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 of police force

• 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

In Los Gatos and Monte Sereno, community policing is the foundation of how the police force operates, said Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Chief Jamie Field in an email to this news organization. — Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2026

That was more than the budgets of a dozen state departments at the time, and about three times what Michigan paid for its entire state police force. — Mark Dee august 2, Idaho Statesman, 2 Aug. 2026

While Gaza’s police force is expected to hand over its arms, that doesn’t include the vast majority of Hamas militants, and heavy weaponry is not included in that part of the agreement, according to the officials. — Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026

Both Carlson and Piker have recognized that people increasingly see the establishment — including politicians, police forces and the tech sector — as interested in curtailing people’s freedom. — T.m. Brown, CNN Money, 30 July 2026

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