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Queensland Police Service · Serving officers

Queensland Police promotion
LCP, open merit and the pay jump

How QPS officers move up the pay points, qualify for Sergeant through the Leadership Capability Program, win positions on open merit, and seek an independent review. Pay figures are QPS's official CPI Uplift Adjustment (CUA) rates.

Updated 10 October 2026 15 min read Sources checked 10 October 2026 Independent, not advice

The short answer

In the Queensland Police Service you progress through pay points every 12 months with satisfactory DAPs and training, and move to Senior Constable after 12 months on Constable 1.5. Sergeant and above are filled by open merit under PSAA s 5.2, and you need the LCP (or MDP) to qualify for Sergeant. A Senior Constable 2.10 promoted to Sergeant starts on 3.2, +$1,811 a year.

Sergeant qualification

LCP

or MDP equivalent (cl 12.3(b))

SC 2.10 → Sergeant 3.2

+$1,811

a year, base, official QPS rates

Higher duties credit

+1 pay point

12 months in last 24 (cl 12.11)

Lodge a review within

7 days

of the Gazette notice

Contents +
  1. 1QPS ranks and pay points
  2. 2Constable to Senior Constable
  3. 3Open merit for Sergeant and above
  4. 4The Leadership Capability Program
  5. 5Applications, panels and the Gazette
  6. 6What each promotion pays
  7. 7Promotion with the 21% OSA
  8. 8Pay points after promotion
  9. 9Brevet, prosecutors and OICs
  10. 10Promotion reviews (OCPSR)
  11. 11How to prepare
  12. 12FAQs
  13. 13Sources

What are the QPS ranks and pay points?

The Queensland Police Service numbers its pay points by rank: 1.x for Constable, 2.x for Senior Constable, 3.x for Sergeant and 4.x for Senior Sergeant, then Inspector, Superintendent and Chief Superintendent. Executive officers from Assistant Commissioner up sit outside the certified agreement.

Base salary from 1 July 2026, QPS's official CUA schedule

Constable

Pay points
6
Bottom
$78,505
Top
$96,528

Senior Constable

Pay points
10
Bottom
$96,528
Top
$118,127

Sergeant

Pay points
7
Bottom
$118,127
Top
$133,671

Senior Sergeant

Pay points
7
Bottom
$135,281
Top
$150,175

Inspector

Pay points
7
Bottom
$179,870
Top
$195,991

Superintendent

Pay points
5
Bottom
$199,852
Top
$213,721

Chief Superintendent

Pay points
3
Bottom
$216,810
Top
$226,442

From QPS's official CPI Uplift Adjustment schedule (Tranche 3), which adds the March 2026 CPI uplift and the 2.5% rise from 1 July 2026 to the certified Schedule 1 rates. They are minimums: a March 2027 CPI uplift could add up to 1%. Base salary only, so no OSA, shift allowances or super.

The full rank list in our data is: Constable (pay points 1.1-1.6); Senior Constable (2.1-2.10; 2.10 deemed Leading Senior Constable once LCP/MDP-qualified); Sergeant (3.1-3.7); Senior Sergeant (4.1-4.7); Inspector (1-7); Chief Inspector (Inspector 7); Superintendent (1-5); Chief Superintendent (1-3); Assistant Commissioner and above (executive officers, outside the agreement).

Two quirks matter for promotion. Constable 1.6 and Senior Constable 2.1 are the same rate. And Senior Constable 2.10 is the same rate as Sergeant 3.1, which is why the agreement starts promoted 2.10s on 3.2. For every pay point, see the QLD Police salary guide.

How do you progress from Constable to Senior Constable?

Up to Senior Constable, QPS uses progression rather than competition. Clause 12 of the agreement sets the gates.

  1. 1

    Constable 1.1 to 1.2

    cl 12.1(a)

    On successfully completing the First Year Constable Program.

  2. 2

    Constable 1.2 to 1.5

    cl 12.1(b)

    At least 12 months on each pay point, plus satisfactory DAP (development and performance) and compulsory training.

  3. 3

    Senior Constable 2.1

    cl 12.2

    After 12 months on 1.5, with all compulsory training done and satisfactory performance reports. Vetting must then happen, and you need a current driver licence and Operational Skills and Tactics (OST) training.

  4. 4

    Senior Constable 2.2 to 2.10

    cl 12.3(a)

    At least 12 months on each pay point, plus satisfactory DAP and compulsory training.

