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

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See Examples For:

law enforcement officer

Myke Cole, a volunteer firefighter in New York’s Hudson Valley, is a former intelligence and law enforcement officer and the author, most recently, of “Steel Lobsters: Crown, Commonwealth, and the Last Knights in England.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

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

The FBI’s Houston office said it is leading an investigation into the potential assault on a federal law enforcement officer.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 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

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