In India, a senior superintendent of police in metropolitan, highly populated or naxal-affected districts or superintendent of police in smaller districts heads the police force of a district. In districts where a senior superintendent is the head, the superintendent is the head of a large urban or rural area within a district. The superintendent is also the head of a large urban or rural area in a smaller district as well. In metropolitan areas having police commissionerate system the head of district police is called deputy commissioner of police, and he or she holds the rank of a superintendent. Senior superintendents of police are officers of the Indian Police Service. They are entrusted with the powers and responsibility of maintaining law and order and related issues of a metropolitan district of a state or a union territory of India. They are assisted by their junior officers. The senior superintendent rank insignia is the state emblem above two stars and is worn with Gorget patches which have a dark blue background and a white line stitched on it. They wear it on their collar. The rank below is superintendent, while the rank above is deputy inspector general of police who wear Ashoka emblem above three stars. Senior superintendents of police are also the secondary head in various headquarters. The rank is equivalent to commandant in the Central Armed Police Forces and Uttar Pradesh Police Armed Constabulary Superintendents of police are the officers of either State Police Service or Indian Police Service. They are the district head of non-metropolitan districts in India. They are also the incharge of a large urban or rural area in a district where a senior superintendent is the district head. They also serve as assisting officers to the additional/special director general of police in various bureaus. They also serve as the staff officers. The rank of superintendent is equivalent to the rank of second in command and deputy commandant in the Central Armed Police Forces and Uttar Pradesh Police Armed Constabulary . The superintendent's rank badge is the Ashoka emblem above no star or one star. The rank below is deputy superintendent in the State Police Service or assistant superintendent of police in the Indian Police Service and the rank above it is senior superintendent. Superintendents are also the third head of various headquarters. The rank of superintendent is equivalent to the rank of senior Captain/major/lieutenant colonel in the Indian Army. SSP-ranked officers wear the IPS logo below the star with Gorget patches on their collar. The background of the Gorget patch is dark blue. A white strip is stitched on the Gorget patch. SP-ranked IPS officers wear the IPS logo below the star/Ashoka emblem and SP-ranked state police service officers wear the state police logo below the star/Ashoka emblem.
