# policeman (slang)



## 810senior

Hello, everyone.
I'm curious about the slang about *police *in your language.

*In Japanese*, police can be translated into _keisatsu_(kanji. 警察) or _keikan_(kanji. 警官)
We have a slang word _satsu_(サツ) that indicates an police officer and sometimes call them _poriko-_(ポリ公)

Please let me know more slang words about *police *spoken in your languages. thanks.


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## Encolpius

Hello 810senior, I was about to ask something similar...

*Hungarian*

the most common slang words for policemen: zsaru, zsernyák, fakabátos ["wood-coatedů], hekus, kopó....


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## 810senior

Hi Encolpius, thank you for reply!


> Hello 810senior, I was about to ask something similar...
> 
> *Hungarian
> 
> the most common slang words for policemen: zsaru, zsernyák, fakabátos ["wood-coatedů], hekus, kopó....*



I'm surprised that there are many slang words for policemen in Hungarian.
Can I ask you etymologies for these words?


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## Encolpius

Etymology is the job of another Hungarian member here  unlike Slavic or Romance languages the Hungarian etymology is usually unclear
zsaru [1870] and zsernyák [1932] with the sound zs- [ʒ] might be of French origin (genderme), there is an old-fashioned Hungarian word "zsandár" [1715], too
fakabátos [wood-coated] the dictionary says nothing but I can imagine the origin of their brown wood-coloured coat I do not know in which century
hekus [1914] -- > hé - police [1900] > Viennese slang heh, höh, hemann - policeman [I have thought is is from hé+kuss  = hey you, shut up]
kopó [1422] > from the verb (el)kap (to seize)


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## 810senior

Thank you for much information!
I like the sound of _fakabatos_ in particular


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## Encolpius

Yes, I find the word fakabátos ridiculous...


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## bibax

Czech:

Abbreviations of *policista* (official term):

*poliš* (pronounce polish), *polda* (Polda is a hypocorism of Leopold), *policajt*, *cajt* (pron. poli-tsait < German: Poli*zei*);

Other words:*

chlupatý* = hairy (German haarig means also unpleasant/disagreeable, English hairy means also terrifying);

*chocholatý* = adj. derived from the noun *chochol*; I cannot translate it in English (perhaps plume on the helmet?), I found only a French term:_ crinière d'un casque._ In the past the policemen had a "chochol" on their hats, made from several rooster feathers (plumes);

*čert* (mostly in plural čerti) = devil;
*beng(o)* (from Romani, mostly in plural benga) = devil;
*
švestky* (plur.) = plums (they had blue uniforms in the past);

*klifton* is a police detective (after Sir Harold Wilberforce Clifton, a fictional sleuth);

A relatively new slang word is *flojd* (< Floyd < Welsh llwyd), pinkertoni a flojdi (= *Pink*ertons and *Floyd*s, i.e. detectives and policemen).


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## Encolpius

Bibax, I haven't known many of them, but you left out: fízl and esenbák. I think they are both quite common.


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## bibax

There are much more words for policemen in the argot (a secret language used by outlaws), but I don't know them.


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## 810senior

Thank you for reply, bibax.
I'm astonished over and again that there are many slang words standing for policemen!

it's too curious to me.


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## Encolpius

I'm sure more languages have many slang words for policeman....they are not so popular among slang-creators, as Babix mentioned the secret language...


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## apmoy70

In Greek:


