List of slang terms for police officers

Many slang terms for police officers exist. The terms are also applied by inmates toward uniformed prison staff. These are often used by the public rather than the police themselves. Some are considered offensive.

The precise sociological and etymological provenance of some of these terms is significant:

5-O (Five-Oh) 

Slang for police officers and/or a warning that police are approaching. Derived from the television show Hawaii 5-0.^[1]

Babylon 

Jamaican English term for corrupt establishment systems, often applied to the police. Derived from the Rastafari movement.^[2]

Bacon 

Derived from Pigs : often used in the structure "I smell bacon" to warn of the approaching presence of an officer.^[3]

Barney 

Term coined after Barney Fife from The Andy Griffith Show.

Bear 

Short for "Smokey Bear" in reference to the hats worn by some law enforcement officers that are also worn by "Smokey Bear". "Bear bait" is a reference to speeders, who may draw the attention of the police and allow slightly slower traffic to exceed the speed limit in their wake. "Bear in the Air" is a reference to a police chopper.

Berry 

Originating from blueberry, referring to the blue uniform most officers wear.

The Big Big Big Big 

Originating in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Referring to an over-inflated sense of power.

Big Blue Machine 

A somewhat derisive term by smaller independant Municipal Police Services in Ontario to describe the perception the Ontario Provincial Police, or any other large regional police service in Ontario was a vast juggernaut "assimilating" (assuming policing duties and taking on the staff and resources of) smaller police services. The OPP and other services thus extend the ribbing in various jokes derived from the fictional Borg of Star Trek.

Bizzies 

Common Liverpool slang term for the police, it was invented as the police were always too "busy" to help. An alternative explanation of the term is that the police are seen as "busy-bodies" i.e. that they ask too many questions.^{[citation needed]}

Blue Heelers 

This is a term used in Australia and is related to a breed of dog, the Australian Cattle Dog. It reflects the personality and appearance (blue uniform) of a police officer. Its use has been popularised by the Australian police drama series Blue Heelers.^{[citation needed]}

Blue Meanies 

This is a 1960s hippie slang term for the police, it was used in the Beatles film the Yellow Submarine, although many viewers may not have realized its significance. First used during the Free Speech Movement about the Alameda County Sheriff's Office.

Bluebottle 

A British term for policeman that may have derived from Cockney rhyming slang. 'Bottle' is an abbreviation of 'bottle and glass', which is rhyming slang for 'arse'. (See also Bottles).^{[citation needed]}

Bobby 

This is not now widely used in Britain, though it can occur with a mixture of affection and slight irony in the phrase "village bobby", nowadays referring to the local community police officer. The term "Bobby on the beat" is often used in politics in reference to return to more community based policing including footpatrols by one local officer (bobby) of a his own small area (beat). It is derived from Robert Peel (Bobby being the usual nickname for Robert) the founder of the Metropolitan Police and to the pay a police officer got in Peel's day; '1 bob a week'. In Britain, volunteer Auxiliary Constables are sometimes referred to as Hobby Bobbies.

Bófias (plural) 

Derogatory term for police officers widely used in Portugal.

Boyden/Boydem 

English slang term for police.

Boys in blue 

A reference to the blue uniform worn by some officers.

Bulls 

An American term usually used to refer to railroad police but may also indicate regular police officers.

Cherry Toppers 

Often used in reference to police cars which in some nations bear red lights on the top of the car.

Cop or Copper 

While commonly believed to be an acronym for Constable On Patrol, the term refers to "one who captures or snatches". This word first appeared in the early 18th century, and can be matched with the word "cap", which has the same meaning and whose etymology can be traced to the Latin word 'capere'. (The word retains this meaning in other contexts: teenagers "cop a feel" on a date, and they have also been known to "cop an attitude".) Variation: Copper. It is also believed that the term Copper was the original, unshortened word, popularly believed to represent the copper badges American officers used to wear at the time of origin, but in fact probably used in Britain to mean "someone who cops" long before this.

County Brownie 

A slang term for a sheriff in Elkhart County, Indiana because of their brown uniforms and cars.

County Mountie 

Term for the county sheriff and deputies.

Crusher 

Of unknown origin but may have come from the nickname used for the Royal Navy Regulating Branch.

Dibble or The Dibble 

Arises from the police officer in the Hanna-Barbera animated programme Top Cat. Most commonly used in Manchester.

Do-do nutters or The Do-dos 

Arises from the stereotype of police officers eating donuts.

