law enforcement officer

American

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

noun

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

Etymology

Origin of law enforcement officer

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

law enforcement officer

A retired Tennessee law enforcement officer who was jailed for 37 days over a Kirk meme walked away with a $835,000 settlement once the charge collapsed.

From Salon ● Aug. 25, 2026

Police said an off-duty law enforcement officer and a second person fired back at the gunman, potentially preventing more violence.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

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

Her diagnosis came shortly after President Donald Trump ousted her from the post of America's top law enforcement officer, according to the BBC's US partner CBS News.

From BBC ● May 27, 2026

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

From "Holes" by Louis Sachar

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023