law enforcement officer

American  

[law en-fawrs-muhnt aw-fuh-ser, of-uh-ser] / ˈlɔ ɛnˌfɔrs mənt ˌɔ fə sər, ˌɒf ə sər /

noun

1. a government employee whose main duties involve preventing, detecting, or punishing violations of the law; police officers, state troopers, sheriffs, rangers, etc., when considered collectively. LEO

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Etymology

Origin of law enforcement officer

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

law enforcement officer

In a statement after the shooting, DHS said that the FBI will investigate "the potential assault on a federal law enforcement officer."

From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026

There, she communicated with her family and two men - a former law enforcement officer and a current officer in the MoD's main intelligence directorate.

From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026

Garcia, a career law enforcement officer who has cast himself in the political mold of conservative Texas Democrats Rep. Henry Cuellar and Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, is an archetypal candidate for a competitive race like this.

From Slate ● May 22, 2026

“His role is no longer defense attorney, but rather the leading law enforcement officer in the United States, and he takes that responsibility seriously,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026

The tall man was the Texas Attorney General, the chief law enforcement officer for the state.

From "Holes" by Louis Sachar