Hear "Police"in a Southern Accent
Us Southerners don’t always say police the same way the unhillbillies do. You’ll often hear it as po-leece, puh-leese, or even p’lice in fast speech, softening or dropping the first syllable. Play the clip to hear how it sounds in real Southern speech, then - if you're up for a challenge - practice it yourself with our tips and sentences.
Say It Like a Southerner
Listen to our audio clip a few times, focusing on the softened first syllable ("po-" or "puh-"), then repeat until it feels natural or matches our audio clip.
Related Pages
How to Cite This Page
- APA (7th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, September 16). Police. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/southern-accent/police
- MLA (9th edition)"The Hillbilly Dude." "Police." HillbillySlang.com, 16 Sept. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/southern-accent/police.
- Chicago (17th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. "Police." HillbillySlang.com. September 16, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/southern-accent/police.
Regional Note
Southern accents vary widely from state to state and even holler to holler. The examples here reflect speech patterns common to rural Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, western North Carolina, north Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas, and aren't meant to represent lowland or coastal "Deep South" varieties. Nor are the examples perfect - accents can be hyper-regional. They're provided for curious learners, actors and content creators, and ESL speakers who want a friendly introduction to authentic pronunciation. Learn more on the Southern Accent hub page.
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Created by a true, actual, proper, real-life hillbilly, HillbillySlang is a growing field guide to culture, speech, memory, and meaning - rooted in Appalachia but reaching across the world. Every slang word, saying, accent and story is gathered from first-hand experience and trusted sources. The goal: preserve authentic voices and share them with writers, learners, and culture lovers everywhere - with a little humor thrown in here and there. Read more...