SAPOL's rank structure and pay ranges in 2026
The Police Regulations 2014 list SAPOL's ranks from the top down: Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner, Commander, Chief Superintendent, Superintendent, Chief Inspector, Inspector, Senior Sergeant, Sergeant, Senior Constable First Class, Senior Constable and Constable. Cadets and Probationary Constables sit below that as training and probation stages.
Two titles you'll hear that aren't separate ranks in that list: Brevet Sergeant and Senior Sergeant 1st Class. Both are paid as allowances under Schedule 4 of the enterprise agreement, not as their own salary scales.
Cadet
- Increments published
- Single rate
- Annual base salary
- $71,872
Probationary Constable
- Increments published
- Single rate
- Annual base salary
- $83,398
Constable
- Increments published
- Increment 1 to Increment 7
- Annual base salary
- $86,125 to $102,491
Senior Constable
- Increments published
- Increment 1 to Increment 6
- Annual base salary
- $102,990 to $117,542
Senior Constable 1st Class
- Increments published
- Increment 1 to Increment 6
- Annual base salary
- $105,901 to $120,453
Sergeant
- Increments published
- Increment 1 to Increment 5
- Annual base salary
- $122,740 to $135,363
Senior Sergeant
- Increments published
- Increment 1 to Increment 5
- Annual base salary
- $140,121 to $149,806
Inspector
- Increments published
- Increment 1 to Increment 3
- Annual base salary
- $168,670 to $187,683
Chief Inspector
- Increments published
- Single rate
- Annual base salary
- $186,091
Superintendent
- Increments published
- Increment 1 to Increment 3
- Annual base salary
- $194,139 to $211,175
Chief Superintendent
- Increments published
- Single rate
- Annual base salary
- $219,220
Commander
- Increments published
- Single rate
- Annual base salary
- $226,534
| Rank | Increments published | Annual base salary |
|---|---|---|
| Cadet | Single rate | $71,872 |
| Probationary Constable | Single rate | $83,398 |
| Constable | Increment 1 to Increment 7 | $86,125 to $102,491 |
| Senior Constable | Increment 1 to Increment 6 | $102,990 to $117,542 |
| Senior Constable 1st Class | Increment 1 to Increment 6 | $105,901 to $120,453 |
| Sergeant | Increment 1 to Increment 5 | $122,740 to $135,363 |
| Senior Sergeant | Increment 1 to Increment 5 | $140,121 to $149,806 |
| Inspector | Increment 1 to Increment 3 | $168,670 to $187,683 |
| Chief Inspector | Single rate | $186,091 |
| Superintendent | Increment 1 to Increment 3 | $194,139 to $211,175 |
| Chief Superintendent | Single rate | $219,220 |
| Commander | Single rate | $226,534 |
SAPOL publishes only the lowest and highest increment of each rank. The steps in between aren't published, so we don't estimate them. Shift allowances are paid on top.
Your salary depends on three things: your rank, your increment within it, and any qualifications that unlock higher steps. SAPOL describes this as a structured framework that helps you qualify for the ranks from Senior Constable to Superintendent. Full rank-by-rank pay, including allowances, is on our SA Police salary guide.
How promotion works in SAPOL: three different tracks
Promotion in South Australia isn't one process. It's three, and which one applies depends on where you are. The early steps are largely automatic if you qualify. The middle step has two routes. Everything from Sergeant up is competitive merit selection.
- 1
Constable to Senior Constable: in situ
Not competitiveClause 10.2 of the 2021 enterprise agreement moves a Constable to Senior Constable 'in situ' (in your current position) 5 years after permanent appointment, subject to qualifying for the rank. You then progress by years of service up to Senior Constable Increment 6.
- 2
Senior Constable 1st Class: two routes
Merit or qualificationClause 10.8 gives two ways in: win a merit selection, or complete the Sergeant Qualification Program and serve 12 months on Senior Constable Increment 4. The second route rewards study without needing a vacancy.
