Australia's most elite police units are its state and federal Police Tactical Groups (PTGs), like the Australian Federal Police (AFP) Tactical Response Team (TRT) and state equivalents such as WA's TRG, NSW's TOU, or Victoria's SOG, which handle high-risk incidents, counter-terrorism, and complex operations with rigorous selection and training, often drawing from special forces backgrounds for their advanced skills in close-quarters combat and specialized tactics.
The Tactical Response Team (TRT) stands as Australian law enforcement's premier elite unit. Frequently drawing personnel from former special forces, TRT members receive training for urban, rural, and maritime environments.
Special Air Service Regiment (SASR), Australian special forces unit that exists within Australia's Special Operations Command. The unit was formed in July 1957 as the 1st Special Air Service Company, Royal Australian Infantry, and it was modeled on the British Special Air Service.
The highest police rank in Australia is the Commissioner of Police, a title used across both the Australian Federal Police (AFP) (AFP Commissioner) and state/territory forces (e.g., Chief Commissioner in Victoria, Commissioner in WA, QLD, etc.), leading the entire force and overseeing strategic direction, with specific titles like 'Chief Commissioner' in Victoria and 'Commissioner' for the federal body.
Each Australian state and territory has its own version of a special response team: Tactical Response Group (TRG) in Western Australia. Special Operations Group (SOG) in Victoria. Special Tactics and Rescue (STAR) in South Australia.
The service is comparable to the CIA (US) and MI6 (UK).
Yes, in UK police forces, a DCI (Detective Chief Inspector) is a higher rank than a DS (Detective Sergeant), with the rank structure going from Detective Constable (DC) -> Detective Sergeant (DS) -> Detective Inspector (DI) -> Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) -> Detective Superintendent (DSupt). A DCI leads investigations and units, while a DS is a working detective, often managing crime scenes or specific tasks under a DI or DCI.
The highest-paid police officers are typically in senior leadership roles (Chief Superintendent, Commander) or specialized units, often in high-cost-of-living areas or countries like Australia (NSW, WA) and potentially the US, with top earners exceeding $200,000 AUD/USD annually, though specific ranks and highest pay vary by jurisdiction, with Australia showing high senior salaries with allowances.
Every state police force is headed by a Director General of Police (DGP), assisted by Additional or Special DGPs for key divisions like Law & Order, Crime, or Intelligence. Large forces are divided into zones, ranges, and districts, while metropolitan areas function under the Commissionerate system.
AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett: Op Arques media conference statement – 20 December, 2025. Today I will provide a brief update on Operation Arques. A 24-year-old man charged with 59 offences remains in custody in a NSW hospital.
Australian Secret Intelligence Service
ASIS collects and distributes secret intelligence about the capabilities, intentions and activities of individuals or organisations outside Australia. It does so to protect Australia and further Australian interests.
Neither SAS nor SBS is definitively "more elite"; they are equally elite but specialized, with the SAS focusing on land/air and the SBS on maritime/amphibious roles, both part of the UK's UK Special Forces (UKSF) and sharing the same rigorous Joint Special Forces Selection process, with SBS adding extra maritime training like swimmer-canoeist skills. Think of them as the Army's and Navy's top-tier counterparts within the same elite special forces framework.
The Special Air Service Regiment, officially abbreviated SASR though commonly known as the SAS, is a special forces unit of the Australian Army.
The organisation is comparable to that of the United States' FBI or the British MI5. ASIO Central Office is in Canberra, with a local office being located in each mainland state and territory capital.
Australia's most elite military unit is widely considered to be the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR), often referred to as Australia's Tier 1 Special Forces, alongside the 2nd Commando Regiment, both operating under the Special Operations Command (SOCOMD). The SASR specializes in long-range reconnaissance, direct action, and counter-terrorism, while the 2nd Commando Regiment focuses on strike and recovery operations, with both units handling the most demanding missions.
Secret police (or political police) are government agencies that operate as secret services engaging in covert operations against a government's political, ideological or social opponents and dissidents. Secret police organizations are characteristic of police states governed by authoritarian and totalitarian regimes.
But fewer people know about the special operations teams in other countries, and the kind of work they take on.
Hierarchy: In district-level postings, the IAS officer (District Collector/Magistrate) typically holds a higher position than the IPS officer (SP). However, at senior levels, both services offer comparable roles, such as Chief Secretary (IAS) and Director General of Police (IPS).
Director-General of Police (DGP)
It is also known as the State Police Chief because it is the head of the state's police force. A three-star police officer in India is the Director-General of Police (DGP). A three-star rank officer is a senior leader in various military services, according to NATO's OF-8 code.
Newspapers referred to Gilbert as the world's richest police officer. His salary as chief investigator for the Cook County state's attorney was $9,000 (equivalent to $164,808 in 2024) per year.
Origin #1: The 10-Code Theory (“10-12” Code for Police Present) One of the strongest theories traces “12” back to the 10-codes used in law enforcement radio communication. The 10-12 police code means: *“Stand by / Be on alert” or “There are visitors or bystanders present.”
While specific figures vary by rank, location, and allowances, New South Wales (NSW) police are positioned to become the highest paid in Australia following significant recent pay rises (up to 39%), potentially seeing senior roles exceed $170,000 annually, with Western Australia also offering strong potential earnings, particularly at higher ranks like Senior Sergeant.
They do not outrank regular sergeants, the 'detective' prefix indicates that they are permanently allocated to detective duties.
Until 2006, each force could only have one DCC, who would normally be second-in-command to the chief constable. However, Schedule 2 of the Police and Justice Act 2006 amended the Police Act 1996 to permit more than one DCC within each force. The DCC ranks above the assistant chief constables (ACC).
A Criminal Investigation Department (CID), also known as Crime Branch, is a specialized branch of the state police departments of India responsible for the investigation of crime, based on the Criminal Investigation Departments of British police forces.