Police Ranks in England and Wales

The police rank structure in England and Wales is established by the Police Act 1996 and the Police Regulations 2003. The structure is largely uniform across all 43 territorial forces, though specialist ranks exist in some forces and in organisations such as the British Transport Police and the Ministry of Defence Police.

The ranks, from lowest to highest, are: Constable, Sergeant, Inspector, Chief Inspector, Superintendent, Chief Superintendent, Assistant Chief Constable (ACC), Deputy Chief Constable (DCC), and Chief Constable. In the Metropolitan Police, the equivalent of Chief Constable is Commissioner, with the additional rank of Deputy Commissioner. The City of London Police uses the same structure but is headed by a Commissioner. Ranks at ACC level and above are often referred to as "chief officer" ranks.

Every officer begins as a Constable and holds the office of constable throughout their career, regardless of rank. The office of constable confers the powers of arrest, search, and other statutory authorities: these are powers of the office, not delegated from a superior. A Constable has the same legal powers as a Chief Constable. Promotion through the ranks is by competitive process: officers must pass promotion examinations (the National Police Promotion Framework, or NPPF) and assessment centres.

Sergeants supervise teams of constables and take on the custody officer role. Inspectors lead larger teams and authorise certain powers (such as intimate searches and extended searches). Chief Inspectors manage operational units. Superintendents have significant command responsibilities and authorise a range of powers including section 60 authorisations and extensions of pre-charge bail. Chief Superintendents typically lead large commands (such as a borough in the Met or a division in other forces). ACCs, DCCs, and Chief Constables lead the force at strategic level, with the Chief Constable having overall operational command and being accountable to the Police and Crime Commissioner.