The official and formal name of Police is *«Αστυνομία»* [astinoˈmi.a] (fem.), modern construction (mid-19th c.) which derives from the Classical masc. noun *«ἀστυνόμος» ăstŭnómŏs* --> _city magistrate responsible for keeping law and order in both city and suburban streets, city blocks, and inspector of the city walls, water channels, fountains, and cisterns_ (the masc. plural *«ἀστυνόμοι» ăstŭnómoi* --> _board of city magistrates_, is more common). 
The word is a compound; Classical 3rd decl. neut. noun *«ἄστῡ ástū* --> _town_ (PIE *ueh₂stu-, _town_ cf Skt. वास्तु (vāstu), _dwelling place, abode_; Tocharian B ost, _house_) + Classical masc. noun *«νόμος» nómŏs* --> _custom, usage, law_ (PIE *nem-, _to disperse, distribute, take_ cf Lat. numerus, _number, collection_ > It. numero, Sp./Por. número, Fr. nombre, Rom. număr, Eng. number, Ger. Nummer, Alb. numër, Gr. νούμερο [ˈnumeɾo] (colloq.); Proto-Germanic *nemaną, _to take_ > Ger. nehmen, Eng. numb, Dt. nemen, Isl. nema, Swe. förnimma).
Policeman/-woman, and Police officer, is *«Αστυνομικός»* [astinomiˈkos] (masc. and fem.), colloquial feminine *«Αστυνoμικίνα»* [astinomiˈcina], or *«Όργανο»* [ˈorɣano] (neut.) --> _minion-law_ < Classical neut. noun *«ὄργανον» órgānŏn* --> _implement, tool, instrument, sense organ, organ_ (PIE *uerǵ-, _to work_). 
*«Αστυνόμος»* [astiˈnomos] (masc. & fem.) in MoGr is the name of a commissioned Police officer's rank (Police Captain). 


Slang:


1/ *«Μπατσαρία»* [bat͡saˈɾi.a] (fem.) < either from aromanian batsă --> _biff, slap_, or onomatopoeic from the slap sound. Policeman is *«Μπάτσος»* [ˈbat͡sos] (masc.), Policewoman is *«Μπατσίνα»* [baˈt͡sina] (fem.).
2/ *«Μπασκιναρία»* [bascinaˈɾi.a] (fem.) < Tur. baskın, _raid_. *«Μπασκίνας»* [baˈscinas] (masc.), *«Μπασκίνα»* [baˈscina] (fem.) --> _Policeman/-woman_ respectively.
3/ *«Αγκέλω»* [aɲˈɟelo] (fem.), aphetic form of *«Καγκέλω»* [kaɲˈɟelo] (fem.) < neut. noun *«κάγκελο»* [ˈkaɲɟelo] --> _handrail, bar, can, barred door _(pl. *«κάγκελα» *[ˈkaɲɟela]) < Byz. neut. noun *«κάγκελλον» kángellon* < Lat. cancellus, _barrier, grid_. 
A common (now long obsolete) slang name for Policeman/Gendarme in late 19th-early 20th c. was *«Ζαμπίτης»* [zamˈbitis] (masc.) < Ottoman Tur.  ضبطيه (zaptiyeh) --> _Poiceman_.


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## žganje

In Croatia, the standard words are *policija* (_police_, via German _Polizei_) and *policajac/policajka* (m./f. terms for _police officer_)

The outdated/archaic term for police is *redarstvo*, which comes from _red_ (meaning _order_) and from it are derived _redarstvenik_ and _redarstvenica_. The Slavic term _red_ also ended up in Hungarian so the Hungarian word for police (_rendőrség_) is technically related to it


As far as actual slang or colloquialisms are concerned, there's a plenty of them

_for police_:

*murja* (also _murija_) - _police_, from Italian _muro_ meaning _wall_

*rija* - derived from the above word

*pandurija*

*milicija*

_for police officers_:

*murjak/murjakinja* - m./f. police officer

*drot/drotkinja* - from German _Draht_ meaning _wire_

*pandur* - from Hungarian _pandúr_

*dur* - from the above word

*štrumpf*

*žandar* - from French _gendarme_

*žbir* - from Venetian _sbirro_

*cajkan*, *cajo*, *cajac*, *pajkan* - derived from policajac

*plavac* from the word for the color blue

*milek*, from the old term for police officer (_milicajac_).


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## Encolpius

žganje said:


> .. *pandur* - from Hungarian _pandúr_



Hello žganje and welcome to the forum. 

Yes, there is a word pandúr in Hungarian, too, but we don't call policemen like it now... It is rather a historical expression.


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## ilocas2

žganje said:


> *štrumpf*



It means Smurf in Croatian
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Smurfs


I apologize for this post it but I couldn't resist, I hope it's not rude.


