When you're faced with the task of writing a letter to your local police chief, you may be unsure as to how to properly address the chief both on the envelope and within the letter. No matter what the intent of your letter, it may be saved as an official document, and it is therefore important (and respectful) to learn the proper way to address the police chief in the salutation and on the front of the envelope.

Open with a formal salutation that uses the chief's title and last name, such as "Dear Captain Johnson."

Use the more formal closings of "Sincerely" or "Yours Sincerely" at the end of the letter. "Regards" and other variations are considered more informal.

Address the envelope to the chief of police using his exact title, which differs from county to county and can be found by contacting your police department. For example, if the captain's rank is military, the envelope may be addressed to "Captain Mark Johnson" with "Lakewood County Chief of Police" beneath. If his rank is not military, use the appropriate prefix to his name, followed by his title, such as "Mr. Mark Johnson" followed by "Police Commissioner."