Where did the word "COP or COPS" originate?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Where did the word "COP or COPS" originate?

Posted: 2/4/2006 2:38:23 PM EDT

I have a theory. But I won't say until I get an possible answer.

Posted: 2/4/2006 2:42:09 PM EDT

[#1]

Hundreds of years ago, cop was a slang verb that meant to capture. Thus, a person who captures criminals is today called a cop.

www.chpcards.com/coporigin.html

ask.yahoo.com/20000315.html

Posted: 2/4/2006 2:46:41 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
Originiated with the old style uniforms that had copper buttons, as the the original city or country the term started I cant recall Chicago mabye during the gangster days? Mabye in Brittian who knows but it is derived from the buttons on the old black uniforms.

ask.yahoo.com/20000315.html

My theory is that it came from the copper badges that were made early 1900's.

Posted: 2/4/2006 2:50:46 PM EDT

[#3]

cop (v.)

1704, northern British dialect, "seize," perhaps from M.Fr. caper "seize, to take," from L. capere "to take" (see capable); or from Du. kapen "to take," from O.Fris. capia "to buy." Cop out (v.) and cop-out (n.) are Amer.Eng., first recorded 1942, probably from cop a plea (c.1925) "plead guilty to lesser charges."

cop (n.) "policeman," 1859, abbreviation of earlier copper (1846), from the verb.

Posted: 2/4/2006 2:52:41 PM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Originiated with the old style uniforms that had copper buttons, as the the original city or country the term started I cant recall Chicago mabye during the gangster days? Mabye in Brittian who knows but it is derived from the buttons on the old black uniforms.

ask.yahoo.com/20000315.html

My theory is that it came from the copper badges that were made early 1900's.

it came from the badges

Posted: 2/4/2006 3:18:37 PM EDT

[#5]

Sorry and no offense meant. Some of my friends are "cops", but it has to be said...

(Chocolate Or Powdered Sugar)

Posted: 2/4/2006 3:53:19 PM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
Sorry and no offense meant. Some of my friends are "cops", but it has to be said...

(Chocolate Or Powdered Sugar)

BAN HIM!

Posted: 2/4/2006 3:54:38 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Originiated with the old style uniforms that had copper buttons, as the the original city or country the term started I cant recall Chicago mabye during the gangster days? Mabye in Brittian who knows but it is derived from the buttons on the old black uniforms.

ask.yahoo.com/20000315.html

My theory is that it came from the copper badges that were made early 1900's.

That's what I always heard..the copper badges...

Posted: 2/4/2006 4:58:30 PM EDT

[#8]

Seriously... I thought it came from the old London Bobby's

Posted: 2/4/2006 5:22:19 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Originiated with the old style uniforms that had copper buttons, as the the original city or country the term started I cant recall Chicago mabye during the gangster days? Mabye in Brittian who knows but it is derived from the buttons on the old black uniforms.

ask.yahoo.com/20000315.html

My theory is that it came from the copper badges that were made early 1900's.

it came from the badges

I had been told it came from the large copper buttons on early police uniforms. Were older badges made from copper? Don't get me wrong, "cop" sounds a lot better than "brasser".

Posted: 2/4/2006 7:24:08 PM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
Seriously... I thought it came from the old London Bobby's

Then wouldn't we be called Bobs?

Posted: 2/4/2006 7:33:03 PM EDT

[#11]

Citizens On Patrol

Posted: 2/4/2006 9:39:57 PM EDT

[#12]

Community Oriented Police

Posted: 2/4/2006 10:54:01 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
Citizens On Patrol

I have heard two decent theories. One is "Constables On Patrol" and the other is the copper badges.

Posted: 2/5/2006 9:23:19 AM EDT

[#14]

The History channel did something on law enforcement origons and they said that the term came from the copper badges origonaly issued to the NYPD.

+1 copper badges

Posted: 2/5/2006 11:47:02 AM EDT

[#15]

Where's that AGNTSA photo?

Posted: 2/5/2006 11:48:30 AM EDT

[#16]

THE CORRECT ANSWER:

Quoted:
cop (v.)

1704, northern British dialect, "seize," perhaps from M.Fr. caper "seize, to take," from L. capere "to take" (see capable); or from Du. kapen "to take," from O.Fris. capia "to buy." Cop out (v.) and cop-out (n.) are Amer.Eng., first recorded 1942, probably from cop a plea (c.1925) "plead guilty to lesser charges."

cop (n.) "policeman," 1859, abbreviation of earlier copper (1846), from the verb.

Posted: 2/5/2006 8:45:51 PM EDT

[#17]

We learned this in academy this week, it means Constable On Patrol, it is from England where Robert Peel started the first police force....but that is just what they told me

Posted: 2/5/2006 9:20:59 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Originiated with the old style uniforms that had copper buttons, as the the original city or country the term started I cant recall Chicago mabye during the gangster days? Mabye in Brittian who knows but it is derived from the buttons on the old black uniforms.

ask.yahoo.com/20000315.html

My theory is that it came from the copper badges that were made early 1900's.

it came from the badges

+1. I had always heard people would call earlier officers "coppers" due to their badges and this was eventually shortened to "cop".

