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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Nor is either party actually addressing the ballooning financial cost of local police forces in the U.S., nor the long-term reputational costs from police misconduct for trust in the police and government more broadly. Christopher S. Warshaw, The Conversation, 18 Apr. 2025 The sybaritic highwayman Macheath maneuvers between a cutthroat capitalist milieu (Mr. and Mrs. Peachum) and a corrupt police force (led by Tiger Brown) while seducing daughters from both worlds (Polly Peachum and Lucy Brown). Alex Ross, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025 For instance, the Department of Homeless Services’ police force patrols city shelters. Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 25 Mar. 2025 As Missouri stands on the verge of controlling the police forces in Kansas City and St. Louis, new polling suggests that Missouri voters oppose the idea of state control in policing. Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 18 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for police force

Word History

First Known Use

1820, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of police force was in 1820

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Police force.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/police%20force. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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