Senior sergeant

A Senior sergeant is often a rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of many nations. It is usually placed above sergeant.

Police in Australia and New Zealand use the rank Senior Sergeant as a rank above sergeant, but below an Inspector. The rank is equivalent to an Inspector in the Metropolitan Police or a Lieutenant in the Los Angeles Police Department.^[1][2][3]

Countries

Denmark

In the Danish Defence, there are two senior sergeant ranks, Oversergent (lit. 'Upper/Senior sergeant') and Seniorsergent (lit. 'Senior sergeant'). However, the Danish Defence officially translates the rank with the equivalents in the British Armed Forces,^[4] as such the ranks have different official translations depending on the branch.

NATO Code	OR-8	OR-7
Danish	Seniorsergent	Oversergent
Royal Danish Army[5]
English[6]	Warrant officer class II	Sergeant first class
Royal Danish Navy[7]
English[8]	Senior chief petty officer	Chief petty officer
Royal Danish Air Force[9]
English[10]	Warrant officer	Flight sergeant

Russia

Senior sergeant (Russian: Ста́рший сержант, romanized: Stárshiy serzhant) is the designation to the second highest rank in the non-commissioned officer's career group in the Army, Airborne troops, and Air Force of the Russian Federation.^[11] The rank is equivalent to Glavny starshina in Navy.

The rank was introduced in the Red Army in 1940.

Insignia of senior sergeants

Army

• 
  ԱՎԱԳ ՍԵՐԺԱՆՏ
  Avag Serzhant
  (Armenian Ground Forces)^[12]
• 
  Baş çavuş
  (Azerbaijani Land Forces)^[13]
• 
  Старшы сяржант
  Staršy siaržant
  (Belarusian Ground Forces)^[14]
• 
  Stariji vodnik
  (Bosnian Ground Forces)^[15]
• 
  Старши сержант
  Starshi serzhant
  (Bulgarian Land Forces)^[16]
• 
  Nadnarednik
  (Croatian Army)^[17]
• 
  Seniorsergent
  (Royal Danish Army)^[5]
• 
  Vanemseersant
  (Estonian Ground Forces)^[18]
• 
  Översergeant
  (Finnish: Ylikersantti)
  (Finnish Army)^[19]
• 
  უფროსი სერჟანტი
  Uprosi serzhant'i
  (Georgian Land Forces)^[20]
• 
  Аға сержант
  Ağa serjant
  (Kazakh Ground Forces)^[21]
• 
  Улук сержант
  Uluk serjant
  (Kyrgyz Army)^[22]
• 
  Vyresnysis seržantas
  (Lithuanian Land Force)^[23]
• 
  Постар водник
  Postar vodnik
  (North Macedonian Ground Forces)^[24]
• 
  Aхлах ахлагч
  Akhlakh akhlagch
  (Mongolian Ground Force)^[25]
• 
  Stariji vodnik
  (Montenegrin Ground Army)^[26]
• 
  Oversersjant
  (Norwegian Army)^[27]
• 
  Starszy sierżant
  (Polish Army)^[28]
• 
  Ста́рший сержа́нт
  Stárshiy serzhánt
  (Russian Ground Forces)^[11]
• 
  Старији водник
  Stariji vodnik
  (Serbian Army)^[29]
• 
  Višji vodnik
  (Slovenian Ground Force)^[30]
• 
  Översergeant
  (Swedish Army)^[31]
• 
  Сержанти калон
  Serƶanti kalon
  (Tajik Ground Forces)^[32]
• 
  Uly seržant
  (Turkmen Ground Forces)^[33]
• 
  Старший сержант
  Starshyy serzhant
  (Ukrainian Ground Forces)^[34]
• 
  Katta serjant
  (Uzbek Ground Forces)^[35]

Police

• 
  New Zealand Police
• 
  New South Wales Police Force
• 
  Victoria Police
• 
  Queensland Police Service
• 
  Tasmania Police
• 
  Western Australia Police Force
• 
  Australian Federal Police
• 
  South Australia Police
• 
  Northern Territory Police Force

