Police Officer - An Old & Seldom Used Term For "Coppers",

[leigh kitchen]

Posted from Felixstowe, Suffolk, to Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, so perhaps a seaside comic card - punning on not having much money.

Although posted in 1923, could it date from slightly earlier & refer to the loss of police officers to the miltary during WWI?

The term "copper" for a police officer is alleged by some to derive from copper badges or buttons that early officers wore on their uniforms, others claim that the word refers to "Constables on Patrol", or "Constabulary of Police", but to me these sound rather contrived.

I'm more inclined to the term having originated from the police officers actvity of thief-taking - capturing law breakers.

The British term "cop" in use since about 1700 (used in other countries too), as in copping or grabbing someone or something, taking or stealing.

"Copper" for the police officer who "cops" or captures somebody has been in use in Britain since the 1840's.

The French "caper" & the Latin "capere", the Dutch "kapen" - to capture. Caper developed into "cap" - to arrest, which in turn developed into "cop".

"Cop bung" was a warning cry from the 1800's meaning the police are about.

In Cumberland dialect "cop" is or was a prison, in Anglo-English "cop" was in the 18-1900's a warning to "beware", a "copper's nark" is a police informer, a "cop shop" a police station as was a "copper's shanty" at the turn of the 119th-20th centuries, a "copper-stick" a truncheon (as well as a certain part of male anatomy), a "copper-slosher" was a term for someone who was inclined to attack police officers, a "copper-man" is or was Australian slang for a police officer.

Any other suggested origins for "cop"?

[peter monahan]

The term "copper" for a police officer is alleged by some to derive from copper badges or buttons that early officers wore on their uniforms, others claim that the word refers to "Constables on Patrol", or "Constabulary of Police", but to me these sound rather contrived.

Any other suggested origins for "cop"?

The complete Oxford English Dictionary does not offer an etymology for 'cop', simply that it is slang. However there exist in many parts of the English speaking world a minor industry in "folk" [ie false] etymologies, many of them revolving around acronyms. However, since acronyms depend for their meaning on literacy in both the writer and the reader they are mainly a 20th century phenomenon and any purporting to come from an earlier time - "golf", "posh" and "f.u.c.k." come to mind - should be regarded with grave suspicion!

And, in this case, the descent from Latin through French and Dutch, not only matches the origins of many English words but makes perfect sense as well. Remember Occam's razor: barring contrary evidence, the simplest explanation is the one most likley to be true!

My tuppence worth

Peter

[leigh kitchen]

Yes, when you look at "Constables on Patrol" etc, you can't help but think of "Prisoner Of Her Majesty", "For Unlawful Carnal Knowlege" & the like.

Just someone being a bit "clever" - but not as clever as the "N.O.R.W.I.C.H." & "F.I.S.H. & C.H.I.P.S." greetings & farewells of that famous sophisticate & incurable romantic, the British working class male. Another thread though, for those.

[Mervyn Mitton]

The origin of 'cop' is held to be from the French word - copeur ? To hold or , arrest.

As you say Leigh, we have been known by many names. 'Old Bill' and 'Peeler' from Sir Robert Peel, founder, whilst Home Secretary + all of the others you list. The favourite in the East End of London was to call us 'John' - as in ' Hey! John - got the time?' The answer from me used to be - 'yes'. '' Now stand up straight, take your hands out of your pockets, spit the gum out and now, turn your pockets out.'' By the time this was finished we had forgotten the original question and they weren't too keen on being funny in the future.