![]() |
#1
|
||||
|
||||
![]()
I hope it’s OK if I ask a non-UL question here. I write for a hobby, and am working on a crime novel, and need some help with San Francisco police ranks.
The main character is a male 20 year veteran now in Robbery Homicide. I have been using the title of Detective throughout, but not sure if that’s correct. He’s the guy out in the field doing the murder investigation, liaising with other agencies etc. The one I am most confused with is his boss. Older, based in an office but not just a pen-pusher, and the one who yells when things are not going right. I had called him "Chief" but I think that’s too high for the character. Needs to be someone calling the shots on a daily basis. From some San Francisco based TV shows, I’m thinking that Inspector and Captain may be the correct titles respectively. Hope you all can help. Thanks in advance. |
#2
|
||||
|
||||
![]()
I could give you the CHP's rank structure if you feel that could help you, but unfortunately I do not know what the San Franscisco's police force ranks would be.
|
#3
|
||||
|
||||
![]()
From what I remember from Monk they used Lieutenant and Captain for the types of characters you describe, but I have no idea how accurate that show was. Did the show ever mention what Monk's rank was when he was still on the force? Columbo was in Los Angeles, but he was a Lieutenant, so that would seem to fit.
|
#4
|
|||
|
|||
![]() |
#6
|
||||
|
||||
![]() Quote:
ETA: It probably wouldn't hurt to just send an email to the SFPD. I'd bet they have PR person who answers questions like this. http://sanfranciscopolice.org/sfpd-d...ct-information Quote:
Last edited by WildaBeast; 30 November 2017 at 09:43 PM. |
#7
|
||||
|
||||
![]()
As of September of this year (pdf), they still had 29 officers with the title of Inspector or Assistant Inspector, so it seems to still be in use. That's about only 1% of the total police force so it may be that they are phasing it out.
|
#8
|
||||
|
||||
![]()
Interesting. From TV/movies, I always thought "detective" was a higher rank than "officer", on par with sergeant, but a different career track. Apparently in most cases it's just a specialization, not a rank, and any authority they have over other officers is only situational for matters related to specific cases.
|
#9
|
||||
|
||||
![]() Quote:
|
#10
|
||||
|
||||
![]() Quote:
I hope this helps. I'm sure it must, really. |
#11
|
||||
|
||||
![]()
I looked up salaries, and apparently NYPD detective salaries are comparable to NYPD police sergeant salaries, which are distinctly higher than NYPD police officer salaries. A lot of this is down to seniority, since you don't start out as a detective. It seems like a selective specialty that a subset of experienced officers can earn, with higher prestige and benefits. Which seems very much like a promotion, even if technically it's a lateral move. Young officers on TV/movies talk about "making detective" the way that someone in a different field might talk about being promoted.
|
#12
|
||||
|
||||
![]() Quote:
I don't believe the Detective ranks rose as high as the officers though. Never saw or heard of a Detective Superintendent, or Detective Inspector. |
#13
|
||||
|
||||
![]()
Well, if you start off as "Constable" and then gain a speciality to "Detective Constable", you're potentially gaining prestige even if you've not formally gone up a rank in the system. I expect you'd get a pay rise and everybody going "wow, a detective!" despite not being any further up the hierarchy in formal terms.
That bit of Errata's understanding of the US system sounds much the same as my own understanding of the UK system, whether or not either of us has any idea what we're talking about. |
#14
|
||||
|
||||
![]() Quote:
Just some possible options. |
![]() |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
![]() |
||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Detective investigating Derrick Rose rape allegations found shot to death | Psihala | Police Blotter | 0 | 12 October 2016 05:53 PM |
Tech buses to become permanent in San Francisco | Psihala | Business Bytes | 6 | 19 November 2015 04:35 PM |
Private police carry guns and make arrests, and their ranks are swelling | lord_feldon | Police Blotter | 3 | 02 March 2015 10:53 AM |
The Photo Detective | snopes | History | 7 | 09 November 2007 01:03 AM |
Detective Testifies in Baby's Oven Death | snopes | Horrors | 0 | 20 July 2007 05:31 AM |