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Superintendent (Supt), 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 (SP). The rank is also still used in the former British Colony of Hong Kong.

Contents 1 Australia 2 India 3 Ireland 4 United Kingdom 4.1 Metropolitan Police 4.2 Other British forces 5 United States 6 References

In Australia, the rank of superintendent is the next senior rank from Inspector and is less senior than a Commander (Victoria Police, South Australia Police) or an Assistant Commissioner (New South Wales Police, Queensland Police). Some officers also hold the rank of Chief Superintendent (though this is seldom used) and Detective Superintendent. Superintendents wear an epaulette bearing one pip below a crown and wear police caps with a laurel wreath across the brim to indicate seniority.

In India, a District Superintendent of Police (DSP) heads the police force of a district. Superintendents of Police are officers of the Indian Police Service. Their rank badge is the State Emblem above one star, although those selected for higher rank or with fifteen or more years' service wear the State Emblem above two stars^[1]. The rank below is Assistant Superintendent, while the various grades of Inspector-General are above.

In the Republic of Ireland the rank of Superintendent is between Inspector and Chief Superintendent. There are usually two or three assigned to each division. Detectives use the "Detective" prefix. There were 178 Superintendents in An Garda Siochana at the beginning of 2006.

The rank of Superintendent is senior to Chief Inspector and junior to Chief Superintendent. The rank badge is a crown worn on the epaulettes, the same as a Major in the British Army.

A Superintendent usually serves as deputy to a Basic Command Unit commander (usually a Chief Superintendent).

The rank of Superintendent was introduced at the foundation of the Metropolitan Police in 1829. Each division was commanded by a Superintendent. The rank below Superintendent was originally Inspector until the introduction of Chief Inspector in 1868. Originally, only the Commissioners held a higher rank than Superintendent (and they were not sworn police officers). In 1839, Captain William Hay was appointed to the new rank of Inspecting Superintendent, replaced by Assistant Commissioner in 1856. The rank of Chief Constable was introduced between Superintendent and Assistant Commissioner in 1886.

The rank of Superintendent was also adopted in the Detective Branch (later the Criminal Investigation Department) from 1868, when Adolphus Williamson, the first head of the branch, was promoted to the rank.

In 1949, Metropolitan Police Superintendents were regraded to the new rank of Chief Superintendent, Chief Inspectors were regraded to Superintendent, and Sub-Divisional Inspectors and Divisional Detective Inspectors were regraded to Chief Inspector (with those ranks being abolished).

In 1953, there was another change, when the rank was split into Superintendent Grade I (current Superintendents, Chief Inspectors commanding sub-divisions and Detective Chief Inspectors commanding divisional CIDs) and Superintendent Grade II (other current Chief Inspectors), with a new rank of Chief Inspector being created for senior Inspectors. Superintendents Grade II wore the crown (the rank badge formerly worn by Chief Inspectors), with Superintendents Grade I wearing a crown over a pip (the rank badge formerly worn by Superintendents). This lasted until 1974, when Superintendent once more became a single rank, wearing a crown on the epaulettes.

In most other forces, Superintendent lay between Inspector and Assistant Chief Constable until well into the 20th century. In many smaller forces, the senior Superintendent was also the ACC. Some forces had Chief Inspectors, and some later acquired Chief Superintendents, but this was by no means universal. Today, however, every force in the country has all three ranks.

In the United States, Superintendent is sometimes the title used for the head of the department, such as Superintendent of Chicago or Superintendent of New Orleans.

1. ^ Indian Police Service Uniform Rules, Indian Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.