rogues' gallery

American  

noun

1. a collection of portraits of criminals and suspects maintained by the police for purposes of identification.

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rogues' gallery British  

noun

1. a collection of photographs of known criminals kept by the police for identification purposes

2. a group of undesirable people

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rogues' gallery Idioms  

1. A police collection of pictures of criminals and suspects kept for identification purposes. For example, The detective went through the entire rogues' gallery but couldn't find a match with the suspect. [Mid-1800s]

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Etymology

Origin of rogues' gallery

First recorded in 1855–60

Example Sentences

The endless malleability of this part of the DC Comic universe is related to knowing that its hero and most of its core rogues’ gallery, even at their most fantastical, are subject to the laws of physics, including socioeconomic gravity.

From Salon

After a deep dive into Batman’s rogues gallery and noticing how many of them existed in reaction to Batman, Reeves considered a version of the Penguin who had yet to reach the status of a feared crime boss.

From Los Angeles Times

With Richard Beckinsale as his impressionable cellmate Lennie Godber, the series has a colourful rogues’ gallery of prisoners played by a cast including Brian Glover, Tony Osoba, Christopher Biggins, David Jason and Peter Vaughan.

From BBC

A member of Batman’s colorful rogues gallery, the criminal mastermind is always engaged in a deadly game with the Dark Knight, using riddles and witty wordplay to thwart him and authorities.

From Los Angeles Times

Vocalizing his desire to gain more support — any support at all — a rogues' gallery of congressional peers reaches out, with Bowen Yang as George Santos first through the door, complete with mystery baby in his arms.

From Salon