police force

/pəˌlis fɔrs/
/pəˈlis fɔs/
IPA guide

Other forms: police forces

Definitions of police force
  1. noun
    the force of policemen and officers
    synonyms: constabulary, law, police
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    types:
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    European Law Enforcement Organisation, Europol
    police organization for the European Union; aims to improve effectiveness and cooperation among European police forces
    gendarmerie, gendarmery
    French police force; a group of gendarmes or gendarmes collectively
    Mutawa, Mutawa'een
    religious police in Saudi Arabia whose duty is to ensure strict adherence to established codes of conduct; offenders may be detained indefinitely; foreigners are not excluded
    Mounties, RCMP, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
    the federal police force of Canada
    New Scotland Yard, Scotland Yard
    the detective department of the metropolitan police force of London
    secret police
    a police force that operates in secrecy (usually against persons suspected of treason or sedition)
    SS, Schutzstaffel
    special police force in Nazi Germany founded as a personal bodyguard for Adolf Hitler in 1925; the SS administered the concentration camps
    posse, posse comitatus
    a temporary police force
    Gestapo
    the secret state police in Nazi Germany; known for its terrorist methods
    type of:
    force, personnel
    group of people willing to obey orders
    law enforcement agency
    an agency responsible for insuring obedience to the laws
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