The Police: Is It 'The Police Is' or 'The Police Are'? | Mastering Grammar

(Last Updated: 1 July 2024)

Is Police Singular or Plural?

The noun police is treated as a plural noun and takes a plural verb:

✅ The police are investigating the robbery.
❌ The police is investigating the robbery.

✅ The police were called to the scene of the accident.
❌ The police was called to the scene of the accident.

✅ The police do not have enough evidence to charge him.
❌ The police does not have enough evidence to charge him.

✅ The police have arrested three suspects.
❌ The police has arrested three suspects.

Since police is treated as a plural noun, it is referred to with plural pronouns such as they and them:

✅ When the police entered the building, they found evidence of a break-in.
❌ When the police entered the building, it found evidence of a break-in.

✅ The police arrived quickly, and they immediately began securing the area.
❌ The police arrived quickly, and it immediately began securing the area.

✅ The police arrived at the scene, and I directed them to the back of the house where the break-in occurred.
❌ The police arrived at the scene, and I directed it to the back of the house where the break-in occurred.

✅ I called the police and told them about the suspicious activity in the neighborhood.
❌ I called the police and told it about the suspicious activity in the neighborhood.

Using Police Attributively

The word police can be used like an adjective before a singular noun (e.g. police department or police force). When this occurs, the verb should be singular to match the singular noun:

✅ The police force is committed to reducing crime in the community.

✅ The police force has implemented new training programmes for its officers.

✅ The police department is located in the centre of town.

✅ The police department was established over a century ago and has a long history of service.

Source: Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

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Examples from the Media

The police are often outnumbered and walking on political eggshells in which one wrong move or human overreaction can mean everything turns on them in the moment or later with Monday morning quarterbacks. —Toronto Sun (2024)

Sending a real, flesh-and-blood cop to inquire at the scene would let the victim know that the police were interested and sympathetic to their loss. —Daily Mail (2024)

Those who argue that the police have no role in maintaining safe streets are arguing against lots of strong evidence. —The Washington Post (2020)

The police need to be at the forefront of driving the change; they know what needs to be done to protect victims, by preventing known offenders from accessing them. —The Sydney Morning Herald (2024)

Practice

Choose the correct option to complete each sentence.

1. The police is/are advising everyone to stay indoors.

2. The police has/have issued a warning about the scam.

3. The police force was/were awarded for its outstanding service last year.

4. The police was/were questioning the neighbours when I arrived.

5. The police is/are urging anyone with information to come forward.

6. The police has/have recovered the stolen property.

7. The police is/are looking for witnesses to the crime.

8. The police department has/have launched an initiative to engage with local youth.

9. When the police received the tip, it/they acted on it right away.

Answer Key

1. are    2. have    3. was    4. were    5. are    6. have    7. are    8. has    9. they

Recommended Further Reading

Is It Correct to Say 'A Police'?

Real-World Examples of Misuse

1. We say crack down on someone/something, not crack down someone/something. Also, the phrase crack down on a group should be either italicised or placed in quotation marks to show that it is being defined.
2. Police is treated as a plural noun, so it requires the plural verb are.
3. Nightclubs is more commonly written as one word.
(Also by the Same Author: 1/2/3/4/5/6/7)

1. Police is treated as a plural noun, so it requires the plural verb have.
2. Using very instead of so reduces word repetition and improves sentence flow.
(Source: Wah Yan College, Hong Kong)