Why do they call a police officer a cop?

[pixel01]

Hi all,

Why do they call a police officer a cop?
(My first language is not English).

 

[Cyrus]

Pigs.

Community Oriented Policing Services

 

[OAQfirst]

My dictionary reads that it is short for copper, "One that regulates certain behaviors or actions." Maybe from the metal of their early badges?

Or "Copper as slang for policeman is first found in print in 1846, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. The most likely explanation is that it comes from the verb "to cop" meaning to seize, capture, or snatch, dating from just over a century earlier (1704)."

Here's a good discussion: http://www.wordwizard.com/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=6521

Snopes covers it, too: http://www.snopes.com/language/acronyms/cop.asp

 

[lisab]

It'a an acronym...Constable On Patrol is what I've always heard it means.

 

[Equate]

There are many different theories out there.


http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/22113

http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/cop_copper_badge_myth/

http://ask.yahoo.com/20000315.html



Take your pick... ;-)

 

[Moonbear]

It'a an acronym...Constable On Patrol is what I've always heard it means.

That's what I heard its origin is as well, but I don't know where to look to verify it.

 

[Cyrus]

Someone should just call the cops and ask.

I did that with the fire station when I noticed the ambulances and fire trucks jingled every time they drove by. I asked them what that noise was, and they said it was the snow chains. Instead of actually wrapping the tires with chains, the chains fling themselves in rotary motion in front of the tires when the chains are engaged.

 

[GeorginaS]

Constable on patrol was the lore I've heard too.

This site confirms that as an acronym for "cop"

http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/Constable+On+Patrol

Edited to add: Snopes claims that that's wrong. They have an entirely different source of the word. (And I can't copy their text for some reason. You'll have to follow the link.)

http://www.snopes.com/language/acronyms/cop.asp

 

[mgb_phys]

Etymologies with acronyms are almost always wrong. Acronyms were very rare before WWII except in the army.

According to my OED it's from capture, the french (and latin) is caper

 

[Equate]

Cyrus, you are spending Way too much time on YouTube... ;-)

 

[Cyrus]

Cyrus, you are spending Way too much time on YouTube... ;-)

Hahahaahaha...maybe.

 

[Danger]

Lots of neat theories there, but the truth is... English Bobbies had copper buttons on their uniforms. Hence the term 'coppers', which was then shortened to 'cops'.

 

[rootX]

Why do they call a police officer a cop?

Because of the reason a cop is called a police officer.

 

[Phrak]

Obviously because they drive cop cars.

 

[CRGreathouse]

Etymologies with acronyms are almost always wrong. Acronyms were very rare before WWII except in the army.

Yes. And even in the military acronym etymologies are rare before the 20th century.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

I heard the idea relatively recently that it comes from the word "cop- to take". The source also seemed to indicate it was somewhat derogatory primarily referring to crooked cops who had a tendency to shake down "suspects" specifically to take their possessions.

Unfortunately I don't remember the source.

 

[CRGreathouse]

Or "Copper as slang for policeman is first found in print in 1846, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. The most likely explanation is that it comes from the verb "to cop" meaning to seize, capture, or snatch, dating from just over a century earlier (1704)."

M-W concurs:

The truth is simpler, if less entertaining. Around the year 1700 English gained a slang verb cop, meaning 'to get ahold of, catch, capture' and perhaps borrowed from the Dutch. This word is somewhat unusual in having remained slang to this day,unlike most slang words which either die out or become more respectable over time. By 1844 cop is recorded in print as being used to refer to what police do to criminals, though it is probably somewhat older in speech. In very short order the -er agent suffix was added, and a policeman became a copper, one who cops or catches or arrests criminals.

(The Merriam-Webster New Book of Word Histories, p. 120) This is about a quarter or a third of the entry, but you get the idea.

 

[Andre]

M-W concurs:

... Around the year 1700 English gained a slang verb cop, meaning 'to get ahold of, catch, capture' and perhaps borrowed from the Dutch.

(The Merriam-Webster New Book of Word Histories, p. 120) .

Hmm in Dutch 'catch' includes the synonym 'pak' which was 'pack' in the 16th century, (also vang, grijp (grab), neem (take)). Can't find anything closer than that.

Dutch historic slang for a police officer includes the 'klabak' possibly related to 'klebak'- related to 'kelef' - dog. 'Klabakken' (verb) however is slang for drifting about/knocking around or what cops do.

"Cop" in Dutch is rarely used, apparently borrowed from Turkish meaning 'stick', as in weapon stick.