[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by nukem556

(four stars on the collar...that make him a general??)

**** = Chief
*** = Assistant Chief
** = Deputy Chief
* = Commander
|| = Captain
| = Lieutenant
^ = Sergeant (actually 2 chevrons)

Some departments have other ranks; Inspector, Commissioner, Sheriff, Marshal

From Wikipedia -

The United States police rank model is generally quasimilitary in structure. Although the large and varied number of federal, state, and local police departments and sheriff's office have different ranks, a general model, from highest to lowest rank, would be:

Chief of Police, Police Commissioner, Superintendent, Sheriff
Deputy Chief of Police, Deputy Commissioner, Deputy Superintendent, Undersheriff
Inspector, Commander, Colonel
Major, Deputy Inspector
Captain
Lieutenant
Sergeant
Detective, Inspector, Investigator
Officer, Deputy Sheriff, Corporal

This would indicate that Inspector Jacques Clouseau is of fairly high rank...