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## žganje

Yes, it might come from that but I didn't add it as I'm not sure - there's also the word _štrum(p)f_ meaning _sock_, from German. But the _smurf-štrumpf_ origin is probably more likely (especially since the color of smurfs, blue, is also the color associated with police).


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## ger4

The official German terms are very similar to the Croatian and Czech ones: _Polizei _(= 'police') and _Polizist_ (= 'policeman'). Unfortunately the only slang term I can think of right now is _Bulle_ (= 'bull') for policeman and _Bullen_ (= 'bulls', plural) for policemen or the police in general. I think there was another slang word once based on 'green', the colour which used to be associated with the police in Germany (until about 5-10 years ago) but now that police cars and uniforms are blue this has become obsolete...


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## 810senior

Thanks you for your helps, apmoy70, žganje, Holger2014!
Incidentally I searched for this and I found more slang words for police.


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Below is list along with its etymology(several words are simple):


*サツ(satsu)* : It is a shorten form of Verlan(a reverted word) _satsukei_(サツケイ).

*ポリ公(poricou)* : It is a compound word with ポリスマン(Polisuman[Policeman], derived from English) and 公(Affix, originally indicating a high status, position but specific meaning as to slang as far as I know)

*ポリス(porisu)* : It is simply derived from an English word Police but means police officer(NOT police station) 

*ポリさん(porisan)* : Its etymology is the same as above. さん(san) means honorific.(It's similar to English sir, mr(male) or ms(female))

*おまわり(omawari)* : お(Suffix) + まわり(A conjugated form of the verb まわる[_mawaru_] meaning _circulate_, _rotate_, _turn around_). I think this term means a police officer patrolling(going around the city). This word is vulgarer than a formal word _keisatsu_.

_*マッポ(mappo)*_ : I'm not sure what etymology it is but this word exists since the Meiji period(mid-19s~early-20s). According to the Japanese etymology site, since many police officers came from Satsuma-han(A japanese administrative district) at that time, so it started to be called _mappo _that is short for _satsumappou_(サツマッポウ).

*デカ(deka)* : It is the slang for police detectives(in Japanese, 刑事 _keiji_) this word is derived from the name of clothes they worn but i'm not sure about that 

-----

I think _satsu _is most used in these above words.
sometimes I hear them in drama or in film.


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## Radioh

In films, people usually call the police *cóm*, but I've never heard or used it in daily conversation.


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## miguell

Polish: glina, pały, gliniarz, krawężnik


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## ancalimon

In Turkish, the slang for police is "aynasız" : "the one without a mirror".  A metaphor that can mean a lot of things I guess.


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## 810senior

Hello, Ancalimon.
Thank you for reply!

Funny metaphor. it sounds meaningful to me.


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## DearPrudence

At some point, I wanted to open a thread about policeman = animal, as I seem to remember in another language than English (but I can't remember which one), it was also an animal.
In *French*, for a policeman, we have
*un poulet*, colloquial (_chicken_) → un poulailler (henhouse/chicken coop) = police station
*un poulaga*, colloquial, maybe a bit dated now, derived from "poulet"

*un condé*, slang, a bit dated now I would say (see origin here)

And one of the most common:
*un flic*, colloquial: maybe from German "Flick"
*un keuf*, even more colloquial, which the verlan version of "flic"

There are more here but I must admit I don't know them.


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## 810senior

Hi, DearPrudence.

Japanese has the similar expression metaphorizing animals, too.
When we refer to _someone _who tends to obey the great authority without resistance or interrogation about that, we call them 犬_inu _meaning dog with both disparagement and sarcasm.
the target of _inu _is commonly dedicated to the officer who were employed by the government or the administrative.

An additional modifying word can be put ahead of that at times.
政府の犬_seifuno _inu (seifuno=as to government, inu=dog)
国家の犬_kokkano _inu (kokkano=as to nation, inu=dog)


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## bibax

*"Un flic"* is well-known from the French movies, mainly with Alain Delon and JP Belmondo. Czech translation: *policajt*, Hungarian translation: mostly *zsaru* (e.g. Flic ou voyou = Policajt nebo rošťák, _Hung._ Zsaru vagy csirkefogó?; Flic Story = Povídka o policajtovi, _Hung._ Zsarutörténet).