- 3
Sergeant and above: merit selection
CompetitiveSergeant, Senior Sergeant and Inspector positions are filled by merit-based selection with study, exam and training prerequisites. The Police Act 1998 bars appointment to these 'prescribed promotional positions' unless the regulated selection process has been followed.
- 4
Senior Sergeant 1st Class
Merit or timeClause 11.1 grants it by merit or after 10 years as a Senior Sergeant. It is paid as an allowance on top of Senior Sergeant salary.
- 5
Chief Inspector and above
Commissioned ranksThe regulations call these 'prescribed officer positions' (Chief Inspector up to Assistant Commissioner). They use the same merit pool or advertised-selection machinery, but they sit outside the Police Review Tribunal's promotion review, which stops at Inspector.
Below Sergeant, you mostly qualify your way up. From Sergeant, you compete.
Who is eligible for each step
Eligibility is set partly by the enterprise agreement and partly by the Commissioner. Section 58 of the Police Act says you're not eligible for a promotional position if you lack the qualifications the Commissioner has decided are essential, and that decision binds the Police Review Tribunal. Regulation 49D requires any order or guideline about qualifications for Senior Constable and above to be notified in the Police Gazette.
Permanent appointment as Constable
- What the rules require
- Complete probation (about two years for domestic recruits, from public summaries). A recruit with a relevant bachelor degree may start at Constable Increment 2.
- Where it comes from
- EA cl 42.4; SAPOL
Senior Constable
- What the rules require
- 5 years after permanent appointment, and qualified for the rank
- Where it comes from
- EA cl 10.2-10.3
Senior Constable 1st Class
- What the rules require
- Merit selection, or the Sergeant Qualification Program plus 12 months on Senior Constable Increment 4
- Where it comes from
- EA cl 10.8
Sergeant, Senior Sergeant, Inspector
- What the rules require
- Essential qualifications set by the Commissioner, then merit selection from a pool or an advertised process
- Where it comes from
- Police Act ss 54, 58; Regs rr 48-49B
Senior Sergeant 1st Class
- What the rules require
- Merit, or 10 years as a Senior Sergeant
- Where it comes from
- EA cl 11.1
Detective designation
- What the rules require
- Investigator course (IITC), Detective Training Course, then a workbook within 3 years
- Where it comes from
- EA; SAPOL
| Step | What the rules require | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent appointment as Constable | Complete probation (about two years for domestic recruits, from public summaries). A recruit with a relevant bachelor degree may start at Constable Increment 2. | EA cl 42.4; SAPOL |
| Senior Constable | 5 years after permanent appointment, and qualified for the rank | EA cl 10.2-10.3 |
| Senior Constable 1st Class | Merit selection, or the Sergeant Qualification Program plus 12 months on Senior Constable Increment 4 | EA cl 10.8 |
| Sergeant, Senior Sergeant, Inspector | Essential qualifications set by the Commissioner, then merit selection from a pool or an advertised process | Police Act ss 54, 58; Regs rr 48-49B |
| Senior Sergeant 1st Class | Merit, or 10 years as a Senior Sergeant | EA cl 11.1 |
| Detective designation | Investigator course (IITC), Detective Training Course, then a workbook within 3 years | EA; SAPOL |
What isn't public
The detail of 'qualifying for the rank' of Senior Constable, and the current Sergeant Qualification Program content, are set internally and aren't on SAPOL's public site. The Gazette notice calling for applications, your district's training officer, or the Police Association of South Australia (PASA) can confirm what applies this year.
Merit pools and selection panels, explained
Part 9 of the Police Regulations 2014 sets out how SAPOL fills promotional positions. The Commissioner can choose either of two methods for each position, and when a merit pool exists for that kind of position, the regulations say vacancies must be filled from the pool unless that isn't reasonably practicable.
Method 1: a merit pool
The Commissioner advertises the pool, usually by Police Gazette notice, and calls for applications from eligible members. Everyone accepted is ranked in order of merit. When a matching vacancy comes up, a suitable member is chosen from inside the pool under the Commissioner's orders or guidelines. General orders can cover pool size, eligibility, ranking, removal and reinstatement.
