Question

What is the origin of the term 'cop' for police officers?

Answer 1

That is a tough one.. There are sought to be made explanations but.. sifting through all of them, I believe it is: Around the year 1700, the slang verb cop entered English usage, meaning "to get ahold of, catch, capture." By 1844, cop showed up in print, and soon thereafter the -er suffix was added, and a policeman became a copper, one who cops or catches and arrests criminals. Copper first appeared in print in 1846, the use of cop as a short form copper occured in 1859

Answer 2

citizen on patrol above answer is better...

Answer 3

Constable on patrol

Answer 4

dough-nut eater was already taken

Answer 5

From the word cop ( to catch ) in English slang. Police would cop you if you broke the law

Answer 6

I don't remember the full details, I think during times of war, NYPD's badges were made of copper. The slang then was copper, which evolved into cop.

Answer 7

citizen on patrol. before police they were called (and still are in some places) peace officer

Answer 8

I like doughnut answer

Answer 9

I remember the explanation "Constable on Patrol" being offered as the derivation for the word "cop" but more likely it had to do with the old slang term "copper" Now some sources indicate police were called coppers because the metal in their shields was copper-colored. Others say a copper was someone who copped someone, "copping" meaning "seizing" or "arresting" them.

Answer 10

My answer is the same as TrueSeeker2006.