police
n. C / Un. the group of people whose job is to keep people safe and make sure everyone follows the law. You call them when there is a crime or an emergency.
n. an official body of persons maintained by a government to maintain public order and enforce the law. Usually functions as a collective noun requiring a plural verb.
The police are investigating the robbery.
If you witness a car accident, you should call the police immediately to report the location.
The city council voted to increase funding for the police to improve response times and community outreach programs in underserved neighborhoods.
From Middle French police, from Latin polītīa (“state, government”), from Ancient Greek πολιτεία (politeía). Doublet of policy, polis (“police”), and polity.
Typically used with the definite article 'the'. As a collective noun, it almost always takes a plural verb ('the police are') rather than a singular one.
The police is coming.The police are coming.Police is a collective noun that is treated as plural; it requires a plural verb.