police power

police power definition - legal

n

The inherent power and obligation of a state government or sovereign, usually delegated in part to municipalities, to make whatever laws are appropriate and necessary to maintain public safety and security, morality, health, and propriety, which can neither be surrendered by the legislature nor transferred in toto away from the state. Such power is conferred by the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, and is subject to and bound by considerations of due process.

Webster's New World Law Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.