Talk:NYPD Uniforms and Ranks/@comment-166.109.123.40-20141203194826/@comment-25955172-20150102041630

The Rank of Police Officer, Sergeant, Lieutenant & Captain are civil service ranks within the department, each of which is granted based upon successfully passing a civil service examination. A Police Officer is "promoted" to Detective, "by the powers of The Police Commissioner". Usually a Police Officer is considered to have earned the rank of Detective after having served as a "white shield investigator" for a designated period of time, however, the Police Commissioner may grant any Police Officer that designation simply by the stroke of a pen. Detectives are still "Police Officers" under civil service law, and can be removed from rank, although tenure may require an administrative trial to do so. Detectives are not supervisors, and cannot give orders to Police Officers. Due to their expertise, however, a Detective may be "in charge" at the scene of an investigation, however, he has to report to his supervisor, usually, a Sergeant, or Lieutenant assigned to the Detective Squad.

Similiarly, a Captain is "promoted" or technically "detailed to serve in the rank of" a Deputy Inspector, Inspector, or within the four separate Chief Ranks at the Police Commissioner's discretion. Usually, a Captain rises to those ranks in order, however, since every supervisor above the rank of Lieutenant are considered Captains according to civil service law, The Police Commissioner can appoint any Captain to serve in any of those ranks.