Authority is a right or obligation to act on behalf of a department, agency, or jurisdiction.

• In most jurisdictions, the responsibility for the protection of the citizens rests with the chief elected official. Elected officials have the authority to make decisions, commit resources, obligate funds, and command the resources necessary to protect the population, stop the spread of damage, and protect the environment.
• The Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) is the entity that creates and administers processes to qualify, certify, and credential personnel for incident-related positions. AHJs include state, tribal, or Federal government departments and agencies, training commissions, NGOs, or companies, as well as local organizations such as police, fire, public health, or public works departments.
• In private industry, this same responsibility and authority rests with the chief executive officer.