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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
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
Ford was brought in as a reformer to clean up the city’s police force after the discovery that cops were exchanging racist, sexist and homophobic texts.
—East Bay Times Editorial, The Mercury News, 24 Oct. 2024
Disillusioned with the police force, in 1988 Mack moved home to Safford, Arizona, and successfully ran for Graham County sheriff.
—David Gilbert, WIRED, 24 Oct. 2024
The plot is centered around a detective (Smith) trying to unravel a confusing murder that may or may not have been caused by a member of the autonomous police force named Sonny (played by Alan Tudyk).
—Meredith Woerner, Variety, 14 Oct. 2024
But Bartok said as the sun began to rise, even though the suspect was not in custody, a police force, which included a SWAT team, special operations, investigators, drones, and negotiators, was in place and the area was secure.
—Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 3 Oct. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1820, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near police force
Cite this Entry
“Police force.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/police%20force. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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
More from Merriam-Webster on police force
Britannica English: Translation of police force for Arabic Speakers
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