Method 2: an advertised position
For a position not filled from a pool, the Commissioner advertises it and may appoint an advisory committee of at least three people. The committee decides who is most suitable on merit, or that nobody is suitable. Regulation 49B(6) lets it require an interview, test, medical or psychological assessment, training course or other assessment.
Merit pool
- ✓One assessment can lead to several placements
- ✓Your ranking carries across vacancies of that kind
- ✓You can seek review if you're wrongly left out or removed
Advertised position
- ✕You apply and are assessed for that specific job
- ✕The panel compares you against that field only
- ✕A selection decision can go to grievance, then the Tribunal
The Commissioner can also set a specified, minimum or maximum period of appointment for a position. If a minimum applies, you generally can't move to another position at the same or a lower rank until it ends.
What the assessment actually involves
SAPOL doesn't publish a standard promotion assessment, and it changes between rounds. What we can say for certain comes from the regulations and the agreement: there are prerequisites (study, examinations and training courses), and a selection panel may then use interviews, tests, assessments or courses to rank applicants on merit.
Expect some or all of these in a Sergeant-and-above round
- ✓ A written application addressing the position's criteria
- ✓ Evidence you hold the essential qualifications set for that rank
- ✓ A panel interview using behavioural questions about leadership, decisions and standards
- ✓ Referee or supervisor input on your performance and conduct
- ✓ Possibly a test, exercise, medical or psychological assessment, as the regulations allow
Panels at this level look for leadership through other people: how you set expectations, managed underperformance, made and recorded a risky decision, and supported a colleague's wellbeing. A good recruit-style answer about what you did personally is rarely enough for Sergeant. You need to show how you led others to the result.
Read the Gazette notice twice
The notice for each round, and any general order or guideline it references, sets the rules you'll be held to. Regulation 49D requires qualification requirements for Senior Constable and above to be notified in the Gazette, so there should always be a written source.
Grievances and the Police Review Tribunal
In SAPOL, an unsuccessful applicant has a statutory right to challenge a promotion decision before the Police Review Tribunal. The right covers 'prescribed promotional positions', which section 53 of the Police Act defines as positions from Senior Constable up to Inspector. It's a two-stage process with tight deadlines.
- 1
Selection decision published
Day 0Section 55 requires the Commissioner to publish the decision, or the fact that nobody was selected, in the Police Gazette.
- 2
Lodge a grievance with the Commissioner
Within 14 daysIn writing, on the approved form, naming the decision and your grounds. It must reach the Commissioner's office within 14 days of the Gazette notice (regulation 53).
- 3
Commissioner decides
Within 28 daysThe Commissioner can confirm or quash the decision, or restart the selection from the beginning or a later stage, and must tell you in writing within 28 days unless you agree to longer.
- 4
Apply to the Police Review Tribunal
Within 7 daysIf you're still aggrieved, apply to the Tribunal's Secretary within 7 days of the grievance decision, in triplicate, with a copy of the selection decision (regulation 54).
- 5
Tribunal hears and decides
Within 28 daysThe Tribunal must decide within 28 days. It can confirm the decision, quash it, order that you be appointed, or order the selection to restart (section 57).
The grounds are limited by section 56: the person chosen isn't eligible; you should have been chosen on a proper assessment of merit; the process was affected by nepotism or patronage or wasn't properly based on merit; or there was some other serious irregularity. Only the parties can give evidence about merit, and only documents the panel actually saw can be used.
Merit pool decisions work differently
Being refused entry to, or removed from, a merit pool has its own review under regulation 49: a grievance to the Commissioner first, then 7 days to apply to the Tribunal, which decides within 28 days. But who is picked from inside a pool, the ranking, and the pool's size can't be reviewed. A review also doesn't stop the decision taking effect while it runs.
What each promotion is worth
These figures come straight from SAPOL's published table effective from 1 January 2026. Because SAPOL only publishes the bottom and top increment of each rank, we compare the published points honestly and don't guess the steps in between. The after-tax column is our calculation using 2026-27 ATO rates for a single person with no HELP debt or deductions.
