overpolice

[ oh-ver-puh-lees ]

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.

Other Words From

• o·ver·po·lic·ing noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of overpolice¹

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

Example Sentences

That is, assuming they’re not overpoliced by the adults on the playground.

From Popular-Science

The laws furthered mass incarceration and disproportionately impacted impoverished people and people of color—community groups often overpoliced to begin with—as crack cocaine has historically been more accessible to poorer Americans.

From Time