PQ1: Chief/Captain Whipplestick

[ZvikaZ]

In PQ1 (AGI) there is a Chief Whipplestick, which is once called Captain Whipplestick.
I'm not familiar with American PDs, but does it make sense that the chief of the police department in only a captain?
Or maybe it does make sense, considering that Lytton is a small town?

BTW,
It's also interesting that Whipplestick is mentioned only once in the SCI version (as 'Lytton police chief Randolph Whipplestick')