Talk:NYPD Uniforms and Ranks/@comment-166.109.123.40-20141203194826/@comment-46125051-20200618165857

A little more technical - there are 3 grades of detective - third, second and first. A 3rd grade detective earns $3000.00 per year more than a police officer, 2nd grades = sergeant's pay grade and 1st grade = lieutenant's pay grade. However as a detective you still are a civil service police officer regardless of grade. To be a commanding officers of a detective squad you must hold at least a sergeant's rank, and you can call youself a detective sergeant but you shield is still that of a uniform sergeant (although you do earn a lieutenant's pay grade). Captain is the highest rank any civil service member can obtain through competitive testing. Field promotions in civil service ranks are very rare, usually promotion is to detective (all detectives serve at the pleasure of the police commissioner). promotion above the rank of captain is also at the pleasure of the police commissioner, but you always retain you civil service captain rank.