police force

noun

: a body of trained officers entrusted by a government with maintenance of public peace and order, enforcement of laws, and prevention and detection of crime

Synonyms

• constabulary
• finest
• force
• fuzz
• heat [slang]
• man
• police

Examples of police force in a Sentence

He joined the local police force.

mobilized practically the entire police force to track down the escaped criminal

Recent Examples on the Web

In the Cincinnati police force, a captain is the highest rank that can be reached without being selected by the chief to be an assistant chief. —Cameron Knight, The Enquirer, 22 Dec. 2024

Some have independent police forces and metal detectors. —Gord Magill, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024

In principle, Israel’s national police force should be a source of statistics on crimes by Israelis against Palestinians in the West Bank. —Gershom Gorenberg, The Atlantic, 19 Dec. 2024

Canadian officials proposed the creation of a joint Canadian-United States police force to help fight transnational crime. —Brady Knox, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 18 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1820, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

police force

noun

: a body of officers trained and entrusted by a government to keep public peace, enforce laws, and prevent and detect crime

Legal Definition

police force

noun

: a body of trained officers entrusted by a government with maintenance of public peace and order, enforcement of laws, and prevention and detection of crime