According to Webster's New World Dictionary:
POLICY: Political wisdom or cunning; diplomacy; prudence; artfulness. Wise, expedient or crafty conduct or management. Any governing principle, plan or course of action.
The last definition is the one we use.
According to the World Book Encyclopaedia Dictionary, the one we most use (published by Field Enterprises Educational Corporation, Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago, 54, Illinois, USA):
POLICY: A plan of action; way of management. Practical wisdom; prudence. Political skill or shrewdness. Obsolete — the conduct of public affairs; government.
The sense in which we use policy is the rules and administrative formulas by which we agree on action and conduct our affairs.
A "policy letter" is one which contains one or more policies and their explanation and application.
It is issued by the Hubbard Communications Office, is written by L. Ron Hubbard or written (more rarely) for him, has the agreement of the International Board and is basic organizational law in organizations.
A "policy letter" is not Scientology org policy unless written or authorized by L. Ron Hubbard and passed as a resolution or covered by blanket resolution of the International Board and issued or published by an HCO. It is not policy if any of those steps are missing.
The International Board is composed of three Board Members, L. Ron Hubbard, Chairman, Mary Sue Hubbard, Secretary, and Marilynn Routsong, Treasurer. It is the controlling board of Scientology.
The Chairman, Hubbard Communications Office and HCO Secretaries and staffs compose Division I of the International Board and all orgs.
The Secretary and all Organization Secretaries (US and Saint Hill) or Association Secretaries (Commonwealth and South Africa) and their staffs compose Division 2 of the International Board and all orgs.
The Treasurer, Assistant Treasurers, all accounting executives, and assistants for Materiel and their staffs compose Division 3 of the International Board and all orgs.
Policy for all divisions and orgs is made as above.
There are no other boards or board members, individual board members, officers or secretaries with the power of issuing policy. Boards issue Resolutions. Individual board members or officers can issue directives, general orders, and orders. These expire if not re-issued as policy.
Other officers issue Administrative Directives in place of policy letters but these may only forward policy.
Secretarial Executive Director orders apply mainly to personnel or local conditions, expire in one year if not stated to expire earlier, may only last one year in any event.
Policy letters apply broadly to all orgs and Scientologists without exception. Almost all policy has been developed by actual experience.
The only way policy can be changed is by writing up a policy letter in full and sending it to L. Ron Hubbard for approval or disapproval.
Policies cover hats, duties, lines, procedures, rules, laws and all other aspects of Scientology activity except technology.
Technology is covered in HCO Bulletins.
HCO Bulletins are written by or (more rarely) for L. Ron Hubbard and are issued by HCO and HCO Secretaries. They do not require sanction by the International Board.
No one else may issue or authorize an HCO Bulletin.
HCO Bulletins are recommended technical data. Certificates are awarded on the data contained in them and violation of it can therefore cause a suspension of the certificate. This is the main power of the HCO Bulletin.
An HCO Bulletin becomes policy only if mentioned in a policy letter.
A book may become policy if made so by a policy letter.
HCO Policy Letters are printed or (more commonly) mimeographed in green ink on white paper. This colour combination may not be used for any other releases in Scientology. Reprinted policy letters sometimes appear in magazines in black ink on white paper but they are not the original.
HCO Bulletins are printed or mimeographed in red ink on white paper. This colour combination may not be used for any other purpose in Scientology. Reprinted HCO Bulletins sometimes appear in magazines in black ink on white paper but they are not the original.
Committees of Evidence are called for in any violation of the publishing or counterfeiting of an HCO Policy Letter or an HCO Bulletin or their colour combinations or signatures.
The only other official paper from L. Ron Hubbard and HCO is the HCO Executive Letter, usually a direct executive order or a request for a report or data or news or merely information. It is not policy but should be answered if an answer is requested. It is blue ink on green paper.
Using the colour combination for any other purpose or counterfeiting one calls for a Committee of Evidence.
Sec EDs and HCO Executive Letters are basically LRH comm lines but are used by International Board Officers also if authorized.
The other Divisions (2 and 3) have other means of comm, with other colour flashes.
If it is not in an HCO Policy Letter it is not policy.
HCO Policy Letters do not expire until cancelled or changed by later HCO Policy Letters.
No officer or Scientology personnel may set aside policy even when requesting revision.