the police who used vs the police which used

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'The police who used' is used when referring to people within the police force who used something, while 'the police which used' is used when referring to the police force as a whole that used something.

Last updated: March 15, 2024 • 1770 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used when referring to people within the police force who used something.

"the police who used"

This phrase is used when you want to specify that it was individuals within the police force who used something.

Examples:

The police who used excessive force were reprimanded.
I know the police who used to work in this area.
The police who used the new equipment were impressed.

Show examples from the web [+]

Feb 11, 2015 ... ... University against high tuition fees and education cuts was broken up by the police, who used CS gas and brute force to end the occupation.
Jan 21, 2015 ... However, with a government helicopter flying over their head, they were intercepted by the police who used live ammunition to disperse the ...
Rumble Fish features an experimental score by Stewart Copeland, drummer of the musical group The Police, who used a Musync, a new device at the time.
Jan 28, 2015 ... Protesters threw stones at the police, who used tear gas in return. Earlier, police had erected iron barricades to block access to a nearby ...

Alternatives:

the officers who used
the policemen who used
the law enforcement agents who used
the cops who used
the constables who used

This phrase is correct and commonly used when referring to the police force as a whole that used something.

"the police which used"

This phrase is used when you want to refer to the entire police force as a collective entity that used something.

Examples:

The police which used the new technology were able to solve the case.
I read about the police which used drones for surveillance.
The police which used the resources efficiently were commended.

Show examples from the web [+]

Jun 28, 2012 ... Street protests demonstrating support for Lugo erupted incoherently on the impeachment day but were dispersed by the police which used ...
innovation provided to or by the police which used at least two core ingredients of procedural justice such as police encouraging citizen participation, remaining ...
Dec 21, 2014 ... The police which used drones to patrol the streets during Trilokpuri communal flare ups and also during immersion of idols at Yamuna during ...
It then passed on the data to the police, which used the information to set up speed traps in places where they were most likely to generate revenue – that is, ...

Alternatives:

the police force which used
the law enforcement agency which used
the department which used
the authorities which used
the cops which used

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the police who used vs the police which used