Police commissioner
Encyclopedia
Commissioner is a senior rank used in many police forces and may be rendered Police Commissioner or Commissioner of Police. In some organizations, the commissioner is a political appointee, and may or may not actually be a professional police officer
. In these circumstances, there is often a professional chief of police
in charge of day-to-day operations. Usually, however, the commissioner is the professional head of the organization.
In police services in the Commonwealth and the USA, the title of commissioner typically designates the head of an entire police force. In some countries, such as in many Latin American countries and in France, the title of commissioner is more junior and instead refers to the head of a single police station (similar to Chief Superintendents in the Commonwealth).
, which during the Gold Rush
had a Commissioner for both the Metropolitan Area and the Goldfields. The rank of Chief Commissioner was introduced to provide a single head of the Police and, despite the disappearance of the rank of Commissioner, nowadays the second highest rank is Deputy Commissioner, the title of Chief Commissioner for the head of Victoria Police has remained since.
The rank insignia of a Commissioner in the Australian Federal Police
and the New South Wales Police Force is a crown over a star and crossed and wreathed tipstaves, similar to the insignia of a full General in the army. In all other forces, the insignia is a crown over crossed and wreathed tipstaves, similar to the insignia of a Lieutenant-General in the army.
and of the Ontario Provincial Police
holds the rank of Commissioner.
In the province of Alberta, the Police Act requires the municipality to appoint Police Commissioners that are required to provide public oversight of the Police. In Alberta's Capital city, Edmonton, there are nine Commissioners including two city councilors and seven city appointed members. More details of Edmonton's Police Commission can be found at www.edmontonpolicecommission.com.
and other French-speaking
countries, commissioner (commissaire
) is a lower rank equating approximately to the British police rank
of Superintendent
. Above it is the rank of Principal Commissioner, and above that is the rank of Divisional Commissioner.
officer of Director General of Police
rank (three-star rank) although a police commissioner of a city may be of Additional Director General (three-star rank), Inspector General of Police (two-star rank) or Deputy Inspector General of Police
(one-star rank).
, there are four levels of commissioners: Police Grand Commissioner (Komisaris Besar Polisi), Police Grand Commissioner Adjutant
(Ajun Komisaris Besar Polisi), Police Commissioner (Komisaris Polisi), and Police Commissioner Adjutant
(Ajun Komisaris Polisi). Due to strong military influence in its history, even now Police ranks can be compared to the ranks of the Indonesian military. Four commissioner ranks above may be considered equivalent to the Indonesian military ranks
of Colonel
, Lieutenant Colonel
, Major
, and Captain
, respectively.
, a commissioner (commissario) is the superintendent of a commissariato, a Police station/detachment that can either serve an entire township
of small or middle dimensions, or a limited area in a metropolitan city.
of the armed forces.
, similarly to the French Police, the rank of commissioner (comisar) is equivalent to the British police rank of Superintendent (see also Romanian Police Ranks).
of certain police forces. The two currently surviving titles are the Commissioner of the City of London Police
and the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
. Both Commissioners are appointed, not elected, and since the 1950s have been career police officers (as opposed to the previous practice of appointing former British Army
officers). Although they were technically justices of the peace
until the 1970s, the Commissioners have always worn a similar uniform to police officers, and have been treated similarly in terms of pay and terms of service.
One of the pledges the Conservative party
included in their manifesto for the 2010 general election was a plan to introduce a 'directly elected Police Commissioner' for all English and Welsh police forces. The plan continued to feature in the Conservative – Liberal Democrat coalition agreement
made after the election, and the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill 2010-11 proposes the introduction of "police and crime commissioners".
s, the sheriff
fills the same function as a police commissioner. For example in Las Vegas, Nevada
the elected county
sheriff heads a combined county-municipal Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
(created via a 1975 merger of the Clark County Sheriff's Department and the former Las Vegas Police Department
). Four (likely more) other U.S. police agencies use the title "Commissioner" for its highest-ranking official include the New York City Police Department
(where Raymond Kelly is, , the titleholder), the Philadelphia Police Department
(where Charles Ramsey
is, , the titleholder) the California Highway Patrol
(Joe Farrow) and the Baltimore City Police Department (where Frederick H. Bealefeld III
is commissioner)
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
. In these circumstances, there is often a professional chief of police
Chief of police
A Chief of Police is the title typically given to the top official in the chain of command of a police department, particularly in North America. Alternate titles for this position include Commissioner, Superintendent, and Chief constable...
in charge of day-to-day operations. Usually, however, the commissioner is the professional head of the organization.
