overpolice

American  

[oh-ver-puh-lees] / ˌoʊ vər pəˈlis /

verb (used with object)

1. to police excessively, as by maintaining a large police presence or by responding aggressively to minor offenses.

   The panelists agreed that poor communities are overpoliced, and their residents are more likely to be Black and Latino.

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Other Word Forms

• overpolicing noun

Etymology

Origin of overpolice

First recorded in 1900–05; over- ( def. ) + police ( def. )

Example Sentences

The policies that result overpolice the people they seek to help, because they treat the victims of hardship as perpetually in need of protection, from others but also from themselves.

From Slate • May 2, 2018

In a well-intentioned effort to help kids treat one another better, we do have to be careful not to overpolice or overprotect them.

From Slate • Feb. 25, 2013