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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
López Obrador slashed crucial federal funding for local law enforcement, forcing some municipalities to disband their police forces.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2024
The Haitian police force has been so outgunned in violent confrontations with the gangs that the agency recently acquired weapons from the U.S. government, which has had a long-standing arms embargo against Haiti and bars firearms exports to the country.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 28 May 2024
Human rights groups have criticized the Kenyan police forces for extra judicial killings and what happened with the protests in Kenya last year where several protesters were killed.
—Abc News, ABC News, 24 May 2024
To avert a lawsuit, the city promised to overhaul the city’s police force, create a permanent memorial to the victims and pay $2 million, the lawyers said.
—J. David Goodman, New York Times, 22 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for police force
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'police force.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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 17 Jun. 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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