Chief police officer is a phrase used in the United Kingdom to describe the position held by the most senior police officer in a police force. It refers to either one of the 53 Chief Constables, the Commissioner of the City of London Police or the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. Such police officers are members of the Association of Chief Police Officers. The phrase is used in legislation when giving powers such as those to permit public processions, or grant firearms licenses. Some such activities can usually be delegated to any constable.
Officers holding the ranks of assistant chief constable, deputy chief constable, chief constable, and those holding the following ranks in either the Metropolitan Police Service or City of London Police: commander, deputy assistant commissioner, assistant commissioner, the deputy commissioner and the commissioner are also members of ACPO and are usually referred to as being of "chief officer" rank.
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Famous quotes containing the words chief, police and/or officer:
“My chief humor is for a tyrant. I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to tear a cat in, to make all split.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“The State has but one face for me: that of the police. To my eyes, all of the State’s ministries have this single face, and I cannot imagine the ministry of culture other than as the police of culture, with its prefect and commissioners.”
—Jean Dubuffet (1901–1985)
“The duties which a police officer owes to the state are of a most exacting nature. No one is compelled to choose the profession of a police officer, but having chosen it, everyone is obliged to live up to the standard of its requirements. To join in that high enterprise means the surrender of much individual freedom.”
—Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933)