Constable 1.5

$92,541

base, official QPS rate

Senior Constable 2.1

$96,528

base, official QPS rate

The step up

+$3,987

4.3%, about +$2,711 after tax

A "satisfactory performance report" has a specific meaning. Your DAP supervisor has to say your performance was satisfactory in the last DAP period and still is, and that you can do a Senior Constable's duties where you work. Vetting delays don't push back your date: progression takes effect on the date you met all the criteria (cl 12.2(c)).

Coming during this agreement: the Constable Capability Program

The agreement says a Constable Capability Program will be introduced during its life and will become compulsory for progression from Constable to Senior Constable. As at 9 October 2026 we haven't seen a start date. Ask your District Education and Training Officer or the QPU before you plan around it.

How does open merit promotion work for Sergeant and above?

From Sergeant up, positions are filled by open merit under section 5.2 of the Police Service Administration Act 1990. Before making a permanent appointment to a vacant or new position at or above Sergeant, the Commissioner must advertise it in the Queensland Police Gazette (cl 13.1). Positions filled by lateral transfer are the exception.

Some Senior Constable positions are also filled on merit, even though they don't carry promotion in rank. These include officer in charge of a one-officer station, Senior Constables at two-officer stations, and designated officers in charge of units such as CPIU and CIB. Merit promotion to those roles is limited to serving Senior Constables and Constables who have qualified to progress to Senior Constable.

Experience gives you the chance to show merit. It isn't merit in itself.

That's the Office of the Commissioner for Police Service Reviews' point, in our words, from its guidance for officers. Long service, arrest numbers and qualifications only count when you can show what you achieved with them.

What is the Leadership Capability Program and why does it matter?

The agreement uses LCP qualification as the gate to Sergeant. A Senior Constable on 2.10 is deemed a Leading Senior Constable once they're "LCP (or MDP equivalent) qualified for promotion to Sergeant rank" (cl 12.3(b)). Brevet Sergeant and Senior Sergeant roles are restricted to LCP or MDP qualified officers, or those enrolled in the LCP for that rank (cl 12.6(g)).

The LCP: what's confirmed and what isn't

LCP or MDP qualification is the test for promotion to Sergeant

Source
Certified Agreement 2025, cl 12.3(b), 12.6(g)
Status
Confirmed in the agreement

The LCP launched in January 2022 as a three-stage program of education, experience and mentoring

Source
QPS Annual Report 2021-22
Status
Confirmed in an official report

More than 2,600 officers and staff started the LCP in its first six months

Source
QPS Annual Report 2021-22
Status
Confirmed in an official report

The LCP also applies to Senior Sergeant and Inspector promotion, with distance learning and a workshop after promotion

Source
QPS recruiting material, seen only in search summaries
Status
Not confirmed by us

The Management Development Program (MDP) was the earlier qualification. The agreement still accepts it as equivalent, so officers who qualified under it don't need to redo the LCP for Sergeant. We couldn't open QPS's internal LCP guide, so check the current stages, entry windows and time limits with the QPS Leadership Centre or the QPU.

How are QPS promotion applications assessed?

Each Gazette notice links to a position description with the capabilities the panel will rate. The panel scores applicants against each criterion, and the panel convenor writes a report recommending the nominated appointee. That report, your ratings and the panel's reasoning become the evidence in any review, so it pays to write your application with that in mind.

What review officers say counts as merit

  • ✓Evidence of results from your experience, not the experience itself
  • ✓Specific initiatives you started and what changed
  • ✓Referees who can confirm your claims
  • ✓Answers that match each capability in the position description

What they say doesn't

  • ✕'I have 23 years' service, so my knowledge must be greater'
  • ✕Arrest numbers without context
  • ✕Qualifications in management with no evidence you managed well
  • ✕Saying you managed 20 people without showing how well

Those examples paraphrase the review office's information sheet for officers. It's the most candid public guide to how QPS merit is weighed, and it applies just as much to your first application as to a review.

How much does each QPS promotion pay?

These are base salaries from 1 July 2026 on QPS's official CUA schedule, and they're minimums before any 2027 CPI uplift. The after-tax column uses 2026-27 income tax and Medicare with no HELP debt.

