deputy chief
Leader's right hand
A deputy chief is the second-in-command to a chief, serving immediately below and ready to assume authority in the chief's absence.
The term appears most often in law enforcement and fire services: The deputy chief runs day-to-day operations while the chief handles policy.
Large organizations may have multiple deputy chiefs overseeing different divisions.
- second in commandSubordinate who assumes leadership
- second-in-commandImmediate subordinate to leader
- lieutenantJunior commissioned officer
- understudyBackup actor, ready nightly
- next in linePositioned to succeed immediately
sheriff · law enforcement · precinct · badge · command · rank · hierarchy · uniform · station · authority · successor · chain of command · aide · right-hand · bureau · brass · promotion · corner office
- policeofficer, cop, officers, patrol, cops
- Deputieslieutenant, second-in-command, second in command, number two, vice president
- firefightersfirefighter, firefighters, fireman, fire captain, hotshots
- law enforcementFBI, police station, patrolmen, police officer, cop
- Police Rankspolice commissioner, sheriff, captain, lieutenant, sergeant
- Canadian PoliceRCMP, Mounties, provincial police, municipal police, constable
deputy chiefchief
Top-ranking leader
head · commander-in-chief · chief executive · director · president
deputy chiefsubordinate
One lower in rank
underling · rank and file · junior officer · assistant · foot soldier
deputy, chief, deputies, deputize, deputized, deputizing, deputation, chiefs, chieftain