die  Polizeistreife

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/poliˈt͡saɪˌʃtʁaɪfə/

👮 What Exactly is a 'Polizeistreife'?

The German noun die Polizeistreife (feminine) refers to two related concepts:

1. The act of patrolling: This means the regular tour or drive by police officers to monitor a specific area, maintain public safety and order, or prevent crime.
2. The patrolling unit itself: This can be one or more police officers, either on foot or more commonly in a vehicle (the Streifenwagen or patrol car). In this sense, one might refer to "eine Polizeistreife" meaning the team or vehicle.

It's a compound word formed from 'Polizei' (police) and 'Streife' (patrol).

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar on Patrol: The Details

The word 'Polizeistreife' is a feminine noun. Therefore, the correct article is die.

Declension

Here is how 'die Polizeistreife' changes in the different grammatical cases (Kasus):

Example Sentences

• Die Polizeistreife fuhr langsam durch das Wohngebiet. (The police patrol drove slowly through the residential area.)
• Wir meldeten den Vorfall der nächsten Polizeistreife. (We reported the incident to the nearest police patrol.)
• Nachts sind oft mehrere Polizeistreifen in der Innenstadt unterwegs. (At night, there are often several police patrols out in the city center.)
• Die Anwesenheit einer Polizeistreife wirkte beruhigend auf die Anwohner. (The presence of a police patrol had a calming effect on the residents.)

🚦 When and How is 'die Polizeistreife' Used?

The term 'Polizeistreife' is primarily used in contexts related to security, law enforcement, crime prevention, and traffic surveillance.

• Everyday life: People talk about a 'Polizeistreife' when they see or refer to patrolling officers or their vehicle ("Ich habe eine Polizeistreife gesehen." - I saw a police patrol.).
• News/Reports: The term is frequently used in police reports or news articles about operations, checks, or incidents.
• Distinction: A 'Polizeistreife' is mobile and on the move, unlike the stationary 'Polizeiwache' (police station) or 'Polizeirevier' (police precinct). The 'Streifenwagen' is the vehicle often used by the 'Polizeistreife'.

Sometimes the term is used metonymically, meaning 'die Polizeistreife' can simply refer to the officers themselves who are on patrol.

🧠 Mnemonics for 'Polizeistreife'

For the article 'die': Think of the police force personified as a woman (feminine 'die'). Die Polizei (feminine) performs die Streife (feminine patrol). Feminine + Feminine = die Polizeistreife.

For the meaning: Imagine the Polizei (police) drawing a wide stripe (which sounds like 'Streife') across the city map, covering their patrol area – that's their Polizeistreife.

🔄 Similar and Opposite Terms

Risk of Confusion

• Streifen (der): Can also mean a stripe or a strip (e.g., Zebrastreifen - zebra crossing). Pay attention to the article! 'Die Streife' is the patrol, 'der Streifen' is the stripe.

😄 A Little Police Joke

Was sagt ein Polizist zum anderen auf Streife, wenn ihnen langweilig ist? "Lass uns mal kurz die Sirene testen, nur um zu sehen, ob sie noch funktioniert!" 🚓

Translation: What does one police officer on patrol say to the other when they're bored? "Let's quickly test the siren, just to see if it still works!" 🚓

📜 Poem: Nightly Rounds

Im Dunkel der Stadt, ganz leis', Fährt sie im Kreis, Die Polizeistreife, wachsam, klar, Nimmt jede Bewegung wahr.

Blaulicht tanzt an nasser Wand, Hält Sicherheit in ihrer Hand. Ob Tag, ob Nacht, sie ist bereit, Zu schützen uns zu jeder Zeit.

Translation:

In the city's darkness, quiet and low, It drives around, to and fro, The police patrol, watchful, clear, Observing every movement near.

Blue light dances on damp walls bright, Holding safety in its might. Whether day or night, it's prepared, To protect us, always cared.

❓ Who am I? A Riddle

Ich fahre oft, doch hab kein festes Ziel,
Trage Uniform, das ist mein Stil.
Ich sorge für Recht und Ruh' im Land,
Bin mal zu Fuß, mal im Auto bekannt.
Mal bin ich nur der Vorgang klar,
Mal die Beamten, wunderbar.

Wer bin ich?

Translation:

I often drive, but have no fixed destination,
I wear a uniform, that's my station.
I ensure law and order in the land,
Sometimes on foot, sometimes in a car close at hand.
Sometimes I'm just the process clear,
Sometimes the officers, held so dear.

Who am I? Answer: Die Polizeistreife (The police patrol)

🧩 More Tidbits

Word Composition

The word 'Polizeistreife' is a compound noun, composed of:

• Polizei: Police - the authority responsible for maintaining public safety and order.
• Streife: Patrol - derived from the verb 'streifen', which originally meant 'to roam', 'to wander', or 'to brush past'. It describes the act of patrolling or the patrolling group.

Types of Police Patrols

In Germany, various types exist, e.g., Fußstreifen (foot patrols), Fahrradstreifen (bicycle patrols), Reiterstreifen (mounted patrols), Motorradstreifen (motorcycle patrols), and the most common form, patrols using the Streifenwagen (patrol car, also called Funkstreifenwagen or radio patrol car).