Daily AncestorPoliceman
A policeman was a member of a city or town police force who patrolled, kept order and arrested lawbreakers.
A policeman is a police officer, charged with preventing and detecting crime, keeping public order and arresting suspects. Most wore a uniform, though some worked in plain clothes.
The 1900 census instructions name watchman, policeman and detective together as examples of service occupations. Later entries add the employer, such as city or county.
As seen in a recordOccupation and industry columns of the 1910 to 1940 census
Jno. Gallagher, 35, Policeman, City
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Daily Ancestor. "Policeman." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/occupations/policeman. Last checked 2026-10-10.