Why are cops are call coppers?

Answer 1

In the early 1900's, most police wore uniforms with a double row of brass or copper buttons down the front.
Around the year 1700, the slang verb cop entered English usage, meaning "to get ahold of, catch, capture." By 1844, cop showed up in print, and soon thereafter the -ersuffix was added, and a policeman became a copper, one who cops or catches and arrests criminals. Copper first appeared in print in 1846, the use of cop as a short form copper occurred in 1859.

*UPDATED*

The term originaged with the London police force back in the 1800's. The police officers, or constables, would walk their beat all day (or night) and return to their station at the end of their shift. At the station was a large ledger or log book. Before leaving, the officers would write information about their activities during the shift, and sign their name, followed by the abbreviation, "COP", Constable on Patrol.
The police wear copper badges. Cop is just short for copper. Then..you know...add the S.
They once wore badges made of copper. It was shortened to cop or copper as a slang term.

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Sorry, nothing to do with copper badges. The word comes from a northern British dialect in 1704 that means "to seize" or "to catch", as in "it's a fair cop". The word comes from either medieval or old French word caper - seize or possibly Latin capere - to take.

The word first appeared in the Oxford Concise Dictionary in 1846.
Cops, short for the word coppers. The first shields or badges were made from copper. Police officers were called cops or coppers because of their copper shields.
In New York when the Police Officer's first uniforms came out , they had bright copper buttons. The slang term came about as a result of this.

Actually, there are two theories. The answer above is one of them. The other theory is that "cops" is an abbreviation for "Constables On Patrol"

One more explanation is that " cop" is a derivative of the word " to capture " in Latin.
During the gangster era. When gangs were on the rise. Not Blood and Crips. Gangs like Ma Barker, Bonnie and Clyde, Pretty Boy Floyd. When all those gangs were at large all at once it was called the Public Enemy era between 1931-1935. It's like today over time nowadays we picked up 5 0 for police meaqning Hawaii 5 0, and PIG which was meant for private investigator. So back then during the Public Enemy era they came up with "coppers". Which really started being used up north in Chicago, and New York.

This answer is correct except you forgot that use of the word "copper" began as a code word derived from the buttons of the front of an officer's uniform.

Answer 2

In the early 1900's, most police wore uniforms with a double row of brass or copper buttons down the front.
Around the year 1700, the slang verb cop entered English usage, meaning "to get ahold of, catch, capture." By 1844, cop showed up in print, and soon thereafter the -ersuffix was added, and a policeman became a copper, one who cops or catches and arrests criminals. Copper first appeared in print in 1846, the use of cop as a short form copper occurred in 1859.

*UPDATED*

The term originaged with the London police force back in the 1800's. The police officers, or constables, would walk their beat all day (or night) and return to their station at the end of their shift. At the station was a large ledger or log book. Before leaving, the officers would write information about their activities during the shift, and sign their name, followed by the abbreviation, "COP", Constable on Patrol.
The police wear copper badges. Cop is just short for copper. Then..you know...add the S.
They once wore badges made of copper. It was shortened to cop or copper as a slang term.

__

Sorry, nothing to do with copper badges. The word comes from a northern British dialect in 1704 that means "to seize" or "to catch", as in "it's a fair cop". The word comes from either medieval or old French word caper - seize or possibly Latin capere - to take.

The word first appeared in the Oxford Concise Dictionary in 1846.
Cops, short for the word coppers. The first shields or badges were made from copper. Police officers were called cops or coppers because of their copper shields.
In New York when the Police Officer's first uniforms came out , they had bright copper buttons. The slang term came about as a result of this.

Actually, there are two theories. The answer above is one of them. The other theory is that "cops" is an abbreviation for "Constables On Patrol"

One more explanation is that " cop" is a derivative of the word " to capture " in Latin.
During the gangster era. When gangs were on the rise. Not Blood and Crips. Gangs like Ma Barker, Bonnie and Clyde, Pretty Boy Floyd. When all those gangs were at large all at once it was called the Public Enemy era between 1931-1935. It's like today over time nowadays we picked up 5 0 for police meaqning Hawaii 5 0, and PIG which was meant for private investigator. So back then during the Public Enemy era they came up with "coppers". Which really started being used up north in Chicago, and New York.

This answer is correct except you forgot that use of the word "copper" began as a code word derived from the buttons of the front of an officer's uniform.

Answer 3

"Coppers" originated from the slang term "cop," which is short for "constable on patrol." The term likely originated in England in the 19th century and has since become a colloquial name for police officers.