sworn personnel

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   All employees of an organization, especially a police or fire department, who have taken an official oath.

   Grammar: Takes a plural verb: 'sworn personnel are trained.' No plural form 'personnels.'

   Patterns

   • sworn personnel in a department
   • sworn personnel and civilian staff
   • the number of sworn personnel

   Sworn personnel are required to complete annual firearms training.

   The agency has about 1,200 sworn personnel and 400 civilian workers.

   Pay for sworn personnel is set by a separate contract.

2. 2noununcountableformal

   Military or security staff who have formally sworn an oath of allegiance or service.

   Grammar: Used in formal or official writing; less common than the police sense.

   Patterns

   • sworn personnel of the armed forces
   • sworn personnel stationed overseas

   Only sworn personnel may access the secure area.

   The base houses both sworn personnel and contract workers.

Common combinations

sworn personnel and civilian employees

The report compares sworn personnel and civilian employees.

sworn personnel only

The notice said the briefing was for sworn personnel only.

the ranks of sworn personnel

Promotions have slowed in the ranks of sworn personnel.

a sworn personnel officer

A sworn personnel officer handled the internal review.

Synonyms and how they differ

sworn officers

Usually refers to individual police officers, while 'sworn personnel' treats the group as a whole workforce.

sworn staff

Similar in meaning but used less often in official documents.

Opposites

Word family

sworn adjective

Having taken an oath; bound by an oath.

personnel noun

The people who work for an organization.

Commonly confused: sworn personnel or personal?

Practice

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