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[-] Peppycito@sh.itjust.works 6 points 11 months ago

I have heard it's because their badges were copper and got shortened to cop. I have no proof.

[-] activ8r@sh.itjust.works 10 points 11 months ago

It is short for copper, but not the metal.
"To cop" means "to arrest or detain" someone. So a "copper" is someone who cops people.

You may be familiar with the phrase "that's a fair cop". Which would be an admission that the arrest is fair.

[-] Peppycito@sh.itjust.works 1 points 11 months ago
[-] problematicPanther@lemmy.world 3 points 11 months ago

i read that it's from the archaic verb "cop" which means "to seize", so the old brits used to call them coppers, then that got shortened to cop, and it's still in use today.

[-] aphlamingphoenix@lemm.ee 2 points 11 months ago

Archaic? I think we use this word in modern English, as in, "to cop a feel."

[-] problematicPanther@lemmy.world 2 points 11 months ago

cop as in a feel i think has a different meaning as to cop a criminal.

this post was submitted on 03 Jan 2024
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