policing

American  

[puh-lee-sing] / pəˈli sɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of maintaining public order and security, enforcing the law, or regulating or controlling something, by or as if by members of a police force.

   No matter what style is adopted for the policing of a community, officers must use discretion in interpreting the activities of citizens.

   Careful family use of the internet doesn't need to be a punitive policing of children's activities online.

2. Military. the act of cleaning up a camp or post or of keeping it clean.

   After the major’s visit, the policing of the entire camp and all the fighting positions improved 100 percent.

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Other Word Forms

• self-policing adjective

Etymology

Origin of policing

First recorded in 1830–40; police ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

I’m really a very routined person, meaning that I have the same routine almost every day and I’m really militant about policing it.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

Ch Supt Rachel Stockdale, head of local policing, said there will continue to be a police presence at the address while the investigation continues.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

Earlier this year, several UN experts called on India to undertake major reforms to modernise policing in line with international human rights standards.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

“We have a real mental health crisis in schools, and we could be using the money to deal with that,” said Barry Friedman, a law professor and expert on policing at New York University.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

The New York City police will tell you that what happened in New York was that the city’s policing strategies dramatically improved.

From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell

Related Words

• police
• police force