Capitalization

In general, avoid unnecessary capitals. Use a capital letter only if you can justify it by one of the following principles listed:

• Proper nouns: Jessica, Jeff, America, Lexington.
• Proper names: Capitalize common nouns such as party, river and south when they are an integral part of the full name for a person, place or thing: Democratic Party, Kentucky River, North Carolina.
• Lowercase these common nouns when they stand alone in subsequent references: the party, the river, the street.
• Lowercase the common noun elements of names in plural uses: Ecton and Cheapside parks, Main and Maxwell streets.
• Sentences: Capitalize the first word in a statement that stands as a sentence.
• Titles: Capitalize formal titles when used immediately before a name. Lower case formal titles when used alone or in constructions that set them off from a name by commas.

The customer service award was presented by Mayor Melanie McGee.

The director called the meeting for 2 p.m. today.

The chief administrative officer, Lindsay Smith, spoke to the press earlier today.

Departments and divisions

Capitalize the full proper names of governmental agencies, departments and offices: The Division of Parks & Recreation, the Department of General Services, the Office of Internal Audit

On second reference, do not capitalize these words when used alone to refer to that specific group.

“The Division of Water Quality is located in the Tate Building. This division provides wastewater treatment and stormwater management to Lexington.”

Retain capital names for the name of a governmental body if its formal name is flipped to delete the word “of.”

• the Finance Department
• the Department of Finance

Lowercase department and division in plural uses but capitalize the proper name element: the departments of Finance and General Services.

Lowercase the word division and department whenever they stand alone.

Do not abbreviate division or department in any usage.