Army vs. Police — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 4, 2023
The Army is a branch of the military responsible for ground warfare, while the Police are civil officers responsible for maintaining public order and safety.
Difference Between Army and Police
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
The Army is a structured branch of a nation's armed forces that specializes in ground-based military operations. In contrast, the Police is a civil force, typically funded and operated by local or national government entities, with the primary objective of ensuring law and order within civilian populations.
While the Army is often deployed for external threats, defensive measures, or during times of war, the Police primarily handle internal matters, dealing with crimes, disturbances, and enforcing laws within communities.
Training for the Army often emphasizes combat readiness, strategy, and operating in conflict zones. Conversely, Police training focuses on crime investigation, community relations, and legal procedures.
It's common for countries to have their own national Army, but Police forces are usually specific to regions, cities, or municipalities, ensuring localized law enforcement.
Both the Army and Police have hierarchical structures, with ranks and chains of command. While they share the overarching goal of safeguarding citizens, the Army usually operates on a larger scale, often internationally, while the Police operate within specific jurisdictions.
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Comparison Chart
Primary Role
Ground-based military operations
Law enforcement within communities
Operational Scale
National, often international
Local or regional
Training Emphasis
Combat, strategy, warfare
Crime investigation, legal procedures, community relations
Typical Deployment
War zones, defensive positions, overseas missions
Cities, towns, and local communities
Jurisdiction
Determined by national defense needs
Specific to regions, municipalities, or districts
Compare with Definitions
Army
Ground troops trained for combat.
The general led his Army into battle.
Police
Civil force of a national or local government.
The city's Police force was well-respected by residents.
Army
A large organized force equipped for warfare.
The Army prepared its defenses along the border.
Police
Trained to handle crimes and disturbances.
The Police investigated the theft thoroughly.
Army
Operates under a strict hierarchical system.
He climbed the ranks and became a general in the Army.
Police
Upholds laws and ensures community safety.
Everyone felt safer when the Police patrolled the neighborhood.
Army
A branch of a nation's armed forces focused on land warfare.
The Army was deployed to the conflict zone.
Police
The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and the use of force legitimized by the state via the monopoly on violence.
Army
An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" [feminine]), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or state.
Police
A body of government employees trained in methods of law enforcement and crime prevention and detection and authorized to maintain the peace, safety, and order of the community.
Army
A large body of people organized and trained for land warfare.
Police
A body of persons with a similar organization and function
Campus police. Also called police force.
Army
Often Army The entire military land forces of a country.
Police
(Archaic) Regulation and control of the affairs of a community, especially with respect to maintenance of order, law, health, morals, safety, and other matters affecting the public welfare.
Army
A tactical and administrative military unit consisting of a headquarters, two or more corps, and auxiliary forces.
Police
(Informal) A group that admonishes, cautions, or reminds
Grammar police.
Fashion police.
Army
A large group of people or things, especially when organized for a specific cause or purpose
The construction army that built the Panama Canal.
A banquet with an army of waiters.
Police
The cleaning of a military base or other military area
Police of the barracks must be completed before inspection.
Army
A large, highly organized military force, concerned mainly with ground (rather than air or naval) operations.
The army was sent in to quell the uprising.
Police
The soldiers assigned to a specified maintenance duty.
Army
Used absolutely for that entire branch of the armed forces.
The army received a bigger share of this year's budget increase than the navy or air force.
Police
To regulate, control, or keep in order with a law enforcement agency or other official group.
Army
(often capitalized) Within a vast military, a very large tactical contingent (e.g. a number of divisions).
The Fourth Army suffered such losses that its remainders were merged into the Second Army, also deployed on the Western front.
Police
To impose one's viewpoint or beliefs regarding, especially in an authoritarian way
Policing others' comments by implementing speech codes.
Army
The governmental agency in charge of a state's army.
The army opposed the legislature's involvement.
Police
To critique in a presumptuous or arrogant manner
Policed the grammar of everyone who commented on the blog post.
Army
(figuratively) A large group of people working toward the same purpose.
It took an army of accountants to uncover the fraud.
On sunny days the beaches draw armies of tourists of all kinds.
Police
To make (a military area, for example) neat in appearance
Policed the barracks.
Army
(figuratively) A large group of social animals working toward the same purpose.
Our house is being attacked by an army of ants.
Police
A public agency charged with enforcing laws and maintaining public order, usually being granted special privileges to do so, particularly
Call the police!
Army
(figuratively) Any multitude.
There was an army of construction cranes working on building the skyscraper.
Police
A department of local (usually municipal) government responsible for general law enforcement.
