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.
As Irish mobs formed amidst the Civil War, many saw Black Americans as threats to their land and prosperity, leading to clashes between the mob and Irish police forces, a conflict highlighted in Leslie M. Harris’ book, In the Shadow of Slavery: African Americans in New York City 1626 -1863. Richard Newby, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2025 Interpol, which has 196 member countries, works to help national police forces communicate with each other and track suspects and criminals in fields such as counterterrorism, financial crime, child pornography, cybercrime and organized crime. Wilson McMakin, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2025 The head of Marysville’s police force was on leave as of late last week and the city of Marysville has not provided additional information related to the nature of his time away from duty. Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 15 Apr. 2025 Medina and Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said nearly every category of crime has come down since the beginning of the year because of the work already being done by the police force. Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 9 Apr. 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 28 May. 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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