law enforcement officer

[ law en-fawrs-muhnt aw-fuh-ser, of-uh-ser ]

noun

1. a government employee whose main duties involve preventing, detecting, or punishing violations of the law; police officers, state troopers, sheriffs, rangers, etc., when considered collectively. : LEO

Word History and Origins

Origin of law enforcement officer¹

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

In a story published Monday night, NBC News reported that Gaetz, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to be the nation’s top law enforcement officer, “paid an adult woman for sex in 2017,” according to the woman’s attorney.

From Salon

“Who’d have ever thought that a young man from South Dakota, grew up in a place called Darkside, would be on a big screen?” the former Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe law enforcement officer said during his speech, choking up.

From Los Angeles Times

And it falls far short of the probity expected of the nation’s highest law enforcement officer.

From Los Angeles Times

Now that Gaetz has left Congress in anticipation of joining Trump's administration as the highest law enforcement officer in the country, the House GOP's thin majority will be short another seat, which will be filled via special election.

From Salon

The third call occurred in July 2023 and was made to a local police department dispatch number in Texas, in which he falsely identified himself as a senior federal law enforcement officer, provided the officer’s residential address to the dispatcher, claimed to have killed the officer’s mother, and threatened to kill any responding police officers.

From Los Angeles Times