Commissaris

Commissaris is a Dutch term meaning commissioner. It is used as a title for several public offices and roles in the Netherlands and in Dutch-speaking contexts, including Belgium, with origins in the French word commissaire and the Latin commissarius, meaning someone entrusted with authority.

In the Netherlands, one prominent use is the title of the King’s Commissioner (Koningin/Koning van de Koning in a province), the monarch’s representative in each province. The King’s Commissioner heads the provincial executive and chairs meetings of the Provincial Council, serving as a liaison between the national government and the province. The position is appointed by the monarch, on advice of the central government, and is not an elected office. The role combines ceremonial duties with oversight and coordination of provincial administration, safety, and disaster response.

Another major use is in policing, where commissaris denotes a senior police officer responsible for strategic leadership within a region or city. A commissaris oversees investigations, public order, and day-to-day police operations, and may be assisted by other police ranks such as inspectorates. Larger units may feature a higher rank such as hoofdcommissaris (chief commissioner).

Outside national policing and provincial government, the term also appears in other institutions. In the European Union, Dutch usage for a member of the European Commission is commonly rendered as commissaris. Historically, the term has also been used for colonial or administrative officials in the Dutch Empire.

Etymologically, commissaris reflects the function of entrusted authority—an agent authorized to act on behalf of a higher authority in governance, law enforcement, or administration.