- Reaction score
- 1,329
- Points
- 1,260
I think that, of all time in the Commonwealth, it was tradition for police forces to model themselves on the military rank symbols of the time, to denote their "para-military" view of themselves (the"Thin Blue Line"). Of course this military ancestry is historically even more correct for the RCMP.
Thus, most large Canadian police forces use the "british" style of pips and crowns, even to this day. Interestingly enough, the exception is Québec: about 25 years ago the uniforms of the large police forces (Montreal, Quebec , QPP) went through a major redesign and upgrade. As a result, they incorporated the current Canadian military practice of the time and ended up adopting our current "bars" system.
A sergeant-detective wears the half-stripe, a sergeant a full-stripe, lieutenant-detective one-and-a-half, a lieutenant two, a commander two-and-a-half, inspector three, chief inspector four, and the various grades of directors wear the "generals" one two or three fleur-de-lys in lieu of the maple leafs - for obvious reasons.
Saw the above today in another forum. Rank insignia for Emergency Services across Canada might make an interesting topic.
Top attached pic is TPS.
T-EMS:
1 Silver Stripe - PCP
2 Silver Stripe - ACP
3 Silver Stripe - CCP
Silver "T" + stripes - Field Training Officer ( FTO )
2 Gold Maple Leaf - Acting Superintendent
3 Gold Maple Leaf - Superintendent
1 Gold Crown - Deputy Commander
1 Gold Maple Leaf and Crown - Commander
2 Gold Maple Leaf and Crown - Deputy Chief
3 Gold Maple Leaf and Crown - Chief
http://www.carletonuniforms.com/FCKeditor/editor/imageGallery/EMS_Ontario_Slip-ons.jpg
TFS:
Captain 2 silver stripes
District Chief 2 gold stripes
Platoon Chief 3 gold stripes
Division Commander 3 thick and 1 thin gold stripes
Deputy Chief 4 gold stripes
Chief 5 gold stripes.
Second pic is Years of Service insignia for the three services. One for every five years of completed service with your department. To be worn on the lower-left sleeve. TPS uses the Maple Leaf, TFS Maltese Cross, and T-EMS ( shown ) the Caduceus.