The Czech word "policajt" is quite neutral, not offensive, an acceptable replacement for the longer official term "policista".


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## morior_invictus

Slovak:

(deep) street slang: *pándla* /pɑːnˈdlɑ/ (_pl._ *pándle* = policemen/the police)(*pándlica* /pɑːnˈdlɪtsɑ/= police station); *šingále/šingle* (_pl._) /ʃɪnˈɡɑːle/; *ringle* (_pl._) /rɪnˈɡle/; *konfident* (_pl._ *konfidenti*  = strictly speaking, "konfident" means "police informer / nark /  talebearer" but ignorant people use it as another slang for an  "ordinary" policeman)

"just" slang : *flojd* /ˈflɔjd/ (_pl._ flojdi), *chlpatý* (_pl._ chlpatí), *zelený* (_pl. _zelení = green - derived from the color of state police uniforms), *žabky* (_pl._) (= froggies - again, slang is derived from the color of state police uniforms), *fízel *(_pl._ fízli)

 I suggest you use the official term for police officers: *policajt* (= policeman) / *policajtka* (= policewoman), *policajti* (= policemen / the police) / *policajtky *(= policewomen), *polícia* (= police) or _more formal_: *príslušník Policajného zboru* (= police officer), *príslušníčka Policajného zboru* (= female police officer) and never the slang listed above.


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## Raul Atreides

Hi, I was looking for slang words in japanese to adress a cop (I'm writting a novel in a futuristic bizarre world and in this chapter there are yakuza talking about police, and I suppose they use some special term, so I'm in the quest for knowledge).

I can explain some of the Spanish (from Spain) slang terms for cops.

Poli (short form of Policía) is the less slangy.
La Pasma (I belive it comes from "pasmado", paralized in awe or held).
Bofia (really don't know where it comes).
Madero (literally "log wood". I suppose from the clubs they use to hit people. ). This one is very popular. 
Grises (greys, for the uniform they used in the fascist regime. Old timer slang)
Pitufos (Smurfs. Only in Madrid and because the colors and pattern of the cap, that was striped white and blue).
Gendarmes (Old timer also. From the french)
Agente, oficial. (Agent and Officer, self explanatory and respectful).
Benemérita (only applied to the Guardia Civil, a military police force that still exist and have traffic duties, customs, and rural stuff. The name comes from the XIX century about a condecoration recived for their service). Means "appreciated".
Picoletos. Also applied to the Guardia Civil, due their special hat, a trhee pointed laqued black sombrero. Not very respectful.
Guripa. Term that comes from the very old times, from the Royal Guard, Guardia Real de Infantería Provincial. The used to have that letters in the uniform, GRIP, that can be read to be derivated into "Guiri" and "Guripa". Guiri means "foreigner", because that soldiers used to be from off country, and Guripa, as soldier or guard.


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## Messquito

I can think of two in Taiwan:
波麗士(bo1 li4 shi4), which is the direct transliteration of English_ police_.
條子(stripe-y), probably originated from the stripes that police have on their badges indicating their ranks.


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## franknagy

Encolpius said:


> fakabátos [wood-coated]



The wood coat meant the sentry box of the _soldiers _in the time of the Hapsburg rule.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...e_0451.jpg/175px-Guard_Prague_Castle_0451.jpg

Its stripes used to be yellow and black according to the flag.
https://www.nyest.hu/media/a-habsburgok-zaszlaja.png


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## bibax

Messquito said:


> I can think of two in Taiwan:
> ...
> 條子(stripe-y), probably originated from the stripes that police have on their badges indicating their ranks.


