patrol
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patrol
A walk or drive by police officers, soldiers, or security personnel to monitor an area. It can refer both to the activity and to the group of people patrolling.
Nachts fährt regelmäßig eine Streife durch das Wohngebiet.
At night, a patrol regularly drives through the residential area.
to be on patrol
To carry out the activity of patrolling; as a police officer or security worker, to move through an area to check it.
Die beiden Polizisten sind die ganze Nacht auf Streife.
The two police officers are on patrol all night.
The noun 'Streife' is derived from the verb 'streifen', which means 'to roam' or 'to wander'. So a 'Streife' is literally a 'Streifzug' (roving patrol/foray) to monitor an area.
Die Polizei streift nachts durch die Wohngebiete.
The police roam through the residential areas at night.
To describe the activity of patrolling, 'Streife' is often combined with the verbs 'fahren' (to drive) or 'gehen' (to go/walk). This specifies how the patrol is carried out.
Die Polizei fährt am Wochenende verstärkt Streife.
The police increase their patrols on weekends.
The word 'Streife' can refer both to the group of people and to the activity. When people speak of 'einer Streife' (a patrol), they usually mean the group. When they speak of 'der Streife' (the patrol), it can also mean the activity.
Eine Streife kontrollierte die verdächtigen Personen.
A patrol checked the suspicious people.
The phrase 'auf Streife sein' (to be on patrol) is a fixed construction with the preposition 'auf'. It describes the state of currently being on duty and out monitoring an area.
Die Polizisten sind seit Stunden auf Streife.
The police officers have been on patrol for hours.
patrol
Both Streife and Patrouille can refer to monitoring an area and can designate either the group of people involved or their operation. Streife is especially common for the police, while Patrouille has a more military or general security-related tone. Streife is usually appropriate for a police operation, while Patrouille is more suitable for soldiers.
Die Polizeistreife kontrollierte am Abend die Straßen im Zentrum.
The police patrol checked the streets in the city center that evening.
Die Militärpatrouille kontrollierte am Abend die Wege nahe dem Lager.
The military patrol checked the paths near the camp that evening.
