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Police Regulations 2014
Part 2Command and structure of SA Police
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Part 2—Command and structure of SA Police
4—Ranks
The ranks of officers and other members of SA Police in order of seniority (starting with the highest rank) are as follows:
(a) Commissioner;
(b) Deputy Commissioner;
(c) Assistant Commissioner;
(d) Commander;
(e) Chief Superintendent;
(f) Superintendent;
(g) Chief Inspector;
(h) Inspector;
(i) Senior Sergeant;
(j) Sergeant;
(k) Senior Constable First Class;
(l) Senior Constable;
(m) Constable.
5—Relative seniority
Except as otherwise provided in these regulations, the relative seniority of members of SA Police will be determined as follows:
(a) as between 2 members holding different ranks—the senior member is the member who holds the higher rank;
(b) as between 2 members holding the same rank—the senior member is the member who has been holding the rank continuously for the longer period of time;
(c) as between 2 members holding the same rank who have held the rank for the same period of time—the senior member is the member who, by general or special order of the Commissioner, is the senior member.
6—Responsibility when members are on duty together
(1) If 2 or more members of SA Police are engaged on duty together—
(a) the senior member is responsible for the performance of the duty; and
(b) the junior member, regardless of the part of SA Police in which the member is serving, must comply with the orders given by the senior member.
(2) For the purposes of subregulation (1), if a community constable is engaged on duty with a member of SA Police who is not a community constable, that other member is the senior and the community constable is the junior.
(3) Despite subregulation (1)—
(a) if the Commissioner by general or special order, or any officer by order, directs that a specified member of SA Police is responsible for the performance of a particular duty, the other members of SA Police engaged on the duty, whether senior to the specified member or not, must comply with orders given by the member for the performance of the duty; and
(b) if a member of SA Police is, in accordance with these regulations, transferred to a position of a lower rank without loss of rank or seniority, the member must comply with the orders of such other members, whether junior to the member or not, as the Commissioner may direct for the performance of the duties of the position.
(4) A direction by an officer under subregulation (3)(a) may only be given in relation to, and is only binding on, a member of SA Police who is under the officer's direction and superintendence.
7—Responsibility of members on duty with other department employees
If the Commissioner by general or special order directs that a specified employee in the department who is not a member of SA Police is responsible for the performance of a particular duty, all members of SA Police engaged on that duty must (subject to any general or special order of the Commissioner) comply with the orders given by that person for the performance of that duty.