Cut police launches here (8)
I believe the answer is:
dockyard
'launches here' is the definition.
The answer is a location as well as being a singular noun. This is suggested by the definition.
'cut police' is the wordplay.
'cut' becomes 'dock' (docking is a kind of cutting).
'police' becomes 'Yard' (Scotland Yard, Metropolitan Police HQ).
'dock'+'yard'='DOCKYARD'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for dockyard that I've seen before include "Ship maintenance area" , "Where does one export" , "Where ships are repaired" , "Quayside" , "Base for ships" .)