Commissariaat

Commissariaat is a Dutch term with several related meanings, derived from the French commissariat (from commissaris, commissioner). In contemporary Dutch usage, it most often refers to a police office or police district. The commissariaat denotes the local organizational unit of the police, including the building, staff, and leadership responsible for policing a specific municipality or region. In everyday speech, people may refer to “het commissariaat” as the police office serving a particular area or as the police administration at that level.

Historically, commissariaat could also denote an administrative office or district authority authorized by a higher government to carry out designated tasks. In this broader sense, a commissariaat is the body charged with implementing policy and supervising functions delegated to it within a defined jurisdiction. The term thus encompasses both policing and administrative duties, depending on the historical and institutional context.

Etymology and scope: The word commissariaat comes from the French term commissariat, itself derived from commissaire, commissioner. In Dutch and Belgian contexts, the term remains common primarily in policing, while its other historical uses appear in broader administrative language. The commissariaat is a unit or office, whereas the person who leads it is the commissaris (commissioner). See also: Commissaris; Commissariaat-generaal (historical or formal variants in administrative contexts).