Australia

The rank of chief inspector is used in the New South Wales Police and South Australia Police. Victoria Police declassified the rank in the mid-1990s. In both forces, it is senior to the rank of inspector and junior to the rank of superintendent. The insignia consists of a crown, the same insignia as that of a Major in the army.

Canada

The Sûreté du Québec and the City of Montreal Police Service (Service de police de la Ville de Montréal or SPVM) utilize the rank of chief inspector. In both forces, the insignia consists of four gold stripes, similar to the former insignia of a colonel in the Canadian Army and Air Force. Until 1978, the SPVM used British-pattern insignia for the rank consisting of a crown over two pips, also utilizing the rank of assistant chief inspector (a crown over one pip). Both ranks were subsequently abolished. The rank of chief inspector was restored in the SPVM in 1995 and the current insignia adopted in 1997.^[1]

Hong Kong

In the Hong Kong Police Force, a chief inspector is normally the second-in-command of a headquarters unit or a division.

Japan

In the Japanese National Police Agency, a chief inspector (警部 [ja]) serves as the squad commander in a police station and leader of a riot company. Prior to a 2013 restructuring that changed the English translation slightly, this rank was that of inspector.

Papua New Guinea

In the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary, a chief inspector is normally a police station commander or the second-in-command of the Police Training College. It is a rank between senior inspector and superintendent.

Philippines

In the Philippines, chief inspector is a rank in the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and the Bureau of Fire Protection. It is above senior inspector and below superintendent and is regarded as the equivalent of major in the Philippine Army.

Romania

In the Romanian Police, inspector principal is a rank senior to inspector and junior to Subcomisar and corresponds to the former rank of police captain.

Singapore

The rank has been abolished by the Singapore Police Force, except for the Gurkha Contingent.

Sri Lanka

In the Sri Lanka Police Service, chief inspector of Police (CIP) is senior to inspector and junior to assistant superintendent of police. In large cities, a chief inspector is the officer in charge (OIC) of a large police station. The rank insignia for a chief inspector is three stars.

United Kingdom

In the British police, a chief inspector is senior to an inspector and junior to a superintendent.

Today, the function of chief inspectors varies from force to force. They may assist Basic Command Unit (BCU) commanders, command smaller units, or fill various staff posts. In some forces such as Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary and Sussex Police, the chief inspector is the senior officer in command of a district (usually consisting of one or more local authority areas). In this respect they have replaced superintendents as the head police officer of larger towns.

Detective chief inspector (DCI) is usually the minimum rank held by a senior investigating officer (SIO), who heads major investigations (e.g. murder), and a pool of these officers usually works out of force headquarters or major police stations. The senior Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officer in each BCU usually also holds this rank.

The rank badge of a chief inspector is three Bath stars ("pips") worn on the epaulettes. This is the same badge as a captain in the British Army. Until 1953, chief inspectors in the Metropolitan Police wore a crown on their epaulettes instead.

Chief inspector was one of the ranks proposed for abolition in the 1994 Sheehy Report, but in the end it was retained.

A number of city and burgh police forces in Scotland used the rank of lieutenant until 1948, when it was replaced by chief inspector.^[2]