Permanent appointment
- From
- Probationary Constable
$83,398 - To
- Constable Increment 1 (minimum)
$86,125 - Gross a year
- +$2,727
- Change
- 3.3%
- After tax a year*
- +$1,854
- Note
- End of probation
In situ to Senior Constable
- From
- Constable Increment 7 (maximum)
$102,491 - To
- Senior Constable Increment 1 (minimum)
$102,990 - Gross a year
- +$499
- Change
- 0.5%
- After tax a year*
- +$339
- Note
- Top of Constable to entry of Senior Constable; your real starting point depends on your increment
Senior Constable 1st Class (entry)
- From
- Senior Constable Increment 1 (minimum)
$102,990 - To
- Senior Constable 1st Class Increment 1 (minimum)
$105,901 - Gross a year
- +$2,911
- Change
- 2.8%
- After tax a year*
- +$1,979
- Note
- Entry point to entry point
Senior Constable 1st Class (top)
- From
- Senior Constable Increment 6 (maximum)
$117,542 - To
- Senior Constable 1st Class Increment 6 (maximum)
$120,453 - Gross a year
- +$2,911
- Change
- 2.5%
- After tax a year*
- +$1,979
- Note
- Top to top
Sergeant
- From
- Senior Constable 1st Class Increment 6 (maximum)
$120,453 - To
- Sergeant Increment 1 (minimum)
$122,740 - Gross a year
- +$2,287
- Change
- 1.9%
- After tax a year*
- +$1,555
- Note
- From the top of Senior Constable 1st Class
Senior Sergeant
- From
- Sergeant Increment 5 (maximum)
$135,363 - To
- Senior Sergeant Increment 1 (minimum)
$140,121 - Gross a year
- +$4,758
- Change
- 3.5%
- After tax a year*
- +$2,902
- Note
- From the top of Sergeant
Inspector
- From
- Senior Sergeant Increment 5 (maximum)
$149,806 - To
- Inspector Increment 1 (minimum)
$168,670 - Gross a year
- +$18,864
- Change
- 12.6%
- After tax a year*
- +$11,507
- Note
- From the top of Senior Sergeant
Chief Inspector
- From
- Inspector Increment 3 (maximum)
$187,683 - To
- Chief Inspector
$186,091 - Gross a year
- −$1,592
- Change
- -0.8%
- After tax a year*
- −$971
- Note
- Base falls: see the callout below
Superintendent
- From
- Chief Inspector
$186,091 - To
- Superintendent Increment 1 (minimum)
$194,139 - Gross a year
- +$8,048
- Change
- 4.3%
- After tax a year*
- +$4,578
| Move | From | To | Gross a year | Change | After tax a year* | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permanent appointment | Probationary Constable $83,398 | Constable Increment 1 (minimum) $86,125 | +$2,727 | 3.3% | +$1,854 | End of probation |
| In situ to Senior Constable | Constable Increment 7 (maximum) $102,491 | Senior Constable Increment 1 (minimum) $102,990 | +$499 | 0.5% | +$339 | Top of Constable to entry of Senior Constable; your real starting point depends on your increment |
| Senior Constable 1st Class (entry) | Senior Constable Increment 1 (minimum) $102,990 | Senior Constable 1st Class Increment 1 (minimum) $105,901 | +$2,911 | 2.8% | +$1,979 | Entry point to entry point |
| Senior Constable 1st Class (top) | Senior Constable Increment 6 (maximum) $117,542 | Senior Constable 1st Class Increment 6 (maximum) $120,453 | +$2,911 | 2.5% | +$1,979 | Top to top |
| Sergeant | Senior Constable 1st Class Increment 6 (maximum) $120,453 | Sergeant Increment 1 (minimum) $122,740 | +$2,287 | 1.9% | +$1,555 | From the top of Senior Constable 1st Class |
| Senior Sergeant | Sergeant Increment 5 (maximum) $135,363 | Senior Sergeant Increment 1 (minimum) $140,121 | +$4,758 | 3.5% | +$2,902 | From the top of Sergeant |
| Inspector | Senior Sergeant Increment 5 (maximum) $149,806 | Inspector Increment 1 (minimum) $168,670 | +$18,864 | 12.6% | +$11,507 | From the top of Senior Sergeant |
| Chief Inspector | Inspector Increment 3 (maximum) $187,683 | Chief Inspector $186,091 | −$1,592 | -0.8% | −$971 | Base falls: see the callout below |
| Superintendent | Chief Inspector $186,091 | Superintendent Increment 1 (minimum) $194,139 | +$8,048 | 4.3% | +$4,578 |
*After-tax change calculated by us with 2026-27 resident tax rates and the 2% Medicare levy. It excludes allowances, overtime, super and salary sacrifice.
