警察

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 警察, read けいさつ, combines guarding 警 with inspecting 察 as the name of the policing institution.
• Basic usage: 警察に届ける means reporting or turning something in to the police, while 警察へ連絡する means contacting the institution.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Distinguishing meanings
  • 警察 denotes the organization or authority; one individual officer is normally 警察官.