Dogs

used in many european languages as an insulting term for police similar to pig in english

DRC or The DRC 

Dirty Rotten Cop(per).

Ducks and Geese 

Cockney rhyming slang for police.

Farbror Blå 

Uncle Blue Swedish slang, blue due to their appearance (color of their uniform).

Feds 

Usually used in the United States to refer to higher federal law enforcement agencies, especially the F.B.I. The term has gained widespread use around the West Midlands area in the UK, especially Birmingham. Derogatory slang, possibly due to influence of imported US television programmes.

Filth 

A widespread term used in several countries by criminals, very popular in London, where it is pronounced "Filf".

(Name of city)'s Finest 

Used in either admiration, or slightly derisive irony, in the United States. In New York City, the term has been adapted to other civil servants, such as "New York's Bravest" (the Fire Department) and "New York's Boldest" (the Department of Correction).

First Bunch of Idiots 

Referring to the F.B.I., the federal law enforcement arm of the United States.^{[citation needed]}

Flatfoot 

A term that refers to the large amount of walking that a police officer would do, thus causing flat feet.

Flic 

French slang for a policeman. Commonly used in the form les flics (sometimes, ungrammatically, les flic).

Folks or Tha Folks 

Southern Louisiana, rarely used.^{[citation needed]}

Fuzz 

This North American term first appeared in the 1920s and gained popularity in the 1930s.^{[citation needed]} This slang term may be in reference to the sound of the field radios that police commonly use. It surfaced in Britain in the 1960s. The term was used in the title Hot Fuzz, a 2007 police-comedy film.

The Gaver 

Cockney rhyming slang for the police - unknown origin - London.^{[citation needed]}

Grouper Trooper 

Refers to an officer with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The Guards 

Irish term for the Garda Síochána; (Garda Síochána na hÉireann - Irish for "Guard(ians) of the Peace of Ireland").

The Heat 

American; putting the heat on someone. (Example: in the line What a field day for the heat (Stephen Stills, "For What It's Worth" from Buffalo Springfield, 1967), Stills is referring to the police.)

Heavy or Heavies 

Cockney rhyming slang for the Flying Squad, from the Heavy Mob, (see also Sweeney).

Horseman 

A Canadian term referring to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Variation: Mounties.

Jake 

A common term used and created in New York City, New York.

John Law or Johnny Law 

Used across the United States. Mostly an older term.

Johnny Hopper 

Cockney rhyming slang for copper (q.v.)

Khaki Kutta 

A Derogatory term used for police constables in India literally meaning Brown or Khaki Dog. Derived from the Khaki color of their uniform which resembles the color of common street dogs often found in India. This term is often used for crooked or unreasonable police men.

Law or The Law 

Probably an abbreviation of the phrase "The long arm of the law" (suggesting that no matter how far they run, all criminals are eventually caught and prosecuted successfully).

Laws 

A term originated in Houston, Texas.

Mama (Maman in south)

Hindi (Malayalam in south) word which means uncle. Sarcastic reference to a policeman.

The Man 

A derisive term popular during the 1960s and 1970s during the anti-establishment and anti-authoritarian movements. Implies that police are a tool of the powerful "man" that is trying to keep others down.

Member 

Used by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to refer to fellow Mounties in place of the usual "officer" or "constable" (or equivalent) in other police forces.

The Mustached Pagoda 

Originally coined in Halifax, Nova Scotia. A surrealist term summoning from such noted philosophers as AJ Ayer and Josiah Royce, intended as a confusing and some-what ambiguous insult.

Mr. Plod, P.C. Plod or Plodder 

a British term that arose from the Noddy books by Enid Blyton, in which Mr. Plod was the village policeman. "Plod" has also commonly been used by the British police themselves, as has its (generally disparaging) female equivalent "plonk".

Nickers 

A uncommon British term being a pun on "knickers" (female underwear). As the term is spoken not written the silent "k" in knickers is not obvious. This relates to an officer "nicking" a suspect i.e. arresting them, and taking them to "the nick" i.e. a cell in either a prison or police station.

Old Bill 

A term in use in London among other areas, inspiring the television series The Bill. The origin of this nickname is obscure; according to the Metropolitan Police themselves, there are at least 13 different explanations.

One Time 

A term where its meaning is derived from where if arrested all it takes is "one time" to be put away (convicted).

Paco 

A derogatory Chilean term for Carabineros, the national police force of Chile. "Paco", and "tortugas ninjas" ("ninja turtles") are Chilean slang terms for any member of the Carabineros.