In police services in the Commonwealth and the USA, the title of commissioner typically designates the head of an entire police force. In some countries, such as in many Latin American countries and in France, the title of commissioner is more junior and instead refers to the head of a single police station (similar to Chief Superintendents in the Commonwealth).
Australia
In most states and territories of Australia, the highest ranking Police Officer is a commissioner, aside from VictoriaVictoria Police
Victoria Police is the primary law enforcement agency of Victoria, Australia. , the Victoria Police has over 12,190 sworn members, along with over 400 recruits, reservists and Protective Service Officers, and over 2,900 civilian staff across 393 police stations.-Early history:The Victoria Police...
, which during the Gold Rush
Victorian gold rush
The Victorian gold rush was a period in the history of Victoria, Australia approximately between 1851 and the late 1860s. In 10 years the Australian population nearly tripled.- Overview :During this era Victoria dominated the world's gold output...
had a Commissioner for both the Metropolitan Area and the Goldfields. The rank of Chief Commissioner was introduced to provide a single head of the Police and, despite the disappearance of the rank of Commissioner, nowadays the second highest rank is Deputy Commissioner, the title of Chief Commissioner for the head of Victoria Police has remained since.
The rank insignia of a Commissioner in the Australian Federal Police
Australian Federal Police
The Australian Federal Police is the federal police agency of the Commonwealth of Australia. Although the AFP was created by the amalgamation in 1979 of three Commonwealth law enforcement agencies, it traces its history from Commonwealth law enforcement agencies dating back to the federation of...
and the New South Wales Police Force is a crown over a star and crossed and wreathed tipstaves, similar to the insignia of a full General in the army. In all other forces, the insignia is a crown over crossed and wreathed tipstaves, similar to the insignia of a Lieutenant-General in the army.
Canada
In Canada, the highest ranking officer of the Royal Canadian Mounted PoliceRoyal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
and of the Ontario Provincial Police
Ontario Provincial Police
The Ontario Provincial Police is the Provincial Police service for the province of Ontario, Canada.-Overview:The OPP is the the largest deployed police force in Ontario, and the second largest in Canada. The service is responsible for providing policing services throughout the province in areas...
holds the rank of Commissioner.
In the province of Alberta, the Police Act requires the municipality to appoint Police Commissioners that are required to provide public oversight of the Police. In Alberta's Capital city, Edmonton, there are nine Commissioners including two city councilors and seven city appointed members. More details of Edmonton's Police Commission can be found at www.edmontonpolicecommission.com.
Kenya
In Kenya, the top-ranked police officer is the Commissioner of Police who is appointed by the President. The commissioner of police is charged with the overall administrative management of the police force under the established standing orders. Consequently, the commissioner reports directly to the President and is also a member of the national security council chaired by the President. Under the Commissioner of Police are several formation commanders who control the various arms of the Kenya Police Force such as the General Service Unit, the Crimimal Invesitations Department, the Police Operations etc.France
In the police of FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and other French-speaking
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
countries, commissioner (commissaire
Commissaire de police
Commissaire de police is a rank in the French National Police. Every commune with a population of more than 30,000-50,000 has a commissaire in charge of its police force and larger communes have more than one...
) is a lower rank equating approximately to the British police rank
UK police ranks
Most of the police forces of the United Kingdom use a standardised set of ranks, with a slight variation in the most senior ranks for Greater London's Metropolitan Police Service and the City of London Police...
of Superintendent
Superintendent (police)
Superintendent , often shortened to "super", is a rank in British police services and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries the full version is superintendent of police...
. Above it is the rank of Principal Commissioner, and above that is the rank of Divisional Commissioner.
