PARS Public
Viewer Table of Contents View
Manual of Policy and Procedures / Volume 3 - Policy and Ethics / Chapter 8 - Correspondence

3-08/040.35 - Salutation


3-08/040.30 - Attention Notation Block
3-08/040.40 - Subject Line (Optional)

The salutation shall be placed two lines below the attention notation and punctuated with a colon.  When the attention notation is not used, the salutation shall be placed two lines below the last line of the address block.  The salutation shall be typed in upper and lower case letters.

When letters are addressed to one person, the surname shall be preceded by one of the following salutations:

  • Dear Mr.
  • Dear Mrs.
  • Dear Miss
  • Dear Ms.

Mr. and Mrs. shall always be abbreviated.  They are never spelled out.

Appropriate titles of law enforcement personnel, clergy, college faculty, government officials, military personnel, etc., if known, shall be used.  The title shall always be written out, followed by the surname of the addressee.

EXAMPLES:

  • Dear Sheriff
  • Dear Chief
  • Dear Father
  • Dear Reverend
  • Dear Professor
  • Dear Dr. (doctor of medicine or academic degrees)
  • Dear Senator
  • Dear Colonel

NOTE:    Use of the addressee's first name is optional with the signer.

Letters addressed to organizations shall bear a salutation of "Gentlemen:" or "Ladies:" as appropriate.

NOTE:    When an attention notation block is used, the salutation shall agree with the address block, e.g.:

John Jones, Chief
Burbank Police Department

Attention:       Lee C. McCown, Captain
Risk Management Bureau

Dear Chief Minnis: