How Do You Address the Chief of Police in Correspondence?

Use the correct title when you address correspondence to a police chief.

A chief of police, while not an exceedingly high position, still deserves respect from citizens. Address a chief of police properly in correspondence to demonstrate your respect for the chief and the position. When you write a letter and address the envelope, address the chief of police using proper etiquette to ensure the chief will accept your correspondence and give it the attention you desire.

Instructions

1. Call the police department of the chief you wish to address and ask whether the chief is a military-ranked official or an elected official. Ask the chief's office for the proper title to use when addressing the chief of police.

2. Place the police chief's formal title in the inside address of the letter. For example, the chief's title may be "Captain George McGuffy." Place the police chief's city and position on the next line of the address (for example, "Ocean City Chief of Police").

3. Write the salutation using the title and the chief's last name. For example, you might write either "Dear Chief McGuffy" or "Dear Captain McGuffy," depending on the title the chief uses.

4. Address the envelope using the same title that you used for the letter.

References

• Robert Hickey: How to Address a Chief of Police?