See also

• Sergeant
• Junior sergeant

References

1. "What's in a rank?". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2025-02-16.
2. "Senior Sergeant (Police Officer)". Career Origin. Retrieved 2025-02-16.
3. "WA Police Force Rank Insignias". www.wa.gov.au. 2024-09-16. Retrieved 2025-02-16.
4. Marrup, Karsten (1 May 2017). "Stop galskaben med midlertidige tillagte grader!". OLFI (in Danish). Retrieved 13 September 2018.
5. "Hærens Gradstegn" (PDF). forsvaret.dk (in Danish). Danish Defence. 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
6. "Badges and Insignia of the Royal Danish Army" (PDF). forsvaret.dk. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 August 2018. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
7. "Søværnets Gradstegn" (PDF). forsvaret.dk (in Danish). Danish Defence. 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
8. "Badges and Insignia of the Royal Danish Navy" (PDF). forsvaret.dk. 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 August 2018. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
9. "Flyvevåbnets Gradstegn" (PDF). forsvaret.dk (in Danish). Danish Defence. 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
10. "Badges and Insignia of the Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF)" (PDF). forsvaret.dk. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 August 2018. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
11. "Указ Президента Российской Федерации от 11 марта 2010 года No. 293 "О военной форме одежды, знаках различия военнослужащих и ведомственных знаках отличия"" [Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of March 11, 2010 No. 293 "On military uniforms, insignia of servicemen and departmental insignia"]. rg.ru (in Russian). Российской газеты. 12 March 2010. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
12. "ԶԻՆՎՈՐԱԿԱՆ ԾԱՌԱՅՈՒԹՅԱՆ ԵՎ ԶԻՆԾԱՌԱՅՈՂԻ ԿԱՐԳԱՎԻՃԱԿԻ ՄԱՍԻՆ". arlis.am (in Armenian). Legal information system of Armenia. 15 November 2017. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
13. "Azərbaycan Respublikası Silahlı Qüvvələri hərbi qulluqçularının hərbi geyim forması və fərqləndirmə nişanları haqqında Əsasnamə" (PDF). mod.gov.az (in Azerbaijani). Ministry of Defense. 25 June 2001. pp. 64–70. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
14. "Указ Президента Республики Беларусь от 21.07.2009 N 388 "О военной форме одежды, знаках различия по воинским званиям и внесении дополнений в Указ Президента Республики Беларусь от 9 июня 2006 г. N 383"". pravo.levonevsky.org/ (in Russian). Government of Belarus. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
15. "OBILJEŽJA I ČINOVI OS BIH". os.mod.gov.ba (in Bosnian). Oružane snage Bosne i Hercegovine. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
16. "ЗАКОН ЗА ОТБРАНАТА И ВЪОРЪЖЕНИТЕ СИЛИ НА РЕПУБЛИКА БЪЛГАРИЯ". lex.bg (in Bulgarian). Глава седма. ВОЕННА СЛУЖБА. 12 May 2009. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
17. "Oznake činova". osrh.hr (in Croatian). Republic of Croatia Armed Forces. 1 April 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
18. "Sümboolika: Maaväe Auastmed". mil.ee (in Estonian). Estonian Defence Forces. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
19. "Sotilasarvot Puolustusvoimissa". puolustusvoimat.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Defence Forces. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
20. "სამხედრო წოდებები და ინსიგნიები" [Military Ranks and Insignia]. mod.gov.ge (in Georgian). Ministry of Defense of Georgia. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
21. "Қазақстан Республикасының Қарулы Күштері, басқа да әскерлері мен әскери құралымдары әскери қызметшілерінің әскери киім нысаны және айырым белгілері туралы". adilet.zan.kz (in Kazakh). Ministry of Justice (Kazakhstan). 25 August 2011. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
22. "Кыргыз Республикасынын жарандарынын жалпыга бирдей аскердик милдети жөнүндө, аскердик жана альтернативдик кызматтар жөнүндө". cbd.minjust.gov.kg/ (in Kyrgyz). Ministry of Justice (Kyrgyzstan). 9 February 2009. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
23. "Karių laipsnių ženklai". kariuomene.kam.lt (in Lithuanian). Ministry of National Defence (Lithuania). Retrieved 26 May 2021.
24. "УРЕДБА ЗА ОЗНАКИТЕ ЗА УНИФОРМИТЕ НА АРМИЈАТА НА РЕПУБЛИКА СЕВЕРНА МАКЕДОНИЈА" [Regulation on the Markings for the Uniforms of the Army of the Republic Northern of Macedonia]. dejure.mk (in Macedonian). 12 November 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
25. Chief of General Staff (25 November 2019). "Order of the Chief of the General Staff: Number A / 595". gsmaf.gov.mn (in Mongolian). pp. 20–26. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
26. "IV. Izgled Činova u Vojsci". Official Gazette of Montenegro (in Montenegrin). 50/10: 22–28. 16 August 2010. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
27. "Militære grader". forsvaret.no (in Norwegian). Norwegian Armed Forces. 4 February 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
28. "Sposób noszenia odznak stopni wojskowych na umundurowaniu wojsk Lądowych i sił Powietrznych" (PDF). wojsko-polskie.pl (in Polish). Armed Forces Support Inspectorate. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
29. "ЧИНОВИ У ВОЈСЦИ СРБИЈЕ". vs.rs (in Serbian). Serbian Armed Forces. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
30. "Čini in razredi". slovenskavojska.si (in Slovenian). Slovenian Armed Forces. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
31. "Nya gradbeteckningar införs". Försvarsmakten. 2019-10-01. Retrieved 2019-10-02.
32. "ҚОНУНИ ҶУМҲУРИИ ТОҶИКИСТОН ДАР БОРАИ ЎҲДАДОРИИ УМУМИИ ҲАРБӢ ВА ХИЗМАТИ ҲАРБӢ". majmilli.tj (in Tajik). The National Assembly of the Republic of Tajikistan. 13 April 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
33. "TÜRKMENISTANYŇ KANUNY Harby borçlulyk we harby gulluk hakynda (Türkmenistanyň Mejlisiniň Maglumatlary 2010 ý., No. 3, 58-nji madda) (Türkmenistanyň 01.10.2011 ý. No. 234-IV Kanuny esasynda girizilen üýtgetmeler we goşmaçalar bilen)" [LAW OF TURKMENISTAN On military service and military service (Information of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, 2010, No. 3, Article 58) (as amended by the Law of Turkmenistan of October 1, 2011 No. 234-IV)] (PDF). milligosun.gov.tm (in Turkmen). Ministry of Defense (Turkmenistan). pp. 28–29. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
34. "НАКАЗ 20.11.2017 No. 606". zakon.rada.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). Ministry of Justice of Ukraine. 13 December 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
35. "O'zbekiston Respublikasi fuqarolarining harbiy xizmatni o'tash tartibi to'g'risida". lex.uz (in Uzbek). Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan. 12 September 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2021.