Police operations involving Republican? They’re pulled by those in power (7)
I believe the answer is:
strings
'power' is the definition.
(thesaurus)
'police operations involving republican?' is the wordplay.
'police operations' becomes 'stings' (I've seen this in another clue).
'involving' is an insertion indicator.
'republican?' becomes 'r' (political abbreviation).
'stings' going around 'r' is 'STRINGS'.
'they're pulled by those in' is the link.
This may not be right. Some or all of it may be part of another bit of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for strings that I've seen before include "Lengths of wire etc on a musical instrument" , "Bowed instruments in the orchestra" , "Just; trade exhibition" , "Undesirable conditions" , "Cords" .)