The Czech slang word for a (higher) military officer:

*lampasák* (from *lampas* = trouser side stripe) and *lampion* (also from_ lampas_, although _lampion_ itself means _Chinese (paper) lantern_);


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## marco_2

miguell said:


> Polish: glina, pały, gliniarz, krawężnik



Just to complete:

*gliniarz, glina *- from: _glina = clay _- in the distant past policemen took people's fingerprints using clay.
*krawężnik *- _krawężnik = kerb, _used only for community policemen (beat cops).
*pies - *_(plural) _*psy *- literally: dog(s).
*blacharz* - from: _blacha = metal sheet_ - in the past policemen wore metal covers on their chests.
*policaj - *now obsolete, from German: _Polizei._


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## Gavril

In the United States, *fuzz* is sometimes used as a collective noun to refer to the police (e.g. "He got caught by the fuzz").

According to a dictionary I just checked, _fuzz_ can even be used as a countable noun, referring to an individual police officer (though I don't think I've ever heard that usage).

Another slang term for "police officer" is *bull*; no idea if it is used in English-speaking countries outside the US (though apparently there is a close German equivalent).

(Compared to _cop_, these are not neutral words -- I would say that the use of these words is more common among people who dislike, or are trying to evade, the police.)


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## kloie

the only words I've ever used were popos,pigs,cops.


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## franknagy

The many slang words used for policemen can be explained by:
a) fight of classes in "homogeneous" countries,
b) and freedom fight in langaues of suppressed nations in empires consisting conquered natinalities.


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## ilocas2

*Městapo* - městská policie (municipal police) + Gestapo


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## Stoggler

In British English, *pigs* and *fuzz* are used to refer to the police, the latter possibly given a new lease of life as a result of the film Hot Fuzz. 

An individual police officer might be called a *copper* or a *bobbie*.  We used to have a word *peeler*, but that is archaic now.  Both bobbie and peeler come from Robert Peel.

Police cars in the UK used to be called *pandas* or *panda cars* - I haven't heard that for a little while though, but it wasn't uncommon in my childhood (late 70s and the 1980s).  They're called that because police cars at the time were black (or blue) and white (modern police cars are brightly-coloured).

The vans used by the police to throw arrested individuals into the back are often called *paddy wagons*- that is still in usage.  I'm not sure why, but I guess the paddy part of the name is to do with Ireland or Irish people in some way (paddy being a pejorative term for the Irish).


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## apmoy70

DearPrudence said:


> At some point, I wanted to open a thread about policeman = animal, as I seem to remember in another language than English (but I can't remember which one), it was also an animal.
> In *French*, for a policeman, we have
> *un poulet*, colloquial (_chicken_) → un poulailler (henhouse/chicken coop) = police station
> *un poulaga*, colloquial, maybe a bit dated now, derived from "poulet"
> 
> *un condé*, slang, a bit dated now I would say (see origin here)
> 
> And one of the most common:
> *un flic*, colloquial: maybe from German "Flick"
> *un keuf*, even more colloquial, which the verlan version of "flic"
> 
> There are more here but I must admit I don't know them.


...Police are identified with pigs here (not a neutral word at all), a well known slogan chanted during demonstrations (especially when the demonstrators are confronted by riot police) is *«μπάτσοι, γουρούνια, δολοφόνοι!»* [ˈbaʦ͡i ɣuˈɾuɲa ðoloˈfoni] --> _cops, pigs, killers!_
«Mπάτσος» has been used lately by teens as a slang word for ham (< made of pork): "I had a _μπάτσος_ and cheese sandwich" 


bibax said:


> "Un flic" is well-known from the French movies, mainly with Alain Delon and JP Belmondo...


...which in Greek is translated *«Ο μπάτσος»* [o ˈbat͡sos] (masc.).
Generally speaking, «μπάτσος» is the equivalent Greek name of the English _cop_, or the French _flic_.


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## djmc

In BE there is rozzer. This is quite common and known to those like me who have had little to do with the police and do not often read detective novels.


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## Frank78

Gavril said:


> Another slang term for "police officer" is *bull*; no idea if it is used in English-speaking countries outside the US (though apparently there is a close German equivalent).



Yep.  In German "Bulle" (bull) is the most common slang word for a policeman.  I'm not sure if they are of the same origin, it does not refer to a male cow but comes from the Dutch word "bol".


