States, cities & tribes
police power
The general authority of states to legislate for public health, safety, morals, and welfare. It is the constitutional basis for most state and local law.
In full
Police power is the states' reserved general authority, and it is why states need no enumerated power to enact building codes, licensing, quarantine rules, or traffic laws. The federal government has no equivalent general power and must trace each statute to a specific constitutional grant. The term refers to lawmaking authority, not to police departments.
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.