before the quiz

Czech Police ranks — the study cheat-sheet

Every Czech police officer wears a shoulder epaulettewith their rank insignia. The system looks complicated, but really it is just counting stars — you can learn it in three minutes. Rank names below are official Czech terms, used as-is.

Why learn it?

Orientation. When dealing with the police, you know who you are talking to and where they sit in the hierarchy.
Respect runs both ways. When an officer sees that you can read their insignia, the whole conversation changes — they take you seriously from the first sentence. Seasoned officers are often caught off guard by a civilian who knows what the stars mean.
And mainly: then the quiz below won't surprise you. 😄

The cheat-sheet

Ordered from the lowest rank. Stars always count 1-2-3 (4 for a captain) — and whenever a new symbol appears (a stripe, an arrow, a sprig), the counting starts again from one.

Warrant officers

Small silver eight-pointed stars — 1, 2, 3. From podpraporčík up, a thin stripe called „kolejnička" is added.

Rank insignia of a rotný (lowest Czech Police rank) on an epaulette — Rotný

Rank insignia of a strážmistr on an epaulette — Strážmistr

Rank insignia of a nadstrážmistr on an epaulette — Nadstrážmistr

Rank insignia of a podpraporčík on an epaulette — Podpraporčík

Rank insignia of a praporčík on an epaulette — Praporčík

Rank insignia of a nadpraporčík on an epaulette — Nadpraporčík

Junior officers

Bigger stars, no stripes. Pure counting.

Rank insignia of a podporučík on an epaulette — Podporučík

Rank insignia of a poručík on an epaulette — Poručík

Rank insignia of a nadporučík on an epaulette — Nadporučík

Rank insignia of a kapitán on an epaulette — Kapitán

Senior officers

Stripe + bent stripe („šipka", an arrow) + stars. Counting starts again from 1.

Rank insignia of a major on an epaulette — Major

Rank insignia of a podplukovník on an epaulette — Podplukovník

Rank insignia of a plukovník on an epaulette — Plukovník

Generals

A linden-leaf sprig („lipová ratolest") + large stars. Unmistakable at a glance.

Rank insignia of a brigádní generál on an epaulette — Brigádní generál

Rank insignia of a generálmajor on an epaulette — Generálmajor

Rank insignia of a generálporučík on an epaulette — Generálporučík

Now, the quiz!

10 random questions. Streaks count — can you hit ten in a row?

Start the quiz

Insignia pattern 15 (in force since 1 June 2015), Government Regulation No. 89/2015 Coll. Photos: Wikimedia Commons, public domain.Image source:Wikipedia — Ranks of security corps of the Czech Republic (public domain).