Connecticut General Assembly
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH
January 5, 1998 98-R-0044
TO:
FROM: Veronica Rose, Principal Analyst
RE: State Police Ranks and Promotions
You asked us to identify the various ranks in the State Police and explain how State Police officers get promoted.
RANKS
The ranks are as follows:
Commissioner |
Administers and directs the activities of the department with lieutenant colonels and other staff |
Colonel |
Highest sworn police officer; is responsible for the operation of the State Police |
Lieutenant Colonel |
Directs staff in the Office of Administrative Services (which is responsible for personnel, technical, recruiting and other administrative services) and the Office of Field Operations (which is responsible for delivering police services statewide); reports to the commissioner |
Major |
Directs major field, staff, or support bureau operations |
Captain |
Directs the operational activities of a specialized section or may be assigned as deputy commander to the head of a district or bureau |
Lieutenant |
Serves as commander of a troop or district within the Statewide Narcotics Task Force Section or directs the activities of a specialized section of a major division |
Master Sergeant |
Serves as executive officer of a troop, administrative sergeant of a district, or deputy commanding officer or commanding officer of a specialized unit in the State Police; performs and supervises administrative functions; schedules, coordinates and supervises personnel. |
Sergeant |
Supervises the work of personnel or in a specialized section or unit |
Trooper First Class |
Responsible for criminal law enforcement in assigned geographical area |
Police Trooper |
Same as trooper first class |
Trooper Trainee |
Officers who have not yet completed training and not yet appointed |
PROMOTIONS
The governor appoints the commissioner (CGS § 29-1b). Pursuant to CGS § 29-4, the commissioner must appoint an adequate number of state police personnel to efficiently operate the Division of State Police and up to two lieutenant colonels “therefrom.” Officers automatically become first class troopers after 7½ years of satisfactory performance pursuant to the State Police bargaining contract. For positions up to captain, promotions are based on the state civil service system of testing and ranking, which is administered by the Department of Administrative Services, Bureau of Human Resources. Successful candidates are placed on a list and are eligible for promotion. Promotions above the rank of captain are based on merit—largely experience and training.
With minor exceptions, officers do not normally skip ranks. They can skip from sergeant to lieutenant by taking the promotional examination for lieutenant and master sergeant at the same time and getting placed on both promotional lists. Some officers chose to take the lower rank of master sergeant because, among other things, this rank carries union benefits. Also, at least two officers have moved from lieutenant to lieutenant colonel in the past: the current acting commissioner, William McGuire, and John Mulligan, who was appointed by Commissioner Lester Forst in the 1980's.
VR:pa