Senior Constable top to Sergeant
+$5,198
4.4% on base
Senior Sergeant top to Inspector
+$18,864
12.6% on base
Inspector entry
$168,670
plus an officers' flexibility allowance
The Chief Inspector anomaly
SAPOL's own table shows Chief Inspector on a single rate of $186,091, which is less than the top Inspector increment of $187,683. We've reported it as published. If you're an Inspector at the top of the scale weighing a Chief Inspector role, ask HR or PASA how your salary would be set on appointment before you decide.
Worked example: does Inspector pay more once allowances are in?
The biggest single jump in SAPOL is from Senior Sergeant to Inspector. Allowances change too, though. A Sergeant on Increment 5 on the metropolitan Response Extended Hours Roster gets the 23% of base salary Response Allowance: $135,363 plus 23% is about $166,496 a year (our calculation). A Senior Sergeant at the top of the scale on the same roster would be about $184,261.
An Inspector on Increment 1 gets the Officers of Police Flexibility Allowance instead: 8% on day work or 15% on shift work under clause 43.2. That's about $182,164 on day work or $193,970 on shift work. Overtime and public holiday pay are left out of every figure, and they work differently for commissioned officers.
Check your take-home pay at the next rank
See what $122,740 as a new Sergeant, or $168,670 as an Inspector, means per fortnight after tax and super, with your own roster allowances added.
Allowances that change when you're promoted
Several SAPOL allowances are tied to rank or to rank-like roles, so a promotion can add or remove them. The amounts below are the latest figures in the 2021 agreement's Schedule 4. Whether they've been indexed since 1 January 2024 isn't confirmed in what we read.
Brevet Sergeant allowance
- Amount
- $1,613 a year (from 1 Jan 2024)
- Who gets it
- Brevet Sergeants
General Duties Sergeant Allowance
- Amount
- 1.5% of salary (phase 1)
- Who gets it
- General Duties Sergeants
General Duties Sergeant daily higher duties
- Amount
- $31.80 a day (from 1 Jan 2024)
- Who gets it
- Officers acting as General Duties Sergeant
Rotational Shift Allowance for Long Term Patrol - Tier 2 (Sergeant)
- Amount
- $2,402 a year (from 1 Jan 2024)
- Who gets it
- Sergeants with 8+ years in uniform 24/7 patrol
Senior Sergeant 1st Class allowance
- Amount
- About $7,177 a year (from 1 Jan 2024; partly illegible in the scanned agreement) unconfirmed
- Who gets it
- Senior Sergeants 1st Class
Officers of Police Flexibility Allowance - day working
- Amount
- 8% of salary
- Who gets it
- Officers of Police (Inspector and above) on day work
Officers of Police Flexibility Allowance - shift working
- Amount
- 15% of salary
- Who gets it
- Officers of Police (Inspector and above) on shift work
| Allowance | Amount | Who gets it |
|---|---|---|
| Brevet Sergeant allowance | $1,613 a year (from 1 Jan 2024) | Brevet Sergeants |
| General Duties Sergeant Allowance | 1.5% of salary (phase 1) | General Duties Sergeants |
| General Duties Sergeant daily higher duties | $31.80 a day (from 1 Jan 2024) | Officers acting as General Duties Sergeant |
| Rotational Shift Allowance for Long Term Patrol - Tier 2 (Sergeant) | $2,402 a year (from 1 Jan 2024) | Sergeants with 8+ years in uniform 24/7 patrol |
| Senior Sergeant 1st Class allowance | About $7,177 a year (from 1 Jan 2024; partly illegible in the scanned agreement) unconfirmed | Senior Sergeants 1st Class |
| Officers of Police Flexibility Allowance - day working | 8% of salary | Officers of Police (Inspector and above) on day work |
| Officers of Police Flexibility Allowance - shift working | 15% of salary | Officers of Police (Inspector and above) on shift work |
The Senior Sergeant 1st Class figure was partly illegible in the scanned agreement and still needs confirming.
