Chief Superintendent (Ch Supt; colloquially "Chief Super") is a senior rank in the British Police. It is senior to a Superintendent and junior to an Assistant Chief Constable (or a Commander in the Metropolitan Police or City of London Police).
The highest rank below Chief Officer level, chief superintendents were first introduced into the Metropolitan Police in 1949 and have since been adopted in all British police forces.
Traditionally, chief superintendents have commanded divisions, but since widespread reorganisation in the 1990s many forces have abandoned divisions for different forms of organisation and the areas commanded by chief superintendents vary widely from force to force. In most forces, however, they still command the largest territorial subdivisions, often known generally as Basic Command Units (BCUs). The rank of Chief Superintendent was abolished on 1 April 1995 following recommendations made in the Sheehy Report except for officers already holding the rank. The Home Office officially reintroduced the rank of Chief Superintendent on 1 January 2002.
The senior detective and commander of the Criminal Investigation Department in most forces is a Detective Chief Superintendent (DCS) and the rank of chief superintendent may also be used by the commanders of other headquarters departments.
The rank badge, worn on the epaulettes, is a crown above a star ("pip"), the same rank badge worn by a Lieutenant Colonel in the British Army.