Promotion and progression steps, base salary (official QPS rates; changes and tax calculated by us)

Constable 1.5 → Senior Constable 2.1

From
$92,541
To
$96,528
Gross change
+$3,987
%
4.3%
After tax (a year)
+$2,711

Senior Constable 2.9 → Sergeant 3.1

From
$115,787
To
$118,127
Gross change
+$2,340
%
2.0%
After tax (a year)
+$1,591

Senior Constable 2.10 → Sergeant 3.2 (cl 12.4(a))

From
$118,127
To
$119,938
Gross change
+$1,811
%
1.5%
After tax (a year)
+$1,231

Senior Constable 2.10 → Sergeant 3.3 (with 12 months' higher duties, cl 12.11)

From
$118,127
To
$122,338
Gross change
+$4,211
%
3.6%
After tax (a year)
+$2,863

Sergeant 3.7 → Senior Sergeant 4.1

From
$133,671
To
$135,281
Gross change
+$1,610
%
1.2%
After tax (a year)
+$1,075

Senior Sergeant 4.7 → Inspector 1

From
$150,175
To
$179,870
Gross change
+$29,695
%
19.8%
After tax (a year)
+$18,114

Inspector 6 → Chief Inspector (Inspector 7)

From
$193,288
To
$195,991
Gross change
+$2,703
%
1.4%
After tax (a year)
+$1,433

Inspector 7 → Superintendent 1

From
$195,991
To
$199,852
Gross change
+$3,861
%
2.0%
After tax (a year)
+$2,046

Superintendent 5 → Chief Superintendent 1

From
$213,721
To
$216,810
Gross change
+$3,089
%
1.4%
After tax (a year)
+$1,637

The row that matters most is the one for your situation. Most Sergeant applicants have been sitting on 2.10, so their first Sergeant point is 3.2. If you relieved as a Sergeant for 12 months or more in the past two years, clause 12.11 gives you one more point, making the jump +$4,211. Keep records of higher duties: they're worth real money on promotion.

Senior Sergeant to Inspector

Senior Sergeant 4.7 to Inspector 1 is +$29,695 in base salary. Check whether the Inspector role you're targeting carries the Operational Shift Allowance and overtime, and compare your real total earnings, not just base, before you apply. The overtime and penalty rates guide explains what you'd be giving up.

On QPS's official minimum rates from 1 July 2027 (another 2.5%), Senior Constable 2.10 to Sergeant 3.2 will be +$1,855.

What does promotion look like with the 21% OSA?

Most front-line officers on 2- or 3-shift rosters get the 21% Operational Shift Allowance on base salary. It replaces shift and weekend penalties, public holiday rates and leave loading. If both your current job and your new one attract OSA, the promotion jump grows by the same 21%.

Official base rates plus 21% OSA, calculated by us

Constable 1.5 → Senior Constable 2.1

From
$111,975
To
$116,799
Change
+$4,824

Senior Constable 2.10 → Sergeant 3.2

From
$142,934
To
$145,125
Change
+$2,191

Sergeant 3.7 → Senior Sergeant 4.1

From
$161,742
To
$163,690
Change
+$1,948

Watch the opposite case too. A Senior Constable on OSA who takes a day-work Sergeant role in an office can end up with less pay. Senior Constable 2.10 with OSA is $142,934, while Sergeant 3.2 without OSA is $119,938.

Free tool

Compare your pay before and after promotion

Choose Queensland, pick your current pay point and the Sergeant point you'd start on, and switch OSA and night shifts on or off to see your fortnightly take-home pay.

Open the take-home calculator →

How do you progress through pay points after promotion?

After promotion you need at least 12 months on each pay point, plus a satisfactory DAP and compulsory training, to move up (cl 12.4(b)). Commissioned officers need 12 months and a satisfactory DAP (cl 12.8(b)).

Sergeant pay points from 1 July 2026 (QPS's official CUA schedule)

3.1

Base salary
$118,127
Change
start of rank

3.2

Base salary
$119,938
Change
+$1,811

3.3

Base salary
$122,338
Change
+$2,400

3.4

Base salary
$124,793
Change
+$2,455

3.5

Base salary
$126,627
Change
+$1,834

3.6

Base salary
$129,956
Change
+$3,329

3.7

Base salary
$133,671
Change
+$3,715

Here's the worked example. A Senior Constable on 2.10 with OSA is promoted to an OSA Sergeant position on 3.2. Take-home pay rises from about $4,082 to $4,133 a fortnight, or +$1,337 a year after tax (2026-27 rates, no HELP).

Senior Constable pay points, for comparison

2.1

Base salary
$96,528
Change
start of rank

2.2

Base salary
$98,751
Change
+$2,223

2.3

Base salary
$101,031
Change
+$2,280

2.4

Base salary
$103,363
Change
+$2,332

2.5

Base salary
$105,722
Change
+$2,359

2.6

Base salary
$108,153
Change
+$2,431

2.7

Base salary
$110,653
Change
+$2,500

2.8

Base salary
$113,194
Change
+$2,541

2.9

Base salary
$115,787
Change
+$2,593

2.10

Base salary
$118,127
Change
+$2,340

What are brevet ranks, prosecutor progression and OIC allowances?