Pandu Hawaldar 

Indian constabulary (and not officers) were recruited mostly from village areas. Pandu Ram was a common name in the villages. Hawaldar is a police sergeant.

Peeler 

This also comes from Robert Peel (see 'Bobby'); it has largely disappeared in Britain, but is sometimes used in Northern Ireland, and sometimes, to refer to Peel Regional Police Service in Ontario, Canada. It is normally considered derogatory as "peeler" is a common nickname for an exotic dancer.

Penelope's 

A slang word for the police term coined by the SF Bay Area rap artist E-40.

Pigs 

This term was widespread during the 19th century, disappeared for a while, but reappeared during the 20th century. It became especially popular during the 1960s and 1970s in the underground hippie and anti-establishment culture.^[4] It has also been used in anti-authoritarian punk and gangsta rap circles. Oz magazine showed a picture of a pig dressed as a policeman on a front cover.^[5]

Plain Brown Wrapper 

Most commonly used by truck drivers over the CB radio, in reference to unmarked vehicles and plainclothes police officers, usually of local or state jurisdictions.

Po-lice 

Pronounced Po-Lease, a pronunciation used by African Americans in Baltimore City and other urban areas. Can be used in either both an admiring and denigrating form.

Polis 

Pronounced with a long 'o' and a short 'i', a term used in Scotland.

Po-po or Po 

A term used commonly by North American youth and rap artists.

Po-9 

A term originating from "po-po", used mostly in the southern US.

PC 

abbrevation of the rank "Police Constable". Also used by the Ontario Provinical Police to abbreviate "Provincial Constable", Constable is used in the UK and Canada rather that "Officer"

PW 

Police Woman. Sometimes considered derogotory or merely impolite.

Rashers 

British slang derived from pigs.

Ratazanas (plural) 

Used in Portuguese language for police officers, meaning rats.

Rez Cop 

Derogotory term to describe a Police/Peace Officer employed on or for an Indian Reservation/First Nations or Tribal Police. It erroneously implies they have less value and/or authorities than "off rez" police. To self describe as a "rez cop" would be to vulgarly separate oneself from other police services

Rozzers 

A British term. To Rozz was slang for to roast in the East End of London.

Rollers 

An American term believed to have originated in the San Francisco Bay Area. Also a connection for when police car lights are turned on because they roll in circles.

Scuffers 

An old British term, which came to prominence in the 1960s Merseyside-set BBC television series Z-Cars.

Scum 

Used across Britain, as an insult to say that the police are lower than the criminals.

Shades

Used in ireland to refer to police believed to refer to the peaked hats policeman wear which keeps their faces shaded on sunny days

Smokey 

A term from the CB Radio fad of the 1970s. See "Bear", above.

Snippers 

An African-American term used mostly in North America.

Soggies 

Australian term for officers of the Special Operations Group.

Sweeney 

Cockney rhyming slang for the Flying Squad, from Sweeney Todd, inspiring the television series The Sweeney, (see also Heavy).

Swine 

Comes from pig (see above).

The Thin Blue Line 

Used to describe the role of the police in being the barrier between civilized society and chaos, inspiring a TV series and a documentary of the same name. This has led to policemen involved in entrapping gays being ironically described as "The Thin Blue Jeans".

Tit-Heads or Tits 

Rarely used derogative British term for uniformed police officers originating in the shape of traditional UK police helmets worn by patrolling officers which are or were a similar shape to a large female breast - as in the phrase (to a policeman) "take the tit off your head" meaning "relax" or "imagine you are not on duty".

Troll 

A term coined in South Florida (Palm Beach County). Made famous by the song "Troll Down".

Tyre Biters 

A term typically used for country police officers because of their habit of being involved with frequent car chases.

Wallopers 

Mostly Commonwealth usage, from "wallop" meaning to hit or beat.

Whoop-Whoop 

Used across the American South in reference to a patrol car's siren.

Woodentops 

British term for uniformed police. Believed to be a reference to the 1950s children's TV series The Woodentops, very rarely in use.

References

1. ^ Quigley, Mike and Rhodes, Karen. "The Hawaii Five-O FAQ", The Hawaii Five-O Home Page.
2. ^ http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=babylon
3. ^ http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=i%20smell%20bacon
4. ^ http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2209/why-are-the-police-called-cops-pigs-or-the-fuzz
5. ^ An Oz magazine cover with a pig dressed as a police officer.

External links

• Metropolitan Police - Origins of the name "Old Bill".