India
In Indian Police, a commissioner of state police is held by an Indian Police ServiceIndian Police Service
The Indian Police Service , simply known as Indian Police or IPS, is one of the three All India Services of the Government of India...
officer of Director General of Police
Director General of Police
In India the director general of police or inspector general of police is a three-star rank and the highest ranking police officer in Indian States & Union Territories. All DGPs/IGPs are Indian Police Service officers. The DGP/IGP is usually the head of the state police force in every Indian state...
rank (three-star rank) although a police commissioner of a city may be of Additional Director General (three-star rank), Inspector General of Police (two-star rank) or Deputy Inspector General of Police
Deputy Inspector General of Police
A deputy inspector general of police is a high ranking senior police officer in several countries.- India :Deputy inspector general of police or additional commissioner of police is a one-star rank in the Indian Police Service...
(one-star rank).
Indonesia
In the Indonesian National PoliceIndonesian National Police
The Indonesian National Police is the official police force for Indonesia. It had formerly been a part of the Tentara Nasional Indonesia. The police were formally separated from the military in April 1999, a process which was formally completed in July 2000. With 150,000 personnel, the police form...
, there are four levels of commissioners: Police Grand Commissioner (Komisaris Besar Polisi), Police Grand Commissioner Adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
(Ajun Komisaris Besar Polisi), Police Commissioner (Komisaris Polisi), and Police Commissioner Adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
(Ajun Komisaris Polisi). Due to strong military influence in its history, even now Police ranks can be compared to the ranks of the Indonesian military. Four commissioner ranks above may be considered equivalent to the Indonesian military ranks
Indonesian military ranks
The Indonesian Military uses a simplified ranking system for the three branches of Indonesian Army, Indonesian Navy and Indonesian Air Force. Most of the ranks are similar with differentiations for the rank titles of the high-ranking officers. Exception exists, however, in the ranks of the service...
of Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
, Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
, Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
, and Captain
Captain (OF-2)
The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery...
, respectively.
Italy
In the Italian PolicePolizia di Stato
The Polizia di Stato is one of the national police forces of Italy.It is the main police force for providing police duties and it is also responsible for patrolling motorways , railways , airports , customs as well as certain waterways, and assisting the local police...
, a commissioner (commissario) is the superintendent of a commissariato, a Police station/detachment that can either serve an entire township
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
of small or middle dimensions, or a limited area in a metropolitan city.
Poland
In Poland, a commissioner (komisarz) is a relatively low rank, directly above podkomisarz and below nadkomisarz, comparable to lieutenantLieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
of the armed forces.
Romania
In the Romanian PoliceRomanian Police
The Romanian Police is the national police force and main civil law enforcement agency in Romania. It is subordinated to the Ministry of Interior and Administrative Reform.-Duties:The Romanian Police are responsible for:...
, similarly to the French Police, the rank of commissioner (comisar) is equivalent to the British police rank of Superintendent (see also Romanian Police Ranks).
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, the title Commissioner has historically referred to the professional chief police officerChief police officer
Chief police officer is a phrase used in the United Kingdom to describe the position held by the most senior police officer in a police force. It refers to either one of the 53 Chief Constables, the Commissioner of the City of London Police or the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. Such...
of certain police forces. The two currently surviving titles are the Commissioner of the City of London Police
City of London Police
The City of London Police is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement within the City of London, England, including the Middle and Inner Temple. The service responsible for law enforcement within the rest of Greater London is the Metropolitan Police Service, a separate...
and the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis is the head of London's Metropolitan Police Service, classing the holder as a chief police officer...
. Both Commissioners are appointed, not elected, and since the 1950s have been career police officers (as opposed to the previous practice of appointing former British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officers). Although they were technically justices of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
until the 1970s, the Commissioners have always worn a similar uniform to police officers, and have been treated similarly in terms of pay and terms of service.
One of the pledges the Conservative party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
included in their manifesto for the 2010 general election was a plan to introduce a 'directly elected Police Commissioner' for all English and Welsh police forces. The plan continued to feature in the Conservative – Liberal Democrat coalition agreement
Conservative – Liberal Democrat Coalition Agreement
The Conservative – Liberal Democrat Coalition Agreement was a policy document drawn up following the 2010 general election in the United Kingdom...
made after the election, and the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill 2010-11 proposes the introduction of "police and crime commissioners".
