Chief inspector (inspecteur chef)
- Inspector (inspecteur)
- Commander (commandant de quartier)
- Lieutenant / detective lieutenant (lieutenant/lieutenant détective)
- Quarter sergeant (sergent de quartier)
- Sergeant / detective sergeant (sergent/sergent détective)
- Senior constable (agent sénior)
- Constable (agent)
Service de police de la Ville de Laval
edit- Director (directeur)
- Associate director (directeur-adjoint)
- Assistant director (assistant-directeur)
- Chief inspector (inspecteur chef)
- Inspector (inspecteur)
- Lieutenant / detective lieutenant (lieutenant/lieutenant détective)
- Sergeant / detective sergeant (sergent/sergent détective)
- Constable (agent)
Service de police de la Ville de Québec
edit- Director (directeur)
- Associate director (directeur-adjoint)
- Lieutenant (lieutenant)
- Sergeant (sergent)
- Constable (agent)
Saskatchewan
editRegina Police Service Ranks
editThe Regina Police Service Ranks is a police force in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan that has the following ranks:
- Chief of police
- Deputy chief
- Commissioner of police
- Assistant commissioner
- Inspector
- Sergeant
- Corporal
- Constable
Saskatoon Police Service
edit- Chief
- Deputy chief
- Superintendent
- Inspector
- Staff sergeant
- Sergeant
- Constable
- Special constable
Weyburn Police Service
editThe Weyburn Police Service is a Canadian Police Service in the Province of Saskatchewan.
- Chief constable
- Deputy chief
- Sergeant
- Corporal
- Constable
Yukon
editThis section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (September 2020) |
Specialized police services
editNiagara Parks Police Service
edit- Chief of police
- Inspector
- Sergeant
- Constable
- Communications officer
- Provincial offences officer
Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service
editThe Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service (NAPS) is the police agency for Nishnawbe-Aski Nation (NAN).
- Chief of police
- Deputy chief
- Regional inspector / regional commander
- Administrative sergeant
- Staff sergeant
- Sergeant (detective sergeant, road sergeant)
- Constable (detective constable)
Transit Enforcement Unit
editThe Transit Enforcement Unit (TEU; formerly known as the Special Constable Services Department) is the transit law enforcement and corporate security unit of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) in Toronto.
- Chief special constable
- Staff sergeant (patrol / system security / fare inspection / training and logistical support)
- Sergeant (patrol / fare inspection / training and logistical support)
- Special constable (patrol)
- Protective services guard (security / revenue protection)
- Fare inspector (provincial offences officer)
University of Toronto Campus Community Police Service
edit- Director
- Associate director
- Staff sergeant
- Sergeant (rank currently not in use)
- Corporal (platoon / shift supervisor)
- Special constables / constables (1st to 4th class)
- Building patroller (security guard, not designated special constables)
Auxiliary police
editDifferent Canadian auxiliary police programs use various ranks, including some of the following:
Former police forces
editAlberta Provincial Police
editThe Alberta Provincial Police was a police force active in Alberta, Canada, from 1917 until 1932.
- Commissioner
- Superintendent
- Assistant superintendent
- Inspector
- Detective
- Sergeant
- Constable
Newfoundland Ranger Force
editThe Newfoundland Ranger Force was the police force of the Dominion of Newfoundland before its confederation with Canada.
- Chief ranger
- Lieutenant
- Inspector
- Staff sergeant
- Sergeant
- Corporal
- Ranger 1st class
- Ranger 2nd class
- Ranger 3rd class
North-West Mounted Police
edit| 1870–1900 | Commissioner | Deputy commissioner | Assistant commissioner | Chief superintendent | Superintendent | Inspector | Sub-inspector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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-Collar_Insignia.svg) |
-Collar_Insignia.svg) |
-Collar_Insignia.svg) |
-Collar_Insignia.svg) |
| Other ranks | |||||
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| 1870s | Chief constable[19] | Staff constable[20] | Constable[19] | Sub-constable | |
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| 1880s–1890s | Sergeant major[21] | Staff sergeant[22] | Sergeant[23] | Corporal | Constable |
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| 1900s | Sergeant major | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Corporal | Constable |
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References
edit- ^ "Organizational structure - Royal Canadian Mounted Police". Rcmp-grc.gc.ca. 13 March 2017. Archived from the original on 28 February 2009. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
- ^ "Ranks of the Force". Royal Canadian Mounted Police. 21 May 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- ^ "Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP¨) / Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) / Gendarmerie royale du Canada (GRC)". uniforminsignia.org.
- ^ a b "Ranks of the Force". rcmp-grc.gc.ca. Royal Canadian Mounted Police. 21 May 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- ^ "The Service". Parliamentary Protective Service.
- ^ "MEDIA AVAILABILITY - 2021 International Women's Day". Newswire. 1 March 2021.
- ^ "Agreement Between the Parliamentary Protective Service and the Senate Protective Service Employees Association" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 March 2023.
- ^ "Sub 3 - Sheriff, Security and Transport". Chr.alberta.ca. 5 December 2014. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
- ^ a b "2008 Edmonton Police Service and Edmonton Police Commission - Annual Report to the Community". 2008. Archived from the original on 11 June 2010.
- ^ "Deputy Sheriff Career Opportunities". gov.bc.ca. Government of British Columbia. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
- ^ a b "The Job | Vancouver Police Department". Vancouver.ca. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
- ^ "Sheriff Services". novascotia.ca.
- ^ "OPP Ranks". Retrieved 27 July 2021.
- ^ Toronto Police Service. "Toronto Police Service :: To Serve and Protect". Torontopolice.on.ca. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2010.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Grades à la Sûreté du Québec" [Ranks at the Sûreté du Québec]. Sûreté du Québec (in French). Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- ^ "Discover police work - Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal". SPVM. 15 February 2017. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
- ^ "Uniform". Retrieved January 25, 2021.
- ^ a b "Earliest Known Picture, 1874". Retrieved January 25, 2021.
- ^ "Staff Sergeant in Undress, 1879". Retrieved January 25, 2021.
- ^ "Sergeant-Major in Undress, 1890". Retrieved January 25, 2021.
- ^ "Staff Sergeant in Full Dress, 1886". Retrieved January 25, 2021.
- ^ Jack L. Summers; Renee Chartrand. "History and Uniform of the North West Mounted Police, 1873–1904". Retrieved January 25, 2021.