Words / A1

p-uh-LEES/pəˈliːs/

The organisation that keeps people safe and deals with crime: the police. Call the police. Police is usually plural in agreement: the police are coming. A police officer is one person. Policy is a rule or plan — not this word.

Meaning

The official organisation that catches criminals and keeps people safe.

Examples

• “Call the police if there is an accident.”
• “The police asked for his name.”
• “There is a police station on the corner.”

Good to know

the police (often + are). one person: a police officer. Not policy.

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