Ranks and insignia of the Ordnungspolizei

The ranks and insignia of the Ordnungspolizei were developed in 1936 after the nationalisation of Germany's regular police forces.

In 1944, all Orpo generals also gained equivalent Waffen-SS ranks so that, in the event of capture by the Allies, the Orpo general would hold status as a military officer instead of a police official.

It was not until the decree of 16.4.1940 that the Order Police were allowed to show their SS affiliation in their uniforms: A small SS rune was sewn on below the left breast pocket.

[1] In addition to collar and shoulder insignia, Ordnungspolizei also wore the wreathed police eagle on the upper left sleeve.

(basic pay without allowances)[6] Unterführer (NCO) Revieroffiziere Mean annual pay for an industrial worker was 1,459 Reichsmarks in 1939, and for a privately employed white-collar worker 2,772 Reichsmarks.

The wreathed Polizeiadler (police eagle) was worn as a cap badge and on the left sleeve by all uniformed police.
Decals of the Ordnungspolizei used on various helmets
German police uniforms in 1936: Green service dress with brown collar and cuffs for Schutzpolizei (municipal and state protection police), orange collar and cuffs for Gendarmerie (state rural police), blue maritime police, and white traffic police uniforms; visor caps and German police shakos , the characteristic "bump hat" of the Schutzpolizei
German police insignia in 1936: Shoulderboards ( Schulterstücke ), collar patches ( Kragenspiegel ), and branch colours ( Truppenfarbe )