shamus

1 a member of a force charged with law enforcement at the local level <a hard-bitten L.A. shamus who, when he's not battling crooks, is bedding chicks> Synonyms bobby [British], bull [slang], constable [chiefly British], cop, copper, flatfoot [slang], fuzz, gendarme, lawman, policeman, police officer, officer [slang]Related Words patrolman, policewoman; detective, dick, gumshoe, hawkshaw, inspector, investigator, plainclothesman, sherlock, sleuth, sleuthhound; marshal (also marshall), sheriff, trooper; peace officer; captain, lieutenant, sergeant; constabulary, heat [slang], man, police, police force; operative, private detective, private eye, private investigatorNear Antonyms civilian

2 a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons <he's a sleazy shamus who mostly finds evidence to use in divorce cases> Synonyms dick, gumshoe, hawkshaw, investigator, operative, private detective, private eye, private investigator, detective [slang], sherlock, sleuth, sleuthhoundRelated Words shadow, tail, tracer, tracker; fed, Federal, G-man, narc (or nark) [slang], plainclothesman