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## Stoggler

djmc said:


> In BE there is rozzer. This is quite common and known to those like me who have had little to do with the police and do not often read detective novels.



Oh yeah, I'd forgotten that one.

Can I also add *plod* for the police.  Also, *a blue bottle* is supposed to be Cockney rhyming slang for a policeman (from "bottle and glass" = arse): never heard it though.


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## Awwal12

Russian has generally two main slang words:
1. ment (мент), of obscure origin, probably from Polish or Hungarian;
2. musor (мусор)., literally "rubbish", but actually a contamination of Yiddish "moser" (dial. "muser") - "traitor".


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## ilocas2

^^There are probably more slang words in Fenya, 'Russian cant language used among criminals'.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenya


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## SuperXW

Cantonese:
差佬 chāai lóu
Literally: "duty-guy"


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## Marcio_Osorio

Brazilian Portuguese:
_tira_ (old slang).
_cana_, I think it derives from Spanish _Arcana la cana_, an utterance given by thieves, drug traffickers and robbers to other thieves, drug trafficers and robbers about the oncoming police.
_coxinha_, Rio de Janeiro civil policeman
_meganha_, obscure origin.
"_os homi_” Os homens (The men).

Examples:
"Os _canas_ tão vindo!" (The police officers are coming!)
"O lugar tá cheio de _coxinha_" (The place is ful of police officers)
"Ele é _meganha_! Atire nele!" (He is a cop! Shoot him!
"_Os homi_ pegaram ele" (The cops nabbed him)


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## KalAlbè

In African-American Vernacular English there are plenty:
*Boys in blue*: due to many cops' uniforms being blue
*5-O*: Five Oh
*12 (Twelve)*: Used in Atlanta, GA
*One time*: e.g. _One time got him. = He was arrested._
*Po-po*: A bit dated, but still heard from time to time.

*Jake*: Not so much AAVE, but common in New York.


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## Määränpää

I've seen lots of Finnish words on paper but the only one I've actually heard people use is _kyttä_, from Swedish _skytte_ (shooter). For some reason, the related slang word _kytätä_ means "to stalk/surveil". I guess police officers do that, too.


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## ThomasK

Dutch: _*flikken*_, based on French, is used most often in Flanders, I think. _*Smeris*_ might be common in the Netherlands, or _*klabak*_ perhaps.


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## Kotlas

I remember that, in East Germany, policemen were called 
*weiße Mäuse* (white mice) because of the color of their caps. 

It was also a colloquial term for a special motorcycle police unit in Germany set up to escort honorary guests. 
Weiße Mäuse – Wikipedia


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## franknagy

The French word *gendarmérie* has transformed into more Hungarian words.
Official word:
- csendőr (silence+guard).
Folk said:
Zsandár. (French _ge_= Hungarian* zs*)

Argot:
zsaru, zsenyák.


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## AndrasBP

Awwal12 said:


> 1. ment (мент), of obscure origin, probably from Polish or Hungarian;


Do you perhaps know what Hungarian word it is possibly linked to? I can't think of anything.


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## franknagy

"Ment" in Hungarian is not related to police. It means 1. saves 2. went.


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## Awwal12

AndrasBP said:


> Do you perhaps know what Hungarian word it is possibly linked to? I can't think of anything.


"Mente" (cloak), through Polish criminal slang of the age (which is a most probable direct source anyway), originally used for Austro-Hungarian policemen.


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## AndrasBP

Awwal12 said:


> "Mente" (cloak), through Polish criminal slang of the age (which is a most probable direct source anyway), originally used for Austro-Hungarian policemen.


Thanks, Awwal12, very interesting. The word "mente" is still used for an old type of decorated coat. According to my Hungarian Etymology Dictionary, "mente" ultimately derives from Latin "_mantus_" (short coat), and is related to German _Mantel_, French _manteau_.


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## bo-marco

Italian: piedipiatti (flat feets).


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## Stoggler

Another British English one is *wooden*-*top*, for the old fashioned British bobby.  It comes from the helmet that they used to wear, which were made of wood.  It was used by the police themselves.

I think those sorts of helmets are only worn as part of ceremonial uniforms.


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