police

1. pluralplural normallygovernmentA constituted body of officers representing the civil authority of government, empowered to maintain public order and safety, enforce the law, and prevent, detect, and investigate crime.First known use 18th c.

   Call the police!

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   There are nine Principles of Police: ... 7 To maintain at all times a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and that the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen, in the interests of community welfare and existence.

   1943, Charles Reith, British Police and the Democratic Ideal, pp. 3–4

   ‘Then the father has a great fight with his terrible conscience,’ said Munday with granite seriousness. ‘Should he make a row with the police […]? Or should he say nothing about it and condone brutality for fear of appearing in the newspapers?

   1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 18, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC

   In the criminal justice system, the People are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: the police, who investigate crime, and the district attorneys, who prosecute the offenders.

   1990 Sept. 13, David Black & al., "Prescription for Death", Law & Order, 00:00:01

   Citadel Security is a volunteer police service answering to the Citadel Council. The 200,000 constables of C-Sec are responsible for maintaining public order in the densely populated Citadel.

   2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Citadel Station: Citadel Security Services (C-Sec) Codex entry

   The rally on Sunday in Victoria Park, in the Causeway Bay district, was authorized in advance by the police. But protesters were also expected to begin marching later in the day from Sham Shui Po, a working-class neighborhood on the Kowloon peninsula, across the harbor from North Point. The police rejected their application for a permit.

   2019 August 11, Mike Ives, “Hong Kong Protesters Gather Amid Fears of Mob Violence”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 11 Aug 2019

   1. CanadaUShistoricalpluralplural normallygovernmentA department of local (usually municipal) government responsible for general law enforcement.

      The Cook County Sheriff's Department has jurisdiction across most of Chicago but focuses on the unincorporated area and tasks like prisoner transport, leaving the rest to the Chicago Police Department.

   2. UKpluralplural normallygovernmentA branch of the Home Office responsible for general law enforcement within a specific territory.

      Scotland Yard is, technically speaking, only the metropolitan police for Greater London but because of their importance they have special jurisdiction for some crimes across the United Kingdom.

   3. AustraliaNew Zealandpluralplural normallygovernmentAny of the formally enacted law enforcement agencies at various levels of government.
2. pluralplural normallyplural onlyusuallyThe staff of such a department or agency, particularly its officers; (regional, chiefly US, Caribbean, Jamaica, Scotland, countable) an individual police officer.First known use 19th c.

   This time it is the worst kind of call a murder police can get.

   2006, David Simon, Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets, →ISBN, page 440

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   Pearlman: Very clever, Lester. You got it all figured, huh? Freamon: Me? I'm just a police.

   2006 Sept. 17, David Mills, "Soft Eyes", The Wire, 00:06:50

3. derogatoryfigurativelyironicmildlypluralplural normallyusuallyPeople who try to enforce norms or standards as if granted authority similar to the police.

   Who called the fashion police?

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   Then there were the taste police, who thought that this bulky modern machine was an inappropriate intrusion […]

   2010, Mary Beard, It's a Don's Life, →ISBN, page 147

   A major drama has broken out in France after the local language police decreed one of their cute little accents to be largely redundant

   2016 February 5, “How the circumflex became France's bête noire”, in The Guardian

4. pluralplural normallyslanggovernmentCleanup of a military facility, as a formal duty.

   Q. […] What did you do that day? — A. I was cleaning up around quarters. Q. You had been on guard and went on police duty? You were policing, cleaning up around the barracks? — A. Yes, sir.

   1907, Hearings Before the Committee on Military Affairs, United States Senate, concerning the Affray at Brownsville, Tex. on the Night of August 13 and 14, 1906, volume 2

5. archaicpluralplural normallySynonym of administration, the regulation of a community or society.First known use 17th c.

   The notion of ‘police’ – that is, rational administration – was seen as a historical force which could bring civilized improvement to societies.

   2002, Colin Jones, The Greta Nation, Penguin, published 2003, page 218

   Synonyms: administration

6. alternativeobsoletepluralplural normallyAlternative form of policy.First known use 15th–19th c.
7. alternativeobsoletepluralplural normallyAlternative form of polity, civilization, a regulated community.First known use 16th–19th c.

present singular third person polices · participle present policing · participle past policed · past policed

1. transitiveTo enforce the law and keep order among (a group).

   Extra security was hired to police the crowd at the big game.

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   Smith returns in Men In Black 3 as a veteran agent of a secret organization dedicated to policing the earth’s many extraterrestrials.

   2012 May 24, Nathan Rabin, “Film: Reviews: Men In Black 3”, in The Onion AV Club

   Policing the relationship between government and business in a free society is difficult. Businesspeople have every right to lobby governments, and civil servants to take jobs in the private sector. Governments have to find the best people to fill important jobs: there is a limited supply of people who understand the financial system, for example.

   2013 August 10, Schumpeter, “Cronies and capitols”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848

   Train operators were reluctant to speak to RAIL on the record, but one responded: "The unions are rightly very clear that they don't want staff policing face coverings after the removal of legal backing.

   2021 July 28, Paul Clifton, “Network News: Confusion and dissent over face mask requirements: Reaction to the Guidance: Train operators”, in RAIL, number 936, page 7

2. ambitransitiveslanggovernmentTo clean up an area.

   ELIAS: Police up your extra ammo and frags, don't leave nothing for the dinks.

   1986, Oliver Stone, Platoon (film script)

   3 more examples

   This comes to him through the company housekeeping, for in the field each organization takes care of itself, cooks its own food, makes its own beds, does its own policing (cleaning up); […]

   1900, Proceedings of the eighth annual meeting, Association of Military Surgeons of the United States

   Q. […] What did you do that day? — A. I was cleaning up around quarters. Q. You had been on guard and went on police duty? You were policing, cleaning up around the barracks? — A. Yes, sir.

   1907, Hearings Before the Committee on Military Affairs, United States Senate, concerning the Affray at Brownsville, Tex. on the Night of August 13 and 14, 1906, volume 2

   "Fire off several rounds in a residential building and stop to police the brass?"

   2006, Robert B. Parker, Hundred-Dollar Baby, Putnam,, →ISBN, page 275

3. figurativelytransitiveTo enforce norms or standards upon.

   to police a person's identity