[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Cops (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 7/23/2010 9:00:51 AM EDT
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When did it become acceptable in journalism and ordinary conversation to refer to police officers as "cops?" It's cop, cop, cop, all the time. The way I was raised it was treated as slang and regarded as generally inappropriate. It was sort of like "niggah" in that if you were a lawman, family member, or otherwise intimate you cou could say it "in house," but it was otherwise very bad form. Nowadays I see lawyers called down every day, in court for using the term.
So is this just an oddity resulting from my realtionships with lawmen, or has the term crept into widespread use without losing its insulting character? |
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My late father absolutely forbade the use of the word "cop" in reference to a Law Enforcement Officer.
He was not LE and never aspired to be but he was quite adamant that it was a term of disrespect. He swore it hearkened back to hippies claiming "Policemen weren't worth a copper penny" If a visitor used the term he treated it the same as cursing. 1 polite warning and then asked to leave. If I said it I got my mouth washed out and my butt tanned |
| "Coppers" was an English slang term for their police,supposedly because their badges were made of copper. It got shortened to "cop". I don't take offense to it given the laundry list of other stuff we get called daily. I really want someone to call me a JBT in real life so I can laugh in their face,I would find that hilarious. |
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Quoted: I believe it's an abbreviation from police were called constables hence Constable On Patrol = COP. I bet there are tons of these, but I learned in a NYC History course that Cop came from Coppers. They called them coppers because the uniform had copper buttons. Not really sure if it's right, but both sound plausible... ETA: I R gud speeler |
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I don't have any problem with the name "Cop", but if they say it in a derogatory means then I will snap at them. I do have a problem with people not calling me sir or officer or by my last name. When I'm talking with somebody in uniform I do not want people using my first name unless you are family or close friends.
Cop came from Copper, and since the show "COPS" came on it has been used more and more. I hear young kids calling us "Hey COPS!!!" Sometimes its annoying but it is better than alot of the other names we are called. My son is taught Police Officer, Sheriff, Constable, Trooper, and all the other types. He will be respectful to the badge just like my dad taught me. |
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I believe it's an abbreviation from police were called constables hence Constable On Patrol = COP. There are still Constables in Texas. They serve papers and shit. serve papers my ass.. ! they are some mean sons of bitches when it comes to given out tickets..! never seen one serve any papers but i sure as hell do see them hidding all day behind a bush and a radar gun , bastards! 
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I don't mind cop, but please don't call me:
Sport, Tiger, Chief, Skip/Skippy, Cowboy, Dude, Guy, Slim, Big Guy, Jack, Boy, Young lady, Champ, Tough Guy, Slick, Stretch, Darlin', Tex, Honey, Little Guy, Sweetheart, Stud, Turbo, Chum, Buckwheat, Bubba, Muchacho, Speedy, Kimo-Sabe, Cheech, Doc, Paps, Tulip, Snoop Dog, Scrappy, Homeslice, Scooter, Gus, Corky, Sparky, Cap'in, Pal, Friend, Cool, Boss, Hoss, Lil' Camper, Scout, Bub, Missy, Buckaroo, Pilgrim, Mack, Hombre, Doll, Buddy, Bud, Ace, Bucko, Grandma, Gramps, Youngster, Guy, Hotrod, Governer, Butch, Sugar, Sailor, Hollywood, Chico, Lucky, Soldier, Zippy, Flex, Spunky, Beavis, Timmy, Homeboy, Princess, Hotshot, Comrade, Fella, Partner, Bro/Brah, Professor, Spanky, Amigo, Kid, Kiddo, Junior, Slugger, Son, Sonny, Killer, Sister, Mister, Ol' timer, Hero, Clyde, Rocky, Sunshine, Compadre, Trooper, Barney, Dog, Sherlock, Commander, Einstein, Tuffy, Sports Fan, Trigger, Cupcake, Pumpkin, G, Dawg, Stallion, Smalls. |
