Why isn't Frost a D.C.I.?

I really don't know, but I have always wondered abiut ranking systems in the police, army etc. What comes after what?

If you watch Murder Investigation Team you see that the DCI these days really has much more of a management function and is not to the same extent involved in the actual frontline investigation. in that respect Morse is absolutely off the mark. Frost was offered the opportunity to become a CI with traffic but beat up a peadophile so that didn't happen.

Thanks for the clarification, guys.

The thing I like about Frost being a DI is that it significes (just like with Rebus) that he was uninterested in promotion and prefered being a "street copper" over making more money. Probably a good choice too, considering how he mismanages the paper work he already has :).

Still, though, I think the show missed a good opportunity with this. Jack being a DI would have been a good chance to potray a lead cop in a tv show who for once ISN'T the lead investigator. The one thing that annoys me about shows like Prime Suspect (which I otherwise like) is that the DCI (Jane Tenisson) does virtually everything. She handles the briefings and barks out orders, yet almost always end up also doing most of the leg work herself anyway. Her team appears at times almost decorative.

I mean, I know it is more or less inevitable that the main character will take a lot of room in the show, by talking to most suspects and withness and following up the most of the important leads, etc. But that is exactly why it would be good, perhaps even realistic, if the main character is not in overal charge, thus explaining why he or she is able to spend so much time in the field.

In the early Frost episodes, there were some attempts at doing something like this. Whenever there was a case or situation handled by the whole Denton force, DCI Allen would direct the police efforts. This was done in episodes like Care and Protection (before the ulcer) and in Conclusions. In these scenarios, Frost would play second fiddle to Allen in the office, while being more commanding and in charge out in the field. But they quickly squandered this by facing out the DCI and letting Frost be in charge.

He was promoted to CI in a later episode but was demoted again - also in S14 EP2 (Dead End) Trigg tells Brady that Jack was reprimanded long ago for dereliction of duty (after a complaint by Cherie Lunghi's character) which "killed his career"

Half Irish, Half German - hated by all. But at least I'm not Welsh

He was going to be promoted in the episode with the paedophile murderer - he attacked the man when he arrested him so the promotion was scrapped. Typical frost misery.