SS and police commands were senior level commands of the SS that existed under the authority of the SS and police leaders. The commands were first authorized in 1937 as extensions of the power granted to SS-Oberabschnitt commanders of the Allgemeine-SS (General-SS). The SS and police leaders were drawn from the general-SS Abschnitt and Oberabschnitt commands; it was a common occurrence for the same SS officer to hold both posts.
The SS and police commands were technically under the authority of the Allgemeine-SS, however during time of war the post was granted authority over Waffen-SS commands. In 1944, most SS and police leaders were granted equivalent Waffen-SS rank.
There were three levels of the SS and police commands: SS und Polizeiführer (SSPF), Höhere SS und Polizeiführer (HSSPF), and Höchste SS und Polizeiführer (HöSSPF).
Supreme SS and police commands
The Höchste SS und Polizeiführer (HöSSPF) commands were as follows:
Italien
Ukraine
Higher SS and police commands
The Höhere SS und Polizeiführer (HSSPF) commands were as follows:
Adriatisches Küstenland
Albanien
Alpenland
Belgien-Nordfrankreich
Böhmen und Mähren
Danmark
Donau
Elbe
Frankreich
Fulda-Werra
Griechenland
Kroatien
Main
Mitte
Nord
Nordost
Nordsee
Nordwest
Ost
Ostland und Rußland-Nord
Ostsee
Rhein-Westmark
Rußland-Mitte
Rußland-Süd
Schwarzes-Meer
Serbien, Sandschack und Montenegro
Slowakien
Spree
Süd
Südost
Südwest
Ungarn
Warthe
Weichsel
West
A further command, known as Höhere SS und Polizeiführer z.b.V. Kaukasien was planned for activation in the Caucasus but was never formed.
SS and police commands
The SS und Polizeiführer (SSPF) commands were as follows: