long arm of the law

Meaning: (idiomatic,almost always preceded bythe)Theinfluenceoreffectivenessoflaw enforcementinstitutions; law enforcementofficerscollectively.1889,Wilkie Collins, chapter 60, inThe Legacy of Cain:It is my belief that I could have felt no greater dismay, if thelong arm of the Lawhad laid its hold on me while he was speaking.1979September 3, “Pass the Buck”, inTime‎[1], archived fromthe originalon1 September 2010:Thelong arm of the lawdoes not protect banks the way it used to.2008September 12, Lisa Rein, “Jurisdictions Share Data on Ex-Offenders”, inWashington Post‎[2]:"Repeat violent offenders will hopscotch over state lines to avoid thelong arm of the law," said Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley.

Examples:

EN: Oh, there is the long arm of the law Your Grace.
ES: Oh, está el largo brazo de la ley, Su Excelencia.
EN: It's been a private investigation... but right now I could use the long arm of the law.
ES: Ha sido una investigación privada, pero ahora me vendría bien el largo brazo de la ley.
EN: My boy, it's the long arm of the law.
ES: Chico, es el largo brazo de la ley.
EN: Surely it's up to you constable? You know: "the long arm of the law"
ES: Insista, como representante de la ley.
EN: At night, in the dimly lit streets of the outskirts, we find those who must avoid public places to hide their physical decline or to escape the long arm of the law.
ES: Apenas se hace de noche, se reúnen en las poco iluminadas calles de la periferia, donde deben estar aquellas que no pueden frecuentar lugares más concurridos, ya sea para ocultar su propia decadencia física o quizás para escapar mejor al control de la ley.
EN: Les, what can I do for the long arm of the law?
ES: ¿En qué puede ayudar al largo brazo de la ley?
EN: But they're being tracked down as they skulk down dark roads where the long arm of the law reaches out.
ES: Pero son perseguidos mientras escapan por calles oscuras hasta donde llega el brazo de la ley.
EN: I'm afraid that the, uh, the long arm of the law is still in the dark.
ES: Me temo que el largo brazo de la ley aún está en la oscuridad.
EN: But as they say, it's the long arm of the law.
ES: Como se suele decir, es el largo brazo de la ley.
EN: The long arm of the law, man.
ES: El largo brazo de la ley, amigo.
EN: I figure if the Bomont fire trucks can't cross these tracks... neither can the long arm of the law.
ES: Me imagino que si los camiones de bomberos Bomont no pueden cruzar estas vías... tampoco puede hacerlo el largo brazo de la ley.
EN: I'm the long arm of the law, the public conscience, Detective Jack Nulty.
ES: La espada de la justicia. La conciencia pública. Soy el detective Jack Nulty.
EN: [DOORBELL RINGS] There's the long arm of the law!
ES: Podrías haberlo intentado un poco más.
EN: There's the long arm of the law!
ES: ] Allí está el brazo largo de la ley!
EN: I'm sure you're familiar with the long arm of the law.
ES: Seguro que estás familiarizado con el brazo largo de la ley.

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