TextRanch
The best way to perfect your writing.

Discover why 1,062,726 users count on TextRanch to get their English corrected!

1. Input your text below.
2. Get it corrected in a few minutes by our editors.
3. Improve your English!

One of our experts will correct your English.

TextRanch Editors

police are vs police is

Both "police are" and "police is" are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "Police are" is used when referring to the police as a group of individuals, while "police is" is used when referring to the police force as a singular entity.

Last updated: September 16, 2024 • 1752 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used when referring to the police as a group of individuals.

"police are"

Use "police are" when talking about the police as a collective group of individuals. It is the plural form of the verb "to be".

Examples:

  • The police are investigating the crime scene.
  • The police are trained to handle various situations.
  • The police are here to help us.
  • Apr 25, 2014 ... Police is a plurale tantum, a word with no singular form. The police are here. ← This is okay. *A police is here. ← This is not.
  • Feb 15, 2013 ... If you're talking about law enforcement, we say "the police are ..." Now I have been told that there is a tendency in American English to also ...
  • Oct 31, 2020 ... For the Walter Wallaces of the world, the police are not the answer. Opinion by Camille Proctor. 5 minute read. Published 3:14 PM EDT, Sat ...
  • Jan 10, 2016 ... Fresno police are using software that has given law enforcement powers to peer into the lives of citizens. (Nick Otto/For The Washington ...
  • May 31, 2021 ... The police are controlling the crowd at the stadium. &. when “police” means the department of police, it takes a singular noun, for example: The ...

Alternatives:

  • The officers are
  • The law enforcement officers are

This phrase is correct and commonly used when referring to the police force as a singular entity.

"police is"

Use "police is" when referring to the police force as a singular entity. It is the singular form of the verb "to be".

Examples:

  • The police is responsible for maintaining law and order.
  • The police is conducting an investigation into the matter.
  • Hi I'm an English teacher from Germany, but nevertheless I'm unsure whether you say 'The police is...' or 'The police are...'. Actually the only phrase that sounds ...
  • The police is responsible for the capturing the criminals. or. The police are responsible for the capturing the criminals. New Member25 · Papaboo: Hi The police ...
  • In India, the police is under the control of respective States and union territories and is known to be under State Police Services (SPS). The candidates selected ...
  • Use the third person, plural form 'are' when referring to police in general. The word police is an aggregate noun, a word representing an indefinite number of ...

Alternatives:

  • The police force is
  • The law enforcement agency is

Related Comparisons

Our Customers Love Us!

We have an average rating of 4.79 stars based on 283125 votes, and

People Feedback 4.9 Excellent - Reviews 2.137

"7 years without any disappointment. Always 100% satisfied. You guys are the best in the world at what you do. Thank you so much :)"

Profile picture of Zubair from Bangladesh

Zubair
from Bangladesh From

"I wasn't aware of this service, it's fascinating and more reliable than standard IA tools available on the internet"

Profile picture of Arturo from Mexico

Arturo
from Mexico From

"In a world of text messages and online communication, this is great to have as a live tool. Thank you."

Profile picture of Selena from USA

Selena
from USA From

"Wow, it's just so excellent. I never would have believed I could have a sure and excellent English companion. Thanks, TextRanch."

Profile picture of Ifiok from Nigeria

Ifiok
from Nigeria From

"This is my first time using TextRanch, and I like how the editors take time to correct my text. To everyone who has never used TextRanch before, I highly recommend trying it."

Profile picture of Wilson from France

Wilson
from France From

"It is an amazing source of feedback because, as a non-native speaker, I really need to have a reliable helper correct my text."

Profile picture of Susan from Germany

Susan
from Germany From

Trusted by Hundreds Teams

Facebook logo
Accenture logo
Air Asia logo
AirBus logo
Amazon logo
Bayer logo
Decathlon logo
Docusign logo
Ebay logo
Fiverr logo
Fossil logo
Keller Williams logo
LinkedIn logo
Loreal logo
Motorola logo
Orange logo
Roche logo
Salesforce logo
Stellantis logo