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I don't mind cop, but please don't call me: Sport Tiger Chief Skip/Skippy Cowboy Dude Guy Slim Big Guy Jack Boy Young lady Champ Tough Guy Slick Stretch Darlin' Tex Honey Little Guy Sweetheart Stud Turbo Chum Buckwheat Bubba Muchacho Speedy Kimo-Sabe Cheech Doc Paps Tulip Snoop Dog Scrappy Homeslice Scooter Gus Corky Sparky Cap'in Pal Friend Cool Boss/Hoss Lil' Camper Scout Bub Missy Buckaroo Pilgrim Mack Hombre Doll Buddy/Bud Ace Bucko Grandma Gramps Youngster Guy Hotrod Governer Butch Sugar Sailor Hollywood Chico Lucky Soldier Zippy Flex Spunky Beavis Timmy Homeboy Princess Hotshot Comrade Fella Partner Bro/Brah Professor Spanky Amigo Kid/Kiddo Junior Slugger Son/Sonny Killer Sister Mister Ol' timer Hero Clyde Rocky Sunshine Compadre Trooper Barney Dog Sherlock Commander Einstein Tuffy Sports Fan Trigger Cupcake Pumpkin G Dawg Stallion Smalls you ok with "studmuffin"? |
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Quoted:
I don't mind cop, but please don't call me: Sport, Tiger, Chief, Skip/Skippy, Cowboy, Dude, Guy, Slim, Big Guy, Jack, Boy, Young lady, Champ, Tough Guy, Slick, Stretch, Darlin', Tex, Honey, Little Guy, Sweetheart, Stud, Turbo, Chum, Buckwheat, Bubba, Muchacho, Speedy, Kimo-Sabe, Cheech, Doc, Paps, Tulip, Snoop Dog, Scrappy, Homeslice, Scooter, Gus, Corky, Sparky, Cap'in, Pal, Friend, Cool, Boss, Hoss, Lil' Camper, Scout, Bub, Missy, Buckaroo, Pilgrim, Mack, Hombre, Doll, Buddy, Bud, Ace, Bucko, Grandma, Gramps, Youngster, Guy, Hotrod, Governer, Butch, Sugar, Sailor, Hollywood, Chico, Lucky, Soldier, Zippy, Flex, Spunky, Beavis, Timmy, Homeboy, Princess, Hotshot, Comrade, Fella, Partner, Bro/Brah, Professor, Spanky, Amigo, Kid, Kiddo, Junior, Slugger, Son, Sonny, Killer, Sister, Mister, Ol' timer, Hero, Clyde, Rocky, Sunshine, Compadre, Trooper, Barney, Dog, Sherlock, Commander, Einstein, Tuffy, Sports Fan, Trigger, Cupcake, Pumpkin, G, Dawg, Stallion, Smalls. So noted........Skippy 
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| Back in the Sir Robert Peel days, they were referred to job-title wise as "Constable On Patrol" Shortened to "COP" Add to that that a slang term for the action of Taking or Grabbing was the Verb "to Cop" (cop a feel, cop a walk, cop a plea), and the Constables "Took" people to jail, they were referred to as "Coppers" IIRC the Copper badge thing was a Myth. |
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http://www.wisegeek.com/why-are-police-officers-called-cops.htm Police officers are often referred to as cops, but the word origins of cop are something of a debate. It is known that up until the 1970s, cop was something of a slang term, and one would refer to cops more properly as policemen, or police officers. Some argue that the term cop is shortened from "copper" and derives from the tin or copper badges worn by a policeman. Others say cop is an abbreviation for constabulary of police. General consensus on the word origins of cop however suggest that the term is based more on the policeman’s job than on his clothing or job title. In Latin the verb capere can be defined as "to capture.” In French, the verb is caper. "To cop” in English is to seize or to take. This defines some of what a police officer does. He or she seizes or takes crooks or stops their crime "capers.” Some also believe that the Dutch word kapen, which also loosely translates to "to steal or take,” is related to policemen being called coppers or cops. Essentially the police force was there to take criminals off the streets. Since the Latin, Dutch and French terms are all similar, and since American English especially derives language from German, French and Latin, the specific language origin of kapen or capere creates a ready path to coppers or cops. |
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So there is no universally accepted basis for the origins of the word and it is OK to use "in house" but it is considered derogatory?
