Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 11th Edition
POLICE
I. transitive verb (policed; policing)
Etymology: in sense 1, from Middle French policier, from police conduct of public affairs; in other senses, from 2police
Date: 1589
govern , to control, regulate, or keep in order by use of police, to make clean and put in order,
4. to supervise the operation, execution, or administration of to prevent or detect and prosecute violations of rules and regulations, to exercise such supervision over the policies and activities of, to perform the functions of a police force in or over,
II. noun (plural police)
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: French, from Old French, from Late Latin politia government, administration, from Greek politeia, from politēs citizen, from polis city, state; akin to Sanskrit pur rampart, Lithuanian pilis castle
Date: 1716
1. the internal organization or regulation of a political unit through exercise of governmental powers especially with respect to general comfort, health, morals, safety, or prosperity, control and regulation of affairs affecting the general order and welfare of any unit or area, the system of laws for effecting such control,
2. the department of government concerned primarily with maintenance of public order, safety, and health and enforcement of laws and possessing executive, judicial, and legislative powers, the department of government charged with prevention, detection, and prosecution of public nuisances and crimes,
3. police force , police officers,
4. a private organization resembling a police force , the members of a private police organization,
5. the action or process of cleaning and putting in order, military personnel detailed to perform this function, one attempting to regulate or censor a specified field or activity