police in plain clothes

[Tofu]

Hello Alan, Mister Micawber, Beeesneees, Mordant and other native English speakers,

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http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/plain-clothes
plain clothes
ordinary clothes when worn by police when they are working
- There were police in plain clothes in the crowd.
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Can I say "plain-clothes police" in place of "police in plain clothes"?

[Daemon99]

police officers in mufti
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Non-native speaker of English
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I intend to live forever - so far, so good.

[Beeesneees]

"plain-clothes policeman" is the usual term, Tofu.

Daemon, the term 'mufti' tends to be reserved for military/forces personnel when they are out of uniform engaging in recreational pursuits, rather than policemen on duty out of uniform.
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Cheers m' dears!

[Tofu]

Thank you, B.

"There were some plain-clothes police officers in the crowd."
How does this sound?

[Beeesneees]

That's an ideal example of the usage, Tofu.
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Cheers m' dears!

[Tofu]

Thank you, B.

[Haihao]

And, "There were some plain-clothes in the crowd."

But if there are also some people in their birthday clothes in the crowd, then they shall be arrested by police officers not in plain-clothes. :)

[Beeesneees]

I've never heard the phrase 'plain clothes' used on their own like that. It sounds as if the unpatterned clothes have taken on a life of their own.
The phrase I think you are trying to find is 'birthday suit' rather than 'birthday clothes'.
"The elderly ladies in the crowd were offended by the man who appeared in his birthday suit. Luckily some plain clothes officers were present and quickly took control of the situation."
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Cheers m' dears!

[Jamie (K)]

We call police officers in plain clothes "plainclothesmen" sometimes.

Soldiers in ordinary civilian clothes are said to be in "civvies".

[Tofu]

Thank you, B and Jamie.