Indian Police Badges & Insignia: Complete Guide to Ranks, Symbols & Meaning

Understand Indian police ranks, badges, and insignia, from constable to senior IPS officers, with detailed symbols and authority levels explained.

Table of Contents

What do Stripes, Chevrons, and Other Symbols mean?
Rank-wise Badge System

In the Indian police department, the star system is the backbone of the system of rank insignia. Stars symbolize various levels of the responsibility and the power vested in the officer. More the number of stars, more the power and responsibility. It works like an international code across states so anyone can identify ranks even if the person is not aware of the local variants.

The star system from the bottom to the top is:

Stars	What does it mean?
No Stars:	Constable (entry-level)
One Star:	Head Constable and Assistant Sub-Inspector
Two Stars:	Sub-Inspector
Three Stars:	Inspector and Assistant Superintendent
Four Stars and Above:	Senior IPS officers

But wait, there's even more! An Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) wears a star insignia with a red and blue striped ribbon on the outer edge of the shoulder straps. This is how colors and additional elements bring more meaning to the basic star system.

What do Stripes, Chevrons, and Other Symbols mean?

Stars may be at the top level, but police stars and stripes mean different things at various levels. Head constables have three red point-down chevrons which distinguish them from ordinary constables who have no insignia.

The Key Symbol Types are:

Chevrons:	V-shaped stripes pointing downward, used for Head Constables
Stripes with Stars:	Combination insignia for mid-level officers
National Emblem:	Added to stars for senior IPS officers
Gorget Patches:	Special collar insignia for high-ranking officers

Rank-wise Badge System

Let's check the comprehensive breakdown of Indian police badges meaning across all major ranks:

Rank	Insignia	Description	Authority Level
Constable	No badge	Entry-level officer	Basic law enforcement
Head Constable	3 red chevrons	Equivalent of a sergeant in other countries' police forces	Station-level supervision
Assistant Sub-Inspector	1 star with red-blue stripe	Star with a red and blue striped ribbon on the outer edge	Mid-level supervision
Sub-Inspector	2 stars	Two-Stars are assigned to the officer of Sub-Inspector rank (SI)	Station second-in-command
Inspector	3 stars	In charge of police station	Station commander
Assistant Superintendent	3 silver stars	Probationary rank of assistant superintendent and receive further training... officers still hold the rank of assistant superintendent and wear three silver stars as insignia	IPS entry level
Deputy Superintendent	1 star with national emblem	District-level authority	Subdivision head
Superintendent of Police	Two types of insignias: one star with the national emblem for the first two grades, and two stars with the national emblem for the selection grade	District commander	Full district authority
Senior Superintendent	National Emblem above the two stars is the rank insignia of the Senior Superintendent of Police	Senior district officer	Enhanced district control

Those stars and stripes are not mere decoration; they tell you precisely who has the authority to intervene in your specific concern. A Head Constable with chevrons or a senior officer with multiple stars can be approached with confidence, knowing their rank. To know more about police careers and salaries, check out our guide on Police Ranks In India for everything you need to know!
Also Check:

UP Police Rank List 2025	MP Police Rank List 2025
Bihar Police Rank List 2025	Difference Between IPS and State Police Services

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