Posted: 2/5/2006 9:36:05 PM EDT

[#19]

From my favorite etymology site:

Cop
Several popular etymologies, all certainly false, exist for this word meaning policeman. One says that it is an acronym standing for Constable On Patrol. Another says that the first policemen in London (or another city--it varies in the telling) had copper buttons on their uniforms. Yet another says that it was not buttons, but a copper badge that gave them the name.

While the ultimate origin is disputed, most authorities agree that it is a shortening of copper. Cop was first used in 1859 and copper predates it from 1846. Copper, as slang for policeman, derives from the verb to cop, which dates from 1704 and means to catch. The OED2 notes that an 1864 newspaper stated that people would exhibit a copper coin as they passed a policeman, in effect calling them copper. This may have been the beginning of the confusion with the metal copper.

The ultimate origin of the verb copper is disputed. It either derives from the Dutch kapen, meaning to take. This in turn comes from the Old Frisian capia, meaning to buy. The other choice is that it derives from the French caper, to take, and ultimately from the Latin capere.

See also: Pig.

Posted: 2/6/2006 11:27:09 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
We learned this in academy this week, it means Constable On Patrol, it is from England where Robert Peel started the first police force....but that is just what they told me

Peels officers were known as "Bobbies" (for Robert-Bob) and "Peelers". The bobbies is still used today. His new style of policing was known as "Peelian Reform" or "Peelian Principles".

As far as the word "cop", I go with the verb, cop, which means to apprehend. It certainly predates citizen on patrol, constable on patrol or copper badges/buttons/hats, etc.

Posted: 2/6/2006 11:56:17 PM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Citizens On Patrol

I have heard two decent theories. One is "Constables On Patrol" and the other is the copper badges.

Constable on Patrol.....is what I was told

When I was studying at Univ, at Oxford College in 2004, I walked right up to one of those tittie hatted policemen with out handguns and asked them, Constable on patrol is what they told me it meant, they claim thats where it came from. I had heard that before, but I wanted to ask a legit Brit if they knew of it.

Posted: 2/7/2006 2:34:09 PM EDT

[#22]

I heard/read that in England they would put out a sign that read "Constable On Patrol" when they were out on rounds.

Others here have confirmed??? that by asking a Bobbie and getting the Constable response.

Posted: 2/7/2006 2:36:52 PM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Originiated with the old style uniforms that had copper buttons, as the the original city or country the term started I cant recall Chicago mabye during the gangster days? Mabye in Brittian who knows but it is derived from the buttons on the old black uniforms.

ask.yahoo.com/20000315.html

My theory is that it came from the copper badges that were made early 1900's.

+ a bunch

Posted: 2/7/2006 2:37:01 PM EDT

[#24]

It is indeed derived from "cop"... to catch. We still use it today, as in "cop a feel"

.

Posted: 2/7/2006 2:49:22 PM EDT

[#25]

The copper badge theory is not the answer. The correct answer's been posted. READ.

Posted: 2/7/2006 3:32:57 PM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:

The copper badge theory is not the answer. The correct answer's been posted. READ.

Really! How many times do these dolts need to be told it's an acronym of "canine obliterating person"?!??!!

Posted: 2/7/2006 3:46:50 PM EDT

[#27]

I was told one time that it came from copper pennies. It as a slang word used to insult them because they worked for pennies and had a rough job. But what do I know?

Posted: 2/7/2006 6:33:19 PM EDT

[#28]

I have to stick to the Copper Badge theory. It's the only one that makes sense.

Posted: 2/7/2006 6:46:00 PM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:
I have to stick to the Copper Badge theory. It's the only one that makes sense.

To you.

There's a very good write up done by someone who spent time researching police history, but I don't have it handy. I do know it was posted somewhere on the net.

Edit. Ok well that wasn't so hard to find, I had it bookmarked

:

www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-cop2.htm

And a few others:
www.chpcards.com/coporigin.html

www.wordorigins.org/wordorc.htm

www.word-detective.com/back-d2.html

Posted: 2/7/2006 7:04:29 PM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:
Quoted:
I have to stick to the Copper Badge theory. It's the only one that makes sense.

To you.

There's a very good write up done by someone who spent time researching police history, but I don't have it handy. I do know it was posted somewhere on the net.

Edit. Ok well that wasn't so hard to find, I had it bookmarked :

www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-cop2.htm

And a few others:
www.chpcards.com/coporigin.html

www.wordorigins.org/wordorc.htm

www.word-detective.com/back-d2.html

So you're saying it's really from the copper buttons?

Posted: 2/7/2006 11:36:13 PM EDT

[#31]

I always wondered if it was vaguely insulting or demeaning, but it doesn't seem so after all.

Posted: 2/8/2006 1:54:16 AM EDT

[#32]

Quoted:
Quoted:
I have to stick to the Copper Badge theory. It's the only one that makes sense.

To you.

There's a very good write up done by someone who spent time researching police history, but I don't have it handy. I do know it was posted somewhere on the net.

Edit. Ok well that wasn't so hard to find, I had it bookmarked :

www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-cop2.htm

And a few others:
www.chpcards.com/coporigin.html

www.wordorigins.org/wordorc.htm

www.word-detective.com/back-d2.html

WOW, maybe I'm wrong about the copper badges, I quess it's one of those words that have many theories behind it.