Secret police given seconds to make arrest (6)
I believe the answer is:
stasis
'arrest' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'secret police given seconds' is the wordplay.
'secret police' becomes 'stasi' (I've seen this before).
'given' says to put letters next to each other.
'seconds' becomes 's'.
'stasi'+'s'='STASIS'
'to make' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for stasis that I've seen before include "State in which blood-flow is stopped" , "No progressive state" , "lack of activity" , "Assist (anag.)" , "Cessation" .)