01
der Polizeichef
police chief
The person who heads a police authority or a police station.
example
Der Polizeichef gab eine Pressekonferenz zu den Ermittlungen.
The police chief gave a press conference about the investigation.
der Polizeichef
police chief
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Meanings
Usage tips
Compound word
The word is made up of 'die Polizei' (the police) and 'der Chef' (the boss/chief). As with most German compounds, the last word, 'der Chef' (the boss/chief), determines the article and gender of the whole word.
EXAMPLE
Der neue Polizeichef stellt sich heute der Presse vor.
The new police chief is introducing himself to the press today.
Word family with "-chef"
The component '-chef' is used for many leadership positions. If you recognize this pattern, you can understand many other job titles, for example 'Küchenchef' (head chef) or 'Firmenchef' (company head).
EXAMPLE
Der Regierungschef trifft sich mit dem Polizeichef zur Besprechung.
The head of government is meeting with the police chief for a discussion.
Typical collocations
A police chief is a public figure. Typical verbs are therefore: 'eine Erklärung abgeben' (to issue a statement), 'die Öffentlichkeit informieren' (to inform the public), or 'die Ermittlungen leiten' (to lead the investigation).
EXAMPLE
Der Polizeichef gab bekannt, dass ein Verdächtiger festgenommen wurde.
The police chief announced that a suspect had been arrested.
Compare with
Polizeichef vs Chef
boss
'der Chef' and 'der Polizeichef' both describe a person who leads others and carries responsibility. 'der Chef' is general and can be used in a company, department, or organization. 'der Polizeichef' is much more specific: he heads a police authority or a police station. If it is clear that you are talking about the police, you can sometimes simply say 'Chef'. Without that context, 'Polizeichef' is more precise and avoids misunderstandings.
Polizeichef
Am Abend erklärt der Polizeichef im Fernsehen die Lage in der Stadt.
In the evening, the police chief explains the situation in the city on television.
Chef
Unser Chef spricht morgen mit dem Team über die neuen Arbeitszeiten.
Our boss is speaking with the team tomorrow about the new working hours.
In real life
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