Percentage allowances matter most. The Response Allowance (23%) and the Flexible Shiftwork Allowance (18.5%) are percentages of base, so every promotion also lifts them. Losing one because your new role is a day job can wipe out much of a pay rise, so check the roster attached to any position before you apply.
The detective pathway runs alongside rank
Becoming a detective in SAPOL is a designation, not a promotion. You complete the investigator course (IITC) and the Detective Training Course, then a workbook within three years. Detectives receive the Detective Attraction and Retention Allowance of $10,682 a year (the latest figure in the agreement), which replaces the award's plain clothes and out-of-pocket allowances and doesn't count as salary for super or overtime.
The designation doesn't change your rank, so moving up still means the Sergeant selection process described above. If you're weighing investigations against uniform promotion, our detective career guide compares the paths across forces.
Investigative areas pay a different shift allowance
Listed specialist and investigative areas (such as CIB, Major Crime and STAR Group) get the 18.5% Flexible Shiftwork Allowance rather than the 23% Response Allowance. Factor that in when you compare a detective role with a uniform Sergeant role.
Will the proposed 2026 agreement change promotion pay?
On 16 September 2026 PASA announced a proposed new enterprise agreement: 4% from the first full pay period on or after 1 January 2027, then 4% or the inter-jurisdictional midpoint (whichever is higher) in 2028, 4% in 2029, and 4% or the midpoint in 2030. It also proposes a new percentage-based allowance for experienced front-line officers, a redesigned on-call model and better regional incentives.
Proposed, not ratified
When we checked on 9 October 2026, the agreement still needed a member vote and SA Employment Tribunal approval. No changes to promotion rules or rank structure were published. We'll update this page and our SA pay deal tracker when it's approved.
Because the proposed rises are percentages, the dollar gap between ranks would widen in line with them. A flat 4% on the $122,740 Sergeant entry rate, for example, would be about $127,650 (our illustration, not an official figure).
How to prepare for a SAPOL promotion round
The officers who get promoted first are rarely the ones who start preparing when the Gazette notice appears. Treat each step below as part of the year before you apply.
A practical preparation plan
- ✓ Get your qualifications done early: the Sergeant Qualification Program also opens the Senior Constable 1st Class route
- ✓ Read the last Gazette notice for your target rank and the general orders it cites
- ✓ Build a bank of 8 to 10 leadership examples from the last two to three years, written up in STAR form
- ✓ Act up whenever you can: General Duties Sergeant higher duties gives you real examples, and a daily allowance
- ✓ Ask a recently promoted Sergeant or Inspector to run a mock panel with you
- ✓ Keep a short record of decisions you made and why: panels test judgement, not memory
- ✓ Diarise the 14-day grievance and 7-day Tribunal deadlines before results come out
Practise promotion-panel answers
Practise SAPOL-style selection-panel answers on leadership, standards, decision making and resourcing, and get a STAR score in seconds. One scored answer a day is free; full access is A$49.99 for 180 days. Independent practice, not a SAPOL product.
Comparing forces? See how the process works in Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the AFP, or compare top-of-scale pay in our highest-paid force ranking. Our SA Police hub collects everything we cover about SAPOL.
