POLICE VOCABULARY
vocabulary
part of
speech meaning example sentence
arrest take into police My partner arrested the man
verb control who set fire to the building.
ARRESTAR
assailant person who Did you see the assailant run
noun assaults or attacks away?
ASALTANTE -AGRESOR
at large, on not caught, running I'm afraid that the man who
the loose free robbed the bank is still at large.
PROFUGO- SUELTO SIN ATAR
armed and is carrying a Do not approach the thief if you
dangerous weapon and has a see him. He is
adjectives violent background considered armed and
dangerous.
back-up police that are We're calling for back-up now
noun called in to support that we know she has a gun.
or help
RESPALDAR - APOYAR
bail large amount of Your husband's bail is posted at
noun money that $20,000.
someone pays as a
promise to appear FIANZA
in cour
baton, night heavy stick that No, we don't carry guns. We
stick police use for only have batons.
noun controlling crowds
palo pesado que la policía utiliza para controlar
or defending multitudes o defenderse
themselves
book sby register someone as We're taking your brother down
verb a criminal to the station to book him.
FICHAR
break into enter a residence, Do you have any idea who
verb car, or business would have broken into your
illegally car?
ASALTAR-ALLANAR
burglar a person who We think the burglar got in
noun breaks into a home through your chimney.
or business and
steals items LADRON RATERO
cell individual room in a We'll have to keep you in
noun jail or prison a cell until someone comes to
pay your bail.
CELDA
convict a person who is Please be aware that there is
noun doing (or supposed a convict on the loose.
to be doing) jailtime
cop, copper police officer Did somebody here call
noun (common slang) the cops?
POLICIA – LENGUAJE COLOQUIAL
criminal a file that lists all of We don't allow anyone with
record the crimes a person a criminal record into our
noun has committed country.
ANTECEDENTES
crime scene the place where a Please stay outside the yellow
noun crime happened tape. This is a crime scene.
cruiser, police car Please step out of your vehicle
squad car and get into the police cruiser.
noun
CARRO DE POLICIA
VEHICULO POLICIAL
(in) custody under police control You will be happy to know that
noun we have taken the kidnapper
into custody.
DUI, DWI driving after drinking Your record says that you have
too much alcohol two previous DUIs.
Driver under
influence
(Driving Under the
CONDUCIR BAJO INFLUENCIA O
Influence, Driving
EFECTOS DEL ALCOHOL
Driving while While Intoxicated)
intoxicated
detective police officer The detective is going to ask
noun responsible for you a few questions about the
solving crime man's appearance.
do time receive punishment You won't be required to do any
verb + noun for a crime by time but you will have to pay a
spending time in jail fine. CUMPLIR CONDENA
ESTAR A LA SOMBRA
domestic argument/trouble in We've had a number of calls
dispute the home(often reporting a domestic dispute in
leads to violence) your hotel room.
escape get away from a If you try to escape we will have
verb holding place to restrain you with handcuffs.
felony a major crime (e.g. Murder is considered
noun murder) a felony and is punishable by
life in prison.
DELITO GRAVE
fine money that a You can get charged a large
noun person pays for fine for speeding in a school
breaking a law zone.
fingerprints marks left by fingers We're going to have to check
noun that identify a your personal belongings
person for fingerprints.
HUELLAS
DACTILARES
firearms weapons that shoot It is illegal to carry
noun unregistered firearms such as
ARMA DE FUEGO
rifles and pistols.
PISTOLA
gang a group of people Stay away from this area at
noun often associated night as there is a lot
with crime and of gang activity.
BANDA PANDILLA
drugs
guilty responsible for a You will be considered innocent
adjective crime, deserving of until you are proven guilty.
punishment
CULPABLE
handcuffs metal rings that We put your boyfriend
noun attach to wrists to in handcuffs, because we saw
keep criminals (or him climbing through your
ESPOSAS
the accused) from window and thought he was an
escaping intruder.
innocent not responsible for We'll believe you
adjective the crime are innocentwhen you show us
your receipt for the items in the
bag.
intruder a person who enters Someone called to report
noun a home or business an intruder on the third floor.
illegally
INTRUSO
jail, prison a place where The guards will be patrolling
noun criminals are the prison all day long.
confined
misdemeanor a minor crime Stealing a road sign is
noun (punishment is considered
usually a fine or a misdemeanor,but is
FALTA DELITO MENOR
FECHORIA less than one year punishable by a large fine.
in jail)
noise a call to the police Two of your neighbours have
complaint to complain of made a noise
disturbing noise complainttonight.
QUEJA POR RUIDO
(usually music or a
party)
partner another officer that I'm going to get you to tell
noun a policeman drives your story to my partner.
and works with
patrol observe and We always patrol the
verb protect an area downtown core on the
on patrol weekends.
DE PATRULLA
perpetrator person who The perpetrator is still at
noun committed the large.
crime
CRIMINAL
INFRACTOR
pickpocket a thief who steals Beware of pickpockets on
noun from people's the subway.
pockets in transit
CARTERISTA
or in crowds
pistol a hand held Our local cops
noun firearm carry pistols but rarely use
them.
PISTOLA
pursuit the act of We are in pursuit of a man in
noun searching for a green jacket and orange
PERSECUCION
pants.
radar radio wave According to our radar you
transmission that were driving well above the
helps police track speed limit.
cars and map
crime scenes
robbery theft; taking We have twenty officers
noun something that investigating the
does not belong to bank robbery.
ROBO ATRACO
ESTAFA you, often with
force
speeding ticket a fine given to a Your license shows a clean
driver who gets driving record except for
MULTA POR EXCESO
DE VELOCIDAD caught driving one speeding ticket from
beyond the speed five years ago.
limit
steal to take something Do you know who stole your
verb that does not wallet?
belong to you
ROBAR
street crime crime such as Don't give the beggars any
noun drugs and money. You will only be
prostitution promoting street crime.
CRIMEN DE CALLE
thief somebody who We have found the thief who
noun steals stole your car.
walkie-talkie hand held radio My partner told me your
noun each partner license plate over his walkie-
carries talkie.
Wanted being searched for A man from your hotel
by police is wanted for his involvement
BUSCADO in a murder.
witness to see something Three people witnessed the
verb happen murder but they are afraid to
speak.
TESTIGO
young offender, a minor who Your punishment will be less
juvenile commits a crime severe because you are
delinquent (usually under age a young offender.
of 18)
CRIMINALK
JOVEN