United States
In some U.S. stateU.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
s, the sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
fills the same function as a police commissioner. For example in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
the elected county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
sheriff heads a combined county-municipal Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is a joint city-county police force for the City of Las Vegas and Clark County, Nevada. It is run by the Sheriff of Clark County, elected every four years. The current Sheriff of Clark County is Douglas C...
(created via a 1975 merger of the Clark County Sheriff's Department and the former Las Vegas Police Department
Las Vegas Police Department
Las Vegas Police Department has been used in several places including:*Former Las Vegas Police Department - Merged with the Clark County Sheriffs Department creating the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department in 1973....
). Four (likely more) other U.S. police agencies use the title "Commissioner" for its highest-ranking official include the New York City Police Department
New York City Police Department
The New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City...
(where Raymond Kelly is, , the titleholder), the Philadelphia Police Department
Philadelphia Police Department
The Philadelphia Police Department is the police agency responsible for law enforcement and investigations within the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
(where Charles Ramsey
Charles Ramsey
Charles Ramsey may refer to:* Charles H. Ramsey, police commissioner*Charles Ramsey , head coach of the Eastern Michigan Eagles men's basketball team from 2005–2011*Charles Frederic Ramsey, record producer...
is, , the titleholder) the California Highway Patrol
California Highway Patrol
The California Highway Patrol is a law enforcement agency of the U.S. state of California. The CHP has patrol jurisdiction over all California highways and also acts as the state police....
(Joe Farrow) and the Baltimore City Police Department (where Frederick H. Bealefeld III
Frederick H. Bealefeld III
Frederick H. Bealefeld III is the current police commissioner of the Baltimore Police Department.-References:...
is commissioner)
See also
- SheriffSheriffA sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
- Chief Constable (UK)Chief ConstableChief constable is the rank used by the chief police officer of every territorial police force in the United Kingdom except for the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police, as well as the chief officers of the three 'special' national police forces, the British Transport Police, Ministry...
- Chief of police (United States & Canada)Chief of policeA Chief of Police is the title typically given to the top official in the chain of command of a police department, particularly in North America. Alternate titles for this position include Commissioner, Superintendent, and Chief constable...
- Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (Greater London)Commissioner of Police of the MetropolisThe Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis is the head of London's Metropolitan Police Service, classing the holder as a chief police officer...
- Commissioner of Police for the City of London
- Commissioner of Police (Hong Kong)Commissioner of Police (Hong Kong)The commissioner of police heads the Hong Kong Police Force and reports to the secretary for security.-Chiefs of the police force:The commissioner is the current head of the Hong Kong Police.*Chief magistrates**1841 – Captain William Caine...
- Police Commissioner of MumbaiPolice Commissioner of MumbaiThe Police Commissioner of Mumbai is the chief of the Mumbai Police. The commissioner is appointed by the Maharashtra State Government. The headquarters are opposite Crawford Market in South Mumbai. The commissioner is an Indian Police Service officer....
- Police Commissioner of New DelhiPolice Commissioner of New DelhiThe commissioner system in New Delhi, the capital of India was started in 1978, with J.N.Chaturvedi being appointed as the first Police Commissioner. It replaced the earlier Inspector General of Police system, where the Inspector General of police would report to the Chief Secretary, thus having a...
- Commissioner of Police (New Zealand)Commissioner of Police (New Zealand)The Commissioner of Police is the head of the New Zealand Police. The Commissioner is appointed for a three-year term by the Governor-General, and reports to the Minister of Police. The position combines two functions, that of chief constable in charge of policing and cases, and chief executive...
- Commissioner of Police (Singapore)Commissioner of Police (Singapore)The Commissioner of Police is the top-ranking police officer of the Singapore Police Force. Assisted by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, he reports to the Minister for Home Affairs....
- Police Commissioner (New York City)New York City Police CommissionerThe New York City Police Commissioner is the head of the New York City Police Department, appointed by the Mayor of New York City. Governor Theodore Roosevelt, in one of his final acts before becoming Vice President of the United States in March 1901, signed legislation replacing the Police Board...
- Commissaire de policeCommissaire de policeCommissaire de police is a rank in the French National Police. Every commune with a population of more than 30,000-50,000 has a commissaire in charge of its police force and larger communes have more than one...