

Careers Law Enforcement

Detective Ranks Explored: What

are the Different Ranks of
Detectives?

Detectives differ from police o:cers in their

duties. Every detective must >rst begin as a
police o:cer. While police o:cers usually
patrol communities and are the >rst
responders to both emergent and routine
calls, detectives are in charge of
investigating. They are usually in charge of
solving major crimes like murder and
robbery. Most detectives will wear plain
clothes (usually a suit or business casual
attire) and will drive an unmarked police
car.

Next

Stay

Detective stories, shows, and movies have

been popular since Edgar Allen Poe >rst
invented the genre with “The Murders in the
Rue Morgue.” The long-time success of
shows like Law and Order, CSI: Crime Scene
Investigators (and its many spin offs), and
the way Sherlock Holmes continues to pop
up in one way or another every couple of
years is testament to the public’s love for a
good who-done-it. This popularity in media
also displays the many different types of
detectives: those associated with law
enforcement, private detectives, and citizen
or amateur detectives. Sometimes these
three can even join forces to solve crime!
However, getting a conviction comes down
to the police departments and keen
detectives everywhere. So how are these
detectives ranked?

Replay

Unfortunately, the answer is not as

open and shut as your weekly 45-
minute police procedural. There is no
national standard for ranking
detectives, and it varies from state to
state and even department to
department. What’s considered a
detective in Los Angeles is not the
same as a detective for the New York
Police Department. But what they all
have in common is the distinction of
“detective” within their department. In
order to give you a better idea of what
being a detective means, I will take
discuss a few different departments in
some major U.S. cities.

No Surprise Fees. No Kidding.

Life has enough surprises. Get upfront,
transparent pricing with H&R Block.

SPONSORED BY H & R B LO C K

START NOW

Content [hide]

History Departments
First Steps Detective Ranks
New York Police New Orleans Police
Department Department
Detective Ranks Detective Ranks
Chicago Police Conclusion –
Department Detective Ranks
Detective Ranks Related Articles
Los Angeles Police

History

Even though the >rst municipal police

department was begun in France in 1667,
the idea of a united police force went from
volunteers to professionals slowly. The idea
of dedicated detectives didn’t begin until the
1800’s with the opening of the >rst private
detective agency, again in Paris in 1833. But
the idea must have caught on quickly as the
>rst dedicated police detective unit in the
United States formed in 1846 in Boston,
Massachusetts. So how does one become a
detective in the United States?

First Steps

In order to become a detective in the US, an

applicant must >rst satisfactorily complete
a law enforcement academy after which
they will begin patrol duties with a training
o:cer for a period of time. The exact
amount of time a “rookie” has on-the-job
training also varies by the department. Once
a police o:cer is out of training, he or she
may begin to look at a promotion or a lateral
move to detective. Some agencies require
their detectives to have a college degree;
others will accept some college, and others
require no post-secondary education.

Let’s examine the roles and ranks of

detectives in a few major US cities: New
York, Chicago, New Orleans, and Los
Angeles.

New York Police Department Detective

Ranks

The New York

Police Department, NYPD, is the largest and
one of the oldest police units in the country.
As of July 2020, the NYPD had more than
5,000 detectives amongst its ranks. After
the police academy, o:cers are considered
“rookies” for 18 months. After that, a
promotion to detective is based on merit.
This means an o:cer cannot apply for or
test into the rank of detective.

Sponsored Video
Watch to learn more

SPONSORED BY A D V E RT I S I N G PA RT N E R

However, this “promotion” to detective is a

lateral one. Detectives in the NYPD have the
same rank as uniformed o:cers and those
below the rank of Sergeant. New detectives
start as a “third grade” detective. They are
then promoted to “second grade” and “>rst
grade.” These promotions do raise the pay
grade but do not raise the rank.

Moving up in the ranks as a NYPD detective

is merit-based as well. Once promoted to
detective, there are many different divisions
an o:cer could be assigned to, including
special victims, computer crimes, animal
cruelty, cold cases, etc. Being promoted to
detective in the NYPD comes with an
additional change. It is known colloquially
as “getting a gold shield” since shields
(badges) starting with the rank of detective
are gold versus the silver of uniformed
police o:cers.

With ultra-low lag

Chicago Police Department Detective

Ranks

The Chicago Police Department, CPD, is the

second largest municipal police department
in the US. Chicago’s >rst detective
department began in 1860. Chicago PD has
a separate, speci>c bureau for detectives.
CPD detectives are not considered ranking
o:cers. They are o:cers which are
assigned to speci>c units like violent crimes,
narcotics, internal affairs, etc. Unless the
o:cer holds the rank of sergeant or above,
detectives are considered ranked the same
as a police o:cer.

Tax Audit Support Guarantee - Get

Started On Your Taxes

Ad turbotax.intuit.com/file-now

However, according to the 2020 pay scale

for the CPD, detectives are given a
considerable jump in salary from a
probationary police o:cer – over $20,000 a
year! That is quite a bene>t to becoming a
detective. But unlike NYPD, there are no
separate ranks within the designation of
“detective.”

Los Angeles Police Departments

Detective Ranks

The Los Angeles Police Department, LAPD,

is the third largest police department in the
US. Candidates for detectives must >rst
have at least four years of service before
being considered for promotion. Being
promoted to Detective requires an
examination and an interview. Once made a
detective, there are three distinctions.
Detectives begin as Detective I and are
assigned to a speci>c department where
they will perform their duties. Being
promoted to Detective II and III is based on
departmental assessment and interviews.
These two ranks are supervisory roles and
oversee >rst tier detectives and police
o:cers.