Brevet Sergeant and Senior Sergeant

If a Sergeant or Senior Sergeant position is advertised more than once with no suitable applicant, the Commissioner can designate it a brevet position (cl 12.6). It's then filled on merit from LCP or MDP qualified officers, or officers enrolled in the LCP for that rank.

If you're enrolled but not yet qualified, you're appointed as a brevet and paid at the higher rank while you hold the position. Qualify during your tenure and you become substantive at your current pay point. If you don't, you can't be made substantive.

Prosecutors

Prosecutors have their own route. A Constable or Senior Constable who completes the Police Prosecutions Training Course and is appointed to a Prosecutions Section progresses to Sergeant after five years' continuous experience as a prosecutor, subject to DAPs and training (cl 12.7(c)).

Officer in charge allowances

Sergeants and Senior Sergeants who are officers in charge of the stations and establishments listed in Schedule 3 get an OIC allowance on top of salary (cl 12.5). QPS's official uplifted (CUA) amounts from 1 July 2026 are:

Officer in Charge allowance, cl 40 (official QPS CUA rates from 1 July 2026)

Category A

A year
$5,090
Who
Officers in charge, Category A

Category B

A year
$10,180
Who
Officers in charge, Category B

Category C

A year
$15,278
Who
Officers in charge, Category C

Category D

A year
$20,363
Who
Officers in charge, Category D

An Inspector with a Graduate Certificate or higher and 12 months on the top Inspector point is deemed a Chief Inspector (cl 12.8(c)). If you take a voluntary demotion and are promoted again within 12 months, you can ask to go back to your old pay point (cl 12.9).

How do you seek a review of a QPS promotion?

Queensland gives unsuccessful applicants an independent review. Under Part 9 of the Police Service Administration Act 1990, an officer who properly applied for a position and missed out can apply for a review of the selection. Applications go to the Office of the Commissioner for Police Service Reviews (OCPSR), which sits with the Crime and Corruption Commission but whose Review Commissioners are independent of both the QPS and the CCC.

  1. 1

    Get feedback first

    You're entitled to proper feedback from the panel convenor. Use it to decide whether you really have grounds.

  2. 2

    Lodge within 7 days

    Email a completed Notice of Application to Review to the OCPSR within 7 days of the promotion notice in the Gazette. Late applications aren't accepted. If you haven't had a receipt, phone to confirm before the closing date.

  3. 3

    State your grounds

    Merit, a flawed selection process, or both. For merit you must show where the panel under-rated you against each criterion compared with the nominated appointee.

  4. 4

    Written submissions

    You get the selection documents, then lodge a submission by the date set. Work commitments and leave aren't grounds for an extension. The panel convenor responds in writing.

  5. 5

    Hearing and recommendation

    A Review Commissioner holds a hearing in person or by teleconference, with the panel convenor taking part, then makes a recommendation to the Commissioner of Police.

  6. 6

    Final decision

    The Commissioner of Police decides. If they don't follow the recommendation, they must give all parties a brief summary of reasons. The outcome is published in the Gazette.

A promoted officer's transfer only takes effect after the review period closes and any reviews are finished (cl 73.3), so a review can delay the move for everyone involved.

How should you prepare for QPS promotion?

Before you apply for Sergeant

  • ✓ Finish the LCP stage for Sergeant, or confirm your MDP counts, before positions you want come up
  • ✓ Log every period of higher duties: 12 months in 24 earns an extra pay point on promotion
  • ✓ Read the Gazette weekly and save position descriptions for roles you'd want
  • ✓ Map 8 to 10 STAR examples to the capabilities in those descriptions, with measurable results
  • ✓ Line up referees who can confirm specific claims
  • ✓ Work out whether the new role carries OSA before you accept
  • ✓ If you miss out, get feedback before deciding on a review: the clock is 7 days
From free · A$49.99 full

Practise merit-panel answers

Answer promotion questions on leadership, managing performance, ethics and resourcing, and get scored STAR feedback. One answer a day is free; full access is A$49.99 for 180 days. It doesn't replace the LCP or any QPS material.

