Elamur: [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [Parse](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/parse/) · **Dictionary** · [Translate](https://md.translate.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [Research](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [MCP](https://mcp.elamur.ai/) · [Groupants](https://md.groupants.elamur.ai/free/en/)

[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/helping-police-with-their-inquiries/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [H](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/h/) / helping police with their inquiries

# helping police with their inquiries

phrase (verb phrase: help police with their inquiries, is helping, was helping; UK, also «helping police with their enquiries»)

«helping police with their inquiries» in the English dictionary: in the primary school — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## In the primary school

Source: Mova's pupils' dictionary. Licence: [Elamur Cosmic License](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/LICENSE/). Reviewed: the dictionary the pupils of Mova's primary school read; its examples quote the lessons and public-domain tales. Ships with Mova.

### Meaning

1. (euphemism, UK news and police) being questioned by the police as a suspect, often under arrest, but not yet charged.
2. (literal) giving information to the police as a witness.

### In the lessons

British police and news language that avoids saying «arrested» or «suspected» before charges, partly for legal reasons; official, UK, Ireland, Australia.

### Examples

- A man is helping police with their inquiries after the robbery.
- Two men are helping police with their enquiries.
- "Helping police with their inquiries" often means being questioned as a suspect.
- The news said the neighbour was helping police with their inquiries.
- Witnesses are helping police with their inquiries.
- He was helping police with their inquiries for hours.
- Newspapers use the phrase because nobody has been charged yet.
- A suspect helping police with their inquiries is still innocent until proven guilty.

### Note

Trap: it sounds friendly, but often means the person is a suspect. «Inquiries/enquiries» = investigation. Remember: not charged yet, so still innocent in law. Plain words: being questioned, held for questioning.