Detectives for the LAPD are also expected

to liaise with other departments in the state
and across the country in order to help solve
crimes committed within the Los Angeles
city limits. According to a 2010 report from
the LA Times, there is a signi>cant increase
in pay between the averages in pay between
the o:cers and detectives for LAPD – often
$30,000 to $40,000 and this amount
continues to rise as an o:cer advances
through the other ranks of detective.
Detectives are also given different insignias
in the LAPD.

New Orleans Police Department

Detective Ranks

New Orleans Police Department, NOPD, is

considerably smaller than the former three,
but including this smaller department is to
help show multiple angles to this question.
Similar to Chicago, there are no “ranks” for
detectives. But like NYPD, a detective is
given a gold shield in order to differentiate
them from o:cers. New Orleans detectives
have the same insignias as o:cers but wear
plain clothes. There is also a pay increase,
but it isn’t consistent based on the rank of
the o:cer who is to become a detective.

An o:cer must be a senior o:cer before

being promoted to detective. Only about 5%
of the NOLA police force are detectives.
These detectives are all part of the Criminal
Investigative Division, which is then
subdivided into 5 different categories. New
Orleans also has no hierarchy under the rank
of “detective.”

Conclusion – Detective Ranks

As you can see in the previous paragraphs,

there is no typical breakdown of rank within
the moniker of “detective.” In some places, a
detective is the same as a police o:cer with
separate, more speci>c, investigative duties.
In other places, detectives are a rank above
police o:cers, but not above a sergeant.

However, in most cases detectives are given

a pay raise to match their increased
responsibility and respectability. If you look
at other law enforcement departments
across the US, you will >nd that this
inconsistency is repeated. Each department
has it’s own internal structure and
promotion expectations. Like NYPD, some
rely on merit only. Others, like LAPD, allow
for candidates to apply and test into the
rank if they also pass the interview. Most of
the departments that do have different
ranks have a three-tier system. Each tier
taking on more responsibility with better
pay.

While a more regulated means of

determining what makes a detective might
seem like a good idea, it makes sense that
departments are able to create their own
policies in-house. These departments know
what is best for their o:cers and the
communities they serve. However, this could
become an issue when an o:cer is looking
to transfer into the department from another
police department. There is no clear
consensus on where a detective in New
Orleans would end up in the ranks at the
NYPD. Of course, these things would be
discussed in interviews but for initial, job
search purposes, a potential interviewee
would often have no indication of their rank
within another department.

Although there is no de>nitive answer, this

multi-city approach was chosen to
showcase just a few examples of the
variation that occurs when departments are
left to de>ne who is a detective, what duties
they will perform, and how they will be
ranked. Detectives are often tasked with
>nding those who do not follow the law and
deliver them to justice. This endeavor will
hopefully earn them the highest respect
from their peers and communities,
regardless of rank.

Related Articles
 10 Different Types of Police Jobs
What are the Different Types of Police
Badges?
What are the Different Types of Police
Cars?
What Do Police Departments Spend
Money On?

#CAREERS #LAW ENFORCEMENT #POLICE

#POLICE DEPARTMENTS

Previous article

 What are the Different Theories of

Crime?
Next article

 What Happens if You Miss Jury Duty?

YO U M AY A L S O L I K E

Careers Law Enforcement

What are the Best Side Jobs for Police

Officers?

Careers Law Enforcement

17 of the Best Jobs for Ex-Police Officers

Law Law Enforcement

Can the Police Track Your Phone?

Law Enforcement

Do Police Officers Have Quotas?

Law Enforcement

Do Police Officers Make Money From

Tickets?

Law Enforcement

What Are the Different Types of Police

Badges?

MORE FROM: CAREERS

Can a Clinical Psychologist Do Counseling?

Do Law Firms Pay for Law School?

Can a Paralegal Give Legal Advice?

Exploring The Role of a Clinical Counselor

What Makes a Good Paralegal?

16 Different Types of Jobs in the Insurance

Industry

Next post

This article may include references and links to

products and services from one or more of our
advertisers. We may be paid compensation when
you click on links to those products and/or services.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying
purchases.

RECENT

2023 Gun Safe Buyer’s Guide: The Many Different

Types of Gun Safes Reviewed

Is LegalShield Worth the Money? Our 2023 Review

11 Types of Gun Holsters in 2023 – Comprehensive

Buyers Guide
Is LegalZoom Legit? Our Comprehensive 2023
Review

C AT E G O R I E S

 Business
 Canadian Law
 Careers
 Criminal Law
 Entertainment
 Family Law
 Insurance
 Law
 Law Enforcement
 News
 Personal Injury
 Product Reviews

DISCLAIMER: Please note that this website does NOT

provide legal, business or >nancial advice. This website
is purely informational. If you have a legal or >nancial
matter, please consult the appropriate professional
(lawyer, accountant, etc.).

 Contact Us
 Privacy Policy
 Disclaimer
 Terms of Use
 Amazon A:liate Disclaimer
 About
 Sitemap

© 2023 Elawtalk.com

Information from your device can be used to personalize your ad

experience.

Do not sell or share my personal information.


AN ELITE CAFEMEDIA PUBLISHER