That doesn't seem to make sense honestly, especially since most LE agencies would probably love to be featured on the show "COPS". |
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Being called a "Cop" doesn't bother me. The only time I get mad about it's use, is when a parent is with their kid, points at me in uniform and says "Look, it's a cop, you better behave or he'll lock you up". This happens almost daily. If it makes you feel any better, that has been going on for at least 40 years. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Being called a "Cop" doesn't bother me. The only time I get mad about it's use, is when a parent is with their kid, points at me in uniform and says "Look, it's a cop, you better behave or he'll lock you up". This happens almost daily. If it makes you feel any better, that has been going on for at least 40 years. I've been dealing with it for about 25 years, lol Sometimes I wonder how much trouble I would get in if I tell them "If you raise your kids right, I won't have to lock them up"? |
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Quoted:
I don't mind cop, but please don't call me: Sport, Tiger, Chief, Skip/Skippy, Cowboy, Dude, Guy, Slim, Big Guy, Jack, Boy, Young lady, Champ, Tough Guy, Slick, Stretch, Darlin', Tex, Honey, Little Guy, Sweetheart, Stud, Turbo, Chum, Buckwheat, Bubba, Muchacho, Speedy, Kimo-Sabe, Cheech, Doc, Paps, Tulip, Snoop Dog, Scrappy, Homeslice, Scooter, Gus, Corky, Sparky, Cap'in, Pal, Friend, Cool, Boss, Hoss, Lil' Camper, Scout, Bub, Missy, Buckaroo, Pilgrim, Mack, Hombre, Doll, Buddy, Bud, Ace, Bucko, Grandma, Gramps, Youngster, Guy, Hotrod, Governer, Butch, Sugar, Sailor, Hollywood, Chico, Lucky, Soldier, Zippy, Flex, Spunky, Beavis, Timmy, Homeboy, Princess, Hotshot, Comrade, Fella, Partner, Bro/Brah, Professor, Spanky, Amigo, Kid, Kiddo, Junior, Slugger, Son, Sonny, Killer, Sister, Mister, Ol' timer, Hero, Clyde, Rocky, Sunshine, Compadre, Trooper, Barney, Dog, Sherlock, Commander, Einstein, Tuffy, Sports Fan, Trigger, Cupcake, Pumpkin, G, Dawg, Stallion, Smalls. Dude...that's like, a lot of words, Dog. |
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Being called a "Cop" doesn't bother me. The only time I get mad about it's use, is when a parent is with their kid, points at me in uniform and says "Look, it's a cop, you better behave or he'll lock you up". This happens almost daily. If it makes you feel any better, that has been going on for at least 40 years. I've been dealing with it for about 25 years, lol Sometimes I wonder how much trouble I would get in if I tell them "If you raise your kids right, I won't have to lock them up"? I've always wanted to say that but I want to keep my badge. 
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I don't mind cop, but please don't call me: Sport, Tiger, Chief, Skip/Skippy, Cowboy, Dude, Guy, Slim, Big Guy, Jack, Boy, Young lady, Champ, Tough Guy, Slick, Stretch, Darlin', Tex, Honey, Little Guy, Sweetheart, Stud, Turbo, Chum, Buckwheat, Bubba, Muchacho, Speedy, Kimo-Sabe, Cheech, Doc, Paps, Tulip, Snoop Dog, Scrappy, Homeslice, Scooter, Gus, Corky, Sparky, Cap'in, Pal, Friend, Cool, Boss, Hoss, Lil' Camper, Scout, Bub, Missy, Buckaroo, Pilgrim, Mack, Hombre, Doll, Buddy, Bud, Ace, Bucko, Grandma, Gramps, Youngster, Guy, Hotrod, Governer, Butch, Sugar, Sailor, Hollywood, Chico, Lucky, Soldier, Zippy, Flex, Spunky, Beavis, Timmy, Homeboy, Princess, Hotshot, Comrade, Fella, Partner, Bro/Brah, Professor, Spanky, Amigo, Kid, Kiddo, Junior, Slugger, Son, Sonny, Killer, Sister, Mister, Ol' timer, Hero, Clyde, Rocky, Sunshine, Compadre, Trooper, Barney, Dog, Sherlock, Commander, Einstein, Tuffy, Sports Fan, Trigger, Cupcake, Pumpkin, G, Dawg, Stallion, Smalls. Dude...that's like, a lot of words, Dog. yo bleed |
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Quoted:
"Coppers" was an English slang term for their police,supposedly because their badges were made of copper. It got shortened to "cop". This is the way I learned 'cop.' I've never known it to be a term of disrespect, although I always used 'officer' in court. |
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Quoted:
When did it become acceptable in journalism and ordinary conversation to refer to police officers as "cops?" It's cop, cop, cop, all the time. The way I was raised it was treated as slang and regarded as generally inappropriate. It was sort of like "niggah" in that if you were a lawman, family member, or otherwise intimate you cou could say it "in house," but it was otherwise very bad form. Nowadays I see lawyers called down every day, in court for using the term. So is this just an oddity resulting from my realtionships with lawmen, or has the term crept into widespread use without losing its insulting character? To guess about the time the released a TV show that has lasted I think 22 seasons now called COPS |
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Quoted: Quoted: I believe it's an abbreviation from police were called constables hence Constable On Patrol = COP. There are still Constables in Texas. They serve papers and shit. Yep my rendition order was delivered by a constable wearing the worst suit jacket I had ever seen. It was like someone went back in time, found the worst 70's couch ever then made a jacket from it. |