Word: police Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *tpelH- Proto-Hellenic *ptólis Ancient Greek πόλις (pólis) Proto-Indo-European *-tósder. Ancient Greek -της (-tēs) Ancient Greek πολῑ́της (polī́tēs) Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-i-eh₂ Proto-Hellenic *-íā Ancient Greek -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā) Ancient Greek πολῑτείᾱ (polīteíā)bor. Latin politiabor. Middle French policeder. English police From Middle French police, from Latin polītīa (“state, government”), from Ancient Greek πολιτεία (politeía). Doublet of policy, polis (“police”), and polity. Pronunciation: /pəˈliːs/, /pəˈlis/, [pʰə̆ˈliˑs], /ˈpɒl.ɪs/, /ˈpoʊ.liːs/ 1. A 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. Labels: plural, plural-normally Example: 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. Example: ‘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? 2. A 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. Labels: Canada, US, historical, plural, plural-normally Example: 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. 3. A 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. Labels: UK, plural, plural-normally Example: 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. 4. A 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. Labels: Australia, New-Zealand, plural, plural-normally 5. The staff of such a department or agency, particularly its officers; (regional, chiefly US, Caribbean, Jamaica, Scotland, countable) an individual police officer. Labels: plural, plural-normally, plural-only, usually Example: Pearlman: Very clever, Lester. You got it all figured, huh? Freamon: Me? I'm just a police. Example: This time it is the worst kind of call a murder police can get. 6. People who try to enforce norms or standards as if granted authority similar to the police. Labels: derogatory, figuratively, ironic, mildly, plural, plural-normally, usually Example: Who called the fashion police? Example: Then there were the taste police, who thought that this bulky modern machine was an inappropriate intrusion […] 7. Cleanup of a military facility, as a formal duty. Labels: plural, plural-normally, slang Example: 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. 8. Synonym of administration, the regulation of a community or society. Labels: archaic, plural, plural-normally Example: The notion of ‘police’ – that is, rational administration – was seen as a historical force which could bring civilized improvement to societies. 9. Alternative form of policy. Labels: alt-of, alternative, obsolete, plural, plural-normally 10. Alternative form of polity, civilization, a regulated community. Labels: alt-of, alternative, obsolete, plural, plural-normally