Law enforcement official

There are a wide variety of names for those whose duty it is to enforce the law, so, in the late 20th century, the broad term law enforcement official started to be used.

The situation can be particularly chaotic in the United States, where not only might city, county, state agencies have conflicting or overlapping jurisdictions, but where there are over one hundred Federal agencies with law enforcement authority.

The term "law enforcement official" could be used to refer to a "constable", a "patrol officers", a "sheriff's deputy", a "detective", a "Federal Agent".