Free email alerts
SA Police promotion rounds and rule changes
We watch for SAPOL merit pool calls, changes to the Police Regulations and what the new enterprise agreement does to rank pay. Get a short email when something changes.
- ✓Alerts when promotion rules or regulations change
- ✓Rank pay tables updated the day a new agreement is approved
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to make Senior Constable in SA Police?
Under the enterprise agreement, a Constable moves to Senior Constable 'in situ' 5 years after permanent appointment, as long as they have qualified for the rank. Domestic recruits are permanently appointed after roughly two years of probation, so on that timing an officer would reach Senior Constable roughly seven years after starting (the probation length comes from public summaries, so check your own dates). You don't compete against anyone for this step.
What is the Sergeant Qualification Program in SAPOL?
It's SAPOL's qualifying program for the rank of Sergeant. Under clause 10.8 of the 2021 enterprise agreement, completing it and spending 12 months on Senior Constable Increment 4 is one route to Senior Constable 1st Class. SAPOL doesn't publish the program's current content or timetable publicly, so check the intranet or ask your Police Association delegate.
Can I appeal a promotion decision in SA Police?
Yes, for positions from Senior Constable to Inspector. You first lodge a grievance with the Commissioner within 14 days of the selection decision appearing in the Police Gazette. If that fails, you have 7 days to apply to the Police Review Tribunal, which must decide within 28 days. Grounds are limited to merit, eligibility, nepotism or patronage, or a serious irregularity.
What is a merit pool in SAPOL?
A merit pool is a ranked list of members found suitable for a type of promotional position. The Police Regulations 2014 let the Commissioner set one up by Gazette notice, rank everyone in it by merit, and fill matching vacancies from it. You can seek review of being excluded or removed from a pool, but not of who is picked from inside it.
How much more does a Sergeant earn than a Senior Constable in SA?
A new Sergeant on Increment 1 earns $122,740 base from 1 January 2026. That is +$5,198 on the top of the Senior Constable scale ($117,542), or about +$3,535 a year after tax on our calculation. Shift allowances are percentages of base, so they rise with it.
Does a Chief Inspector earn less than an Inspector in SAPOL?
On SAPOL's published 2026 figures, the single Chief Inspector rate ($186,091) is below the top Inspector increment ($187,683). We report the figures as published. If you're weighing that move, ask SAPOL HR or the Police Association how salary is set on appointment, because the agreement's salary-maintenance rules aren't covered in what we read.
Is there an exam for promotion to Sergeant in South Australia?
SAPOL says progression to Sergeant and above depends on merit-based selection with study, examination and training prerequisites, and the regulations allow selection panels to require interviews, tests, assessments or training courses. The current exam format and reading list aren't public. Your Gazette notice for each round sets the requirements, and the regulations require them to be published.
Will the proposed 2026 SA Police enterprise agreement change promotion pay?
PASA announced a proposed agreement on 16 September 2026 with 4% rises from January 2027 and later years, a new front-line allowance and other changes. It still needed a member vote and SA Employment Tribunal approval when we checked on 9 October 2026, and no changes to promotion rules were published, so treat it as a proposal.
Evidence
Sources and how we checked them
Every figure on this page comes from the sources below, read on 9 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.
- South Australia Police Enterprise Agreement 2021 (SAET ET-21-00375) — cl 10-11 progression; Sch 4 allowances; scanned copy read by OCR
- Police Act 1998 (SA), Part 8 Division 3: Promotion reviews (ss 53-58) — version in force from 10 Oct 2022
- Police Regulations 2014 (SA), Parts 9 and 10 (rr 46-54) — merit pools, selection, grievances; version of 29 Jan 2026
- SAPOL: Career progression and salaries — pay ranges from 1 Jan 2026
- AGD SA: New agreement to attract and retain police (16 Dec 2024) — 2025 and 2026 increases
- PASA: proposed enterprise agreement (16 Sep 2026) — proposed, not ratified
Related guides
Serving officers
More in this series
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.