The reporting structure within a police department is depicted in this Police Hierarchy Chart. The Chief of Police will be at the top, with Lieutenants, Sergeants, and Officers descending in a hierarchical order. Often, police departments will want to publish their organizational chart so that the public better understands their structure. In these cases, they may withhold the officers' actual names but instead show the title and responsibilities for references, such as patrol operations, investigations, support operations, and administrative services. The police ranks of law enforcement agencies in the United States depicted in this Police Hierarchy Chart vary by Department. Still, the majority are based on the order of military ranks.