The Sheriff's Department has jurisdiction across most of Chicago but focuses on the unincorporated area and tasks like prisoner transport, leaving the rest to the Chicago Police Department.
Army
The military as a whole.
The People's Liberation Army Navy of China.
The Yugoslav Army consisted of the Navy, Ground Forces, and Air Force.
Iran's army consists of the Navy, Ground Forces, and Air Force.
Police
(UK) A branch of the Home Office responsible for general law enforcement within a specific territory.
Army
A collection or body of men armed for war, esp. one organized in companies, battalions, regiments, brigades, and divisions, under proper officers.
Police
Any of the formally enacted law enforcement agencies at various levels of government.
Army
A body of persons organized for the advancement of a cause; as, the Blue Ribbon Army.
Police
The staff of such a department or agency, particularly its officers; an individual police officer.
Army
A great number; a vast multitude; a host.
An army of good words.
Police
People who try to enforce norms or standards as if granted authority similar to the police.
Who called the fashion police?
Army
A permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state
Police
Cleanup of a military facility, as a formal duty.
Army
A large number of people united for some specific purpose
Police
Synonym of administration, the regulation of a community or society.
Army
Often associated with national defense.
The Army played a crucial role during the war.
Police
(obsolete) policy.
Police
(obsolete) polity, civilization, a regulated community.
Police
(transitive) To enforce the law and keep order among (a group).
Extra security was hired to police the crowd at the big game.
Police
To clean up an area.
Police
To enforce norms or standards upon.
To police a person's identity
Police
A judicial and executive system, for the government of a city, town, or district, for the preservation of rights, order, cleanliness, health, etc., and for the enforcement of the laws and prevention of crime; the administration of the laws and regulations of a city, incorporated town, or borough.
Police
That which concerns the order of the community; the internal regulation of a state.
Police
The organized body of civil officers in a city, town, or district, whose particular duties are the preservation of good order, the prevention and detection of crime, and the enforcement of the laws.
Police
Military police, the body of soldiers detailed to preserve civil order and attend to sanitary arrangements in a camp or garrison.
Police
The cleaning of a camp or garrison, or the state a camp as to cleanliness.
Police
To keep in order by police.
Police
To make clean; as, to police a camp.
Police
The force of policemen and officers;
The law came looking for him
Police
Maintain the security of by carrying out a control
Police
Officers responsible for maintaining law and order.
The Police arrived at the crime scene swiftly.
Police
Often operates within specific jurisdictions.
The state Police have different responsibilities than the city Police.
Common Curiosities
Can the Army be used for law enforcement like the Police?
While the Army's primary function is not law enforcement, in certain emergency situations, they can be deployed domestically. However, the Police are the primary force for regular law enforcement duties.
How does the jurisdiction of the Police differ from the Army?
The Police typically operate within specific local or regional jurisdictions, while the Army functions on a national or even international scale.
Which force is larger, the Army or the Police?
It varies by country, but generally, the Army is a larger force as it's national, while Police forces are specific to regions or cities.
Can one transition from the Army to the Police or vice versa?
Yes, many veterans from the Army transition to Police roles and vice versa, although each has its own specific training and requirements.
Which force is older, the Army or the Police?
Historically, armies or military forces like the Army predate formal Police forces in most civilizations.
Do all countries have both an Army and Police?
Most countries have both an Army for defense and Police for law enforcement, but the roles and structures can vary.
Are there specialized branches within the Army and Police?
Yes, both the Army and Police have specialized units for different tasks, like the Army's Special Forces or a Police Department's SWAT team.
How do ranks work in the Army compared to the Police?
Both the Army and Police have hierarchical structures with different ranks, but the naming and structure might differ.
Why might a country's Army be deployed within its own borders?
While the Army is primarily for external defense, they might be deployed domestically during emergencies, civil unrest, or natural disasters.
What is the primary role of the Army?
The Army's primary role is ground-based military operations, often for national defense.
How does training differ between the Army and Police?
Army training emphasizes combat readiness and warfare, while Police training focuses on crime investigation, community relations, and legal procedures.
What is the reserve Army?
The reserve Army consists of soldiers who aren't in active duty but can be called upon when needed.
Can the Police operate outside their jurisdiction?
Generally, Police operate within their jurisdiction, but they can work outside it under special agreements or circumstances.
Are Army personnel allowed to enforce laws like the Police?
While Army personnel have authority in certain situations, especially in emergencies, regular law enforcement is the job of the Police.
Is the Police's main job just to arrest criminals?
No, the Police also prevent crime, ensure public safety, assist citizens, and more.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
