police chief

USAGE SUMMARY

"police chief" can be used in written English.
For example, "The police chief held a press conference to address the rising crime rate."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

A runaway police chief.

The New York Times

The Kirkuk police chief, Maj.

The New York Times

The Sanford police chief was subsequently fired.

Independent

I was not the police chief.

The New Yorker

Gen. Abdul Raziq, the provincial police chief.

The New York Times

"This is Palestine," the police chief replied.

The New York Times

Now the police chief is black".

The New Yorker

But no one told the police chief.

Independent

His father was the village police chief.

The New York Times

The police chief shrugged and mumbled excuses.

The Economist

The police chief, Maj.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to a specific individual, ensure you capitalize "Police Chief" as a title before their name (e.g., Police Chief Smith). Otherwise, use lowercase when referring to the general role.

Common error

Avoid capitalizing "police chief" when used as a general noun. It should only be capitalized when used as a formal title preceding a name. For example, use "the police chief" not "the Police Chief" unless you're saying "Police Chief Miller".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "police chief" functions primarily as a noun phrase, identifying the individual in charge of a police department. Ludwig examples confirm its role in naming or referencing this specific leadership position.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

4%

Less common in

Academia

2%

Science

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "police chief" is a very common noun phrase used to refer to the head of a police department. Grammatically correct, it primarily appears in news and media contexts. While its usage is generally neutral, capitalization rules must be observed. Ludwig examples show consistent application across diverse scenarios, confirming its standard use in English. As per Ludwig, "police chief" can be substituted with alternatives like "head of police" or "chief of police department" depending on the context and desired formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

head of police

This alternative directly describes the role as the leader of the police force.

chief of police department

Specifies that the chief is in charge of the entire police department.

commanding officer of police

Emphasizes the role of the police chief as the officer in command.

top cop

An informal term for the highest-ranking police officer.

police commissioner

In some jurisdictions, this is the title for the head of the police force.

superintendent of police

Another title used in some regions to designate the head of police.

law enforcement head

A broader term that encompasses various leadership positions in law enforcement.

director of public safety

This role might oversee the police department along with other emergency services.

head of law enforcement

A general phrase indicating the person in charge of enforcing laws.

sheriff

In certain areas, the sheriff is the top law enforcement officer, particularly in county governments.

FAQs

How is "police chief" typically used in a sentence?

The phrase "police chief" is used to identify the head of a police department. For example, "The "police chief" announced new safety measures" or "The mayor appointed a new "police chief"".

What are some alternative terms for "police chief"?

Alternatives include "head of police", "chief of police department", or informally, "top cop". The most appropriate term depends on the context and level of formality.

Is it correct to capitalize "police chief"?

Capitalize "Police Chief" when it is used as a title directly preceding a person's name, such as "Police Chief Johnson". Otherwise, use lowercase for general references.

What's the difference between a "police chief" and a "sheriff"?

A "police chief" typically leads a municipal police department, while a sheriff is usually the chief law enforcement officer of a county.