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

• police
• constabulary

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

Trump has said the ongoing military presence in the capital – coupled with his takeover of the local police force and surge of immigration agents – has made crime in the city a thing of the past. —Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 14 Sep. 2025

Robbery, burglary, and larceny are at 25-year lows, while murder is at a six-year low, the police force said. —Chantelle Lee, Time, 12 Sep. 2025

In The Long Walk, based on King's 1979 novel, Hamill now plays the Major, the leader of a Gestapo-esque police force in a dystopian vision of America ruled by a dictator. —Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Sep. 2025

Trump last month also invoked his 30-day emergency authority over the District’s police force, which expired Wednesday night. —Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 11 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1820, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for police force

• bourse
• coarse
• course
• gorse
• hoarse
• horse
• norse
• source
• concourse
• divorce
• endorse
• enforce

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