Where did the term calling police officers, pigs orginate?

Question

Bonus Question, what are some other good names for law enforcment.

Answer 1

PIG is an acronym for Pride Integrity and Guts

Answer 2

The earliest cite for a police officer in particular is from the Lexicon Balatronicum of 1811, which defines pig as "a China Street Pig, a Bow Street officer." The Bow Street Runners were an early police force of London, named after the street that housed their headquarters. The Lexicon Balatronicum also offers "floor the pig and bolt," meaning to knock the policeman down and run. According to Partridge, by 1873 the term’s usage was restricted to plain clothes officers. The term was as underground term, part of the criminal argot, until it emerged into the mainstream in the 1960’s.

Answer 3

If you thought the term pig arose in the 1960s, you're in for a surprise. The OED cites an 1811 reference to a "pig" as a Bow Street Runner--the early police force, named after the location of their headquarters, before Sir Robert Peel and the Metropolitan Police Force (see above.) Before that, the term "pig" had been used as early as the mid-1500s to refer to a person who is heartily disliked.

The usage was probably confined to the criminal classes until the 1960s, when it was taken up by protestors. False explanations for the term involve the gas masks worn by the riot police in that era, or the pigs in charge of George Orwell's Animal Farm.

They are also called fuzz, copper, filth, bizzy, pealer (after robert peal)

Answer 4

The OED cites an 1811 reference to a "pig" as a Bow Street Runner--the early police force, named after the location of their headquarters, before Sir Robert Peel and the Metropolitan Police Force Before that, the term "pig" had been used as early as the mid-1500s to refer to a person who is heartily disliked

Answer 5

Just learned this in History Class at my college... Someone had this earlier but no one has thumbed it up...

It came from the mid 1900's when riot police would wear gas masks... The hippies thought they looked like pigs and sounded like pigs in the masks... Well I had to get this answer since i'm an aspiring pig :)

Answer 6

I believe that the term pigs for police officers originated from the book Animal Farm. The Pigs were the authority figures.

Answer 7

I think I read that it came from the 60's. Hippies called the police that from wearing the gas masks and the sound of their breathing through the mask resembled the sound of a pig.

Answer 8

simply by fact, back in the 60's they stated as them the "guy" and merely like immediately maximum of you don't understand the annoying job they have. you do not see the hours they artwork, you do not see that at a million or 2 in the morning they're available in the midst of the evening conserving you. you do not see that they artwork rotating shifts. consistently changing their development of sleep. you don't understand that they are consistently decrease than your scrutiny. you spot a uniform and decide all of them. you basically see what you desire to work out. you do not see that they are people with a spouse and teenagers, you do not see that each site visitors stop they make may be there final. you basically elect to work out what the newspapers have advised you to work out. you ought to make your jokes! Get a clue and recognize them for what they do for you.

Answer 9

Flatfoot,but that has slipped into history since the police now operate mainly in patrol cars. It was from the day when most policemen walked a beat. .

Answer 10

I would call them pigs for the same reason as I would any other person..... a pig is a vile, disgusting creature. People who are cops are often(not always) abusive of power, as well as vile. These common traits have earned them the right to be the primary example of a piggish human being.

my favorite names:
bacon (i smell bacon!)
Oinkers
Porkchoppers (helicopter or motorcycle cops)
pigpens (cop car hideout spots)
donut posse