Try promotion prep →

The free AI mock interview is a good warm-up too. Compare other states in the NSW, Victoria and WA promotion guides. The QLD pay deal page tracks the CPI uplift that can lift every rate on this page, and the QPS overview covers the rest of the service. For every force side by side, see the national police ranks and promotion guide.

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QPS promotion rounds and rule changes

Get an email when the CPI uplift changes Sergeant and Inspector pay, when the Constable Capability Program becomes compulsory, and when the review rules or LCP requirements change.

  • ✓CPI uplift and 1 July pay changes, rank by rank
  • ✓Changes to LCP, CCP and promotion review rules

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Frequently asked questions

How do you become a Senior Constable in QPS?

It's progression, not a merit contest. Constables move from 1.1 to 1.2 on finishing the First Year Constable Program, then need 12 months on each point. After 12 months on 1.5 you move to Senior Constable 2.1 if you've done all compulsory training, have satisfactory performance reports, pass vetting, hold a current driver licence and complete OST (cl 12.2).

What do you need to be promoted to Sergeant in Queensland?

You need to be qualified through the Leadership Capability Program, or the older Management Development Program equivalent, and then win a Sergeant position on open merit. Positions at or above Sergeant are advertised in the Queensland Police Gazette before a permanent appointment is made (cl 13.1).

What is the QPS Leadership Capability Program?

The LCP was launched in January 2022. The QPS 2021-22 annual report describes it as a three-stage program for next-level development that combines education, experience and mentoring, and says more than 2,600 officers and staff started it in its first six months. The certified agreement uses LCP qualification as the test for promotion to Sergeant.

Where do I start after promotion to Sergeant?

On the first pay point, 3.1, unless you were on Senior Constable 2.10, in which case you start on 3.2 (cl 12.4(a)). If you performed higher duties at Sergeant for 12 months or more in the 24 months before promotion, you start one point higher (cl 12.11).

How do I challenge a QPS promotion decision?

If you properly applied and were unsuccessful, you can apply for a review within 7 days of the promotion notice in the Queensland Police Gazette. You email a Notice of Application to Review to the Office of the Commissioner for Police Service Reviews. An independent Review Commissioner holds a hearing and makes a recommendation to the Police Commissioner.

How much does a QPS Sergeant earn?

On QPS's official CUA schedule, Sergeant runs from $118,127 at 3.1 to $133,671 at 3.7 from 1 July 2026, base salary only. Most front-line Sergeants also get the 21% Operational Shift Allowance, which lifts 3.2 to about $145,125.

How do you become a Chief Inspector in QPS?

An Inspector who holds a Graduate Certificate or higher and has served at least 12 months on the top Inspector pay point is deemed a Chief Inspector, with the insignia, and moves to the Chief Inspector pay point (cl 12.8(c)). It isn't a separate merit selection.

Can prosecutors become Sergeants without applying?

Yes. A Constable or Senior Constable who completes the Police Prosecutions Training Course and is appointed to a Prosecutions Section progresses to Sergeant after five years' continuous experience as a prosecutor, subject to satisfactory DAPs and training (cl 12.7(c)).

Evidence

Sources and how we checked them

Every figure on this page comes from the sources below, read on 10 October 2026. Pay rates and rules change when new agreements are made, so check the source for the date you're reading this. Where we couldn't confirm something from an official source, the page says so instead of guessing. Spotted an error? Read our corrections policy.

  1. Queensland Police Service Certified Agreement 2025 (QIRC CB/2025/116) — cl 12 classification structure, progression and promotion; cl 13 advertising; Schedule 1
  2. Queensland Police Service: CPI Uplift Adjustment (CUA) FAQ and visual aids, Tranche 3 (official pay and allowance schedules) — official uplifted pay tables and Officer in Charge allowance rates, read 10 October 2026
  3. QPS Certified Agreement 2025, Internet Archive copy — the copy we read
  4. CCC: Police service reviews information sheet (promotion, transfer, non-appointment) — PSAA Part 9 reviews, 7-day lodgement, hearing and recommendation
  5. CCC: Police service reviews
  6. QPS Annual Report 2021-22: Human resources — Leadership Capability Program launch
  7. QPS Recruiting: What we offer

Related guides

QLD Police salary 2026 → Every pay point, plus the OSA and CPI uplift explained. Police promotion prep → Practise merit-panel answers and get scored feedback. NSW Police promotion → How the NSW Stage A and Stage B process compares.

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General information, not advice. This guide explains published rules and rates. It doesn't consider your personal circumstances and isn't financial, legal, tax or credit advice. Confirm anything you rely on with your force, your police association, the ATO or a licensed professional.