security police
Americannoun
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a police force responsible for maintaining order at a specific locale or under specific circumstances, as at an airport or factory.
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a police force concerned with detecting and preventing enemy espionage.
Etymology
Origin of security police
First recorded in 1915–20
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Former district councillor Kenneth Cheung, who was among those arrested reportedly by national security police, says authorities took issue with content he re-shared on Facebook following the fire.
From BBC • Dec. 4, 2025
Hours into their meeting, they approved a decision to form the party, catching the security police by surprise.
From New York Times • Jan. 12, 2024
Chow said in an interview with The Associated Press that Hong Kong’s national security police called her twice to ask her about her status after she left the city to pursue further studies in September.
From Seattle Times • Dec. 7, 2023
He described being harassed by state security police over the years during “sensitive periods” around the anniversary date.
From Washington Times • Sep. 22, 2023
No neighbor or friend ever knocks in such a peremptory way, and I knew immediately that it was the security police.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
