what do you call the police?

[datasuspect]

Poll question: what do you call the police?

[maveric]

1. "Pigs" is so 70's.

I call them "Cops".

[datasuspect]

3. i try to stay away from them

nothing worse than buying a case of beer in texas at 5 to midnight and constable sitting there shooting the shit with the clerk.

[Bucky]

2. Johnny Law; Sometimes "guv'na"

But I don't call them "often".

[trof]

4. Other: "Officer".

Especially when he's pulled you over for a traffic infractuion.
:-)

[Bridget Burke]

36. Or "Ossifer"--if it's late at night.

But that would probably not end well....

[TheBaldyMan]

5. Polis, or 'ra Polis' - rhymes with hiss

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

6. po-po

hahaa.

[hobo_baggins]

7. The fuzz

[More Than A Feeling]

8. That's a fun one

:thumbsup:

[ghostsofgiants]

13. Ditto...sometimes 5-0 or "The man".

[Archae]

15. Where the hell did that come from?

And who ever said it?
I never saw anyone (except in cheeseball 70's movies) call cops the "fuzz."

It's like the term "Mary Jane" instead of "pot."

No one ever said it! :eyes:

"Hey you got any Mary Jane?"
"What's it do man, get you high?" -George Carlin

[Oeditpus Rex]

20. 'Fuzz' was a 'black thing'

From what I noticed, anyway. Never heard a pale-skinned person use it who wasn't trying to be "hip."

I've always called 'em "cops," except for a few specific incidences in the '70s. But "pigs" got pretty old even then, and I came to roll my eyes at the lame-assed "I smell bacon" joke.

Cute Story: When I was in my mid-teens, a neighbor was away on vacation and had the cops check on his house every few days. One day a cop walked up his driveway as a group of little kids watched from the sidewalk. As he came back out, the littlest pointed and said, "There's a fuzz."
The others gasped and ran like hell. :rofl:

[Ravenseye]

38. Yup...The Fuzz

[bigwillq]

9. 5-0 or 50

sometimes pigs

[Ronnie]

10. The Police

...

[struggle4progress]

11. Bob's your uncle. eom

[Laelth]

12. COP = Citizen on Patrol

That's a respectful and polite term. I prefer it.

-Laelth

[tonekat]

43. And I've also heard it as "Constable on Patrol"

I guess that may have been it's British origin?

[ismnotwasm]

14. The police

When I was younger I used to call them other stuff, or try to talk what I thought passed for street "PO-lice" (I still kinda like that, but it's almost as bad as The Fuzz)
Nowadays in my neighborhood, I'm always glad to see 'em on patrol. Got some crackheads on the corner. They mostly mind their own business but they are excitable at times.

[MissMillie]

30. me too

but I've always just called them "the police"

[LeftyMom]

16. Sir or Ma'am.

Yes sir. No sir. Am I free to go now, sir?

I'm not so great with authority figures, but it's better not to let authority figures with guns and attitude problems notice that.

[Orsino]

35. Especially not the underpaid, overworked authority figures...

...who do brave, honest work in keeping the rest of us safe.

I don't know how many might be corrupt busybodies, but I call 'em "Sir" and "Ma'am" until I learn otherwise. And I've never learned otherwise about a police officer I've interacted with.

[MrSlayer]

17. Police Officers or just Officers.

Either works.

[Spider Jerusalem]

18. "Cops", usually...and sometimes "the filth"

(which is a better term than "pigs", IMO)

[Katherine Brengle]

19. The police (but I am biased--my hubby is a police officer :)

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

21. It depends...

normally pigs or assholes unless...
I'm in trouble...
then...it's officer or sir but after...
I'm in trouble...
it's fucking pigs or fucking assholes.

[Elidor]

22. the folk

everyone downtown knows whaddup when you start signalin' and sayin' 'the folk!'

[Montauk6]

23. Actually you forgot two major ones..

The puh-LEASE (e.g. "Chandler, please prepare some coffee for the puh-LEASE officers and do take their coats.")

and

The POH-lees (e.g. "Remember STRESS? Mannnnnnn, that was when the POH-lease was bad on your head, I ain't lyin, junior."

[realisticphish]

24. Cops

concise, easy to yell, understandable in a loud party, and pretty respectful

[njdemocrat106]

25. Either cops or police officers

If you're talking the band, then it's the "Singing Cops". :D

[Bridget Burke]

39. The "Texas Throwdown Band"

Is the Houston PD's Country group.

[Random_Australian]

26. Blues, Ducks 'n' geese...but strangely

if in casual conversation one tries to do an impersonation of a yokel yank "Po-lyse", or if it's to their face, cop or bluey....

Considering the area I grew up in, another thinkg people would say was "AGfgjndfgkjnf, ya fruffenhoff rat kindly officer..."

[In_The_Wind]

27. officer

:hi:

It's nice to see you again!

[progmom]

28. where have you been?

we missed you. :hi:

[Renew Deal]

29. I love the notepad avatar.

That's funny. :D

[Texasgal]

31. The "Do-Rights"

:rofl:

[uppityperson]

32. Police, officers, cops, it depends

[billyskank]

33. The Cozzers, The Rozzers, The Filth

but, most of the time, The Cops, I'm afraid to say. :(

[meegbear]

34. Feds

[TX-RAT]

37. Sir or Ma'am

Police officer, for city police
Deputy, for county sheriffs dept
Trooper, for DOT Officers

Mostly i use Peace Officer

[GoddessOfGuinness]

46. I second that...

My grandfather was a DC cop. I learned to call them "sir" before I knew how to write my name.

I live in a county whose police force is notorious for being racist and generally disrespectful of the public. I've witnessed this myself, and sometimes been the recipient of an officer's rude behavior.

That said, I've also had our city police respond promptly and courteously when necessary. I have nothing but praise for them.

And once I ran out of gas on the way to visit my mother-in-law in the hospital...she was dying. Mr GoG started walking back to the nearest exit in search of a phone. A MD State Trooper pulled up to make sure we were ok. Then he drove back to where my husband had walked, gave him a lift to the nearest phone, and brought him back safely to the car. I'll never forget that.

[Bridget Burke]

40. "Cops" is my generic term...

Not all that rude.

Face to face, it's "Sir" or "Ma'am."

[Nailzberg]

41. Depends. Usually Officer, unless I'm on the CB

Then I call them bears, of course.

[GalleryGod]

42. Gendarme.

[Rabrrrrrr]

44. Ignorant savage small-dicked psychotic wannabe-men with no self-esteem

or sense of their own worth except in relation to having power over others.

Unless there isn't one in earshot, then I just say police or cops. Why waste time with all those words if one of the fascist small-dicked murdering psychopaths isn't there to hear it?

:7

Actually, I just call them "police" or "cops", and I actually like the police. They have been far more helpful to me than they have ever been petty or hurtful. Esp. the NYC ones - very cool!

[Radio_Guy]

45. The doughnut eaters

You can find at least two cars at the local Dunkin' Donuts at any given time.

[sg_]

47. the peelers

^

[trackfan]

48. Usually "cops". Sometimes "the heat" or "the man".

[u4ic]

49. EPS or RCMP

to distinguish who we're talking about...city cops, or outlying area/rural (where the RCMP patrol).

Generically...cops.

[Mizmoon]

50. LEO - law enforcement officer