The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is the branch of all British Police forces to which plain clothes detectives belong. It is thus distinct from the Uniformed Branch and the Special Branch. CID officers must have spent at least two years as uniformed officers before applying to transfer to the branch and receive further training when they do so.

Ranks

Contrary to practice in police forces of many other nations, detectives are not automatically senior to uniformed officers and hold the same ranks. The head of the CID in most police forces is a Detective Chief Superintendent.

These ranks are common to most forces.

• Detective Constable (DC)
• Detective Sergeant (DS)
• Detective Inspector (DI)
• Detective Chief Inspector (DCI)
• Detective Superintendent (D Supt)
• Detective Chief Superintendent (DCS)