all-points bulletin

noun

: a general bulletin broadcast to alert law-enforcement officers over a wide area that someone (such as a suspect) or something (such as a vehicle) is being actively sought in connection with a crime
The all-points bulletin for the suspects issued Thursday describes them as "armed and dangerous" …Les Ledbetter
… police investigators have pored over video footage, interviewed witnesses, combed through social media chatter and shared surveillance images of the suspects with other police agencies in an all-points bulletin.Michael Cabanatuan and Kurtis Alexander

called also APB

Examples of all-points bulletin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
An all-points bulletin was relayed to all area police departments, Windsor Locks police said. Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 13 June 2024 Set off an all-points bulletin, given the seriousness of these matters. Ron Lieber, New York Times, 30 Dec. 2023 Through the department’s license-plate readers and other footage captured by neighbors’ cameras, officers were able to identify the man — Garrett Blaize — and issued an all-points bulletin for his vehicle, Martinez said. Michelle L. Quinn, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of all-points bulletin was in 1936

Dictionary Entries Near all-points bulletin

Cite this Entry

“All-points bulletin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/all-points%20bulletin. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

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