Police and crime jargon

About this list

Police procedure, criminal slang, and the terms of a case file. Crime writers need both sides of the interview table, and both are here.

200 terms, A to Z

accomplice

An associate in the commission of a crime; a participator in an offense, whether a principal or an accessory.

active shooter

A person actively engaged in a shooting spree.

advance fee fraud

Any type of fraud involving an advance fee scam.

advance fee scam

A consumer fraud that involves obtaining a relatively small amount of money from the victim in advance of some large deferred benefit, such as a job, a high rate of return, or a share of embezzled money.

aggravated assault

Assault with disregard for the value of life, or with a deadly weapon.

air marshal

An armed, undercover guard on a commercial-airline flight.

all-points bulletin

A broadcast issued from one law enforcement agency to another, typically containing information about a wanted suspect or a person of interest.

all-ports warning

A form of all-points bulletin circulated to international ports so that a fleeing suspect can be identified and apprehended.

assistant chief constable

The third highest rank in all British territorial police forces.

attitude-adjuster

A nightstick or any type of club.

backstory

A fictitious account of a person's history designed to conceal their actual history and motives.

bent copper

A corrupt police officer.

black notice

A notice from Interpol seeking information on unidentified dead bodies.

blue light bandit

A criminal who impersonates a police officer by equipping a personal vehicle with blue emergency lights to mimic a patrol car, often to pull over a victim in order to commit a robbery or an assault.

blue lives matter

Synonym of police lives matter.

blue notice

A notice from Interpol seeking to locate, identify or obtain information on a person of interest in a criminal investigation.

body broker

A firm or an individual who seeks financial gain by exploiting a vulnerable person who is seeking treatment for addiction.

bolo

A request for law enforcement officers to be on the lookout for a suspect.

case the joint

To thoroughly observe or examine a place, in order to familiarize oneself with its workings in preparation for criminal activity, often robbery.

check washing

The process of erasing details from a check to allow it to be rewritten, usually for criminal purposes such as fraudulent withdrawal from the victim's bank account.

Chicago school

A school of thought originating at the University of Chicago whose work was influential in the early 20th century.

chief inspector

A police officer ranking above an inspector, and below a superintendent.

chief superintendent

A senior police officer rank, positioned above a superintendent and below an assistant chief constable.

child abuser

A person guilty of child abuse; someone who has abused a minor.

clearance rate

The proportion of crimes that are solved by the police with respect to the total number of crimes reported.

cold case

A criminal investigation that has not been solved after a considerable time but remains on the books and may be reopened when new evidence appears.

come forward

To offer help or information, especially about a crime.

command and control

The management and logistics of a military or paramilitary force.

community policing

A style of policing in which the police aim to maintain relations with the community.

confessing Sam

A person who falsely confesses to a crime.

confidential informant

Someone who secretly provides information to the police about wrongdoing which they are aware of due to their relationship to the wrongdoer.

contract system

The system of selling the labor of convicts to a contractor, who provides the necessary materials and supervises the work in the premises of the prison.

controlled substance

A drug or chemical whose use, possession, manufacture, or sale is regulated or banned by the government.

cooling time

The amount of time required for an individual to calm down and think clearly after being seriously provoked, allowing the individual to consider the consequences of their actions in order to make a rational decision.

copper

A police officer, especially one in uniform.

crime of passion

A crime, typically a violent crime such as assault or murder, committed against a loved one because of sudden jealous rage or heartbreak rather than as a premeditated act.

crime rate

A measure of incidences of crime in a given area, especially in comparison to its population.

crime scene cleaner

A trained professional who cleans and sanitizes an area where a crime or an accident has occurred.

crime scene tape

Police tape that used to cordon off a crime scene.

crime science

The study of crime in order to find ways to prevent it.

crime scientist

Someone who studies crime science, especially someone who does so professionally.

criminal science

Synonym of crime science.

criminal scientist

Synonym of crime scientist.

criminal spin

A theory that describes how small or unintentional actions can snowball into an escalating, self-sustaining cycle of serious criminal behavior.

crisis response team

a group of individuals trained to provide trauma mitigation and education in the aftermath of a critical incident.

dark figure

The estimated number of unreported criminal cases.

dawn raid

An early-morning visit by police or law enforcement with the intention of taking the suspects by surprise.

deputy chief constable

The second highest rank in all territorial police forces in the United Kingdom.

desk sergeant

A sergeant who has an administrative position inside of a police station.

detective inspector

A police rank used in Commonwealth countries.

disorderly conduct

The criminal offence of misbehaving in a public place, for example, by being drunk or loitering.

drive-by

Of a crime, etc., carried out from a moving vehicle.

drug cartel

A criminal organization consisting of independent druglords who collude with each other in order to improve their profits and dominate the illegal drug trade.

drunk and disorderly

Of conduct, illegal because of public intoxication.

felony

A serious criminal offense, which, under United States federal law, is punishable by a term of imprisonment of not less than one year or by the death penalty in the most serious offenses.

felony stop

A traffic stop of a person that is deemed dangerous, and performed from a distance by shouting instructions with weapons drawn.

felony traffic stop

Synonym of felony stop.

field stop

An on the ground stop made by a police officer.

field training officer

An experienced or senior member of an organization who is responsible for the training and evaluation of a junior or probationary level member.

fingerprint powder

Any fine powder used in dusting for fingerprints by crime scene investigators and others in law enforcement.

flash rob

A form of organized theft in which a group of people enter a shop en masse and steal merchandise, while the employees are overwhelmed by sheer numbers.

follow-home

Referring to a crime in which the perpetrator follows the victim to their place of residence.

foot pursuit

A situation where a law enforcement officer physically chases a suspect on foot in an effort to detain or arrest them.

forcible entry

The unlawful seizure of the possession of real property by force or threats of force or an unlawful entry into or onto another's property, especially when accompanied by force.

freelancer

One who performs duties outside of the chain of command and SOPs.

freelancing

The act of performing one's duties outside of the chain of command and SOPs.

gain time

A reduction of a prisoner’s sentence due to exemplary behavior or participation in a rehabilitation program during incarceration.

green notice

A notice from Interpol warning about the criminal activities of a person considered to be a possible threat to public safety.

have a visual on

To see.

have got someone's six

Synonym of have someone's back.

hesitation wound

Any of a series of shallow cuts made by a person considering a suicide attempt, or trying out the weapon to ascertain its effectiveness.

highway patrol

Any police unit which is primarily responsible for overseeing and enforcing of regulations on roads and highways.

hold-up squad

A subsection of a police department specializing in apprehending violent and dangerous suspects.

home invader

Someone who commits a home invasion.

home invasion

An assault on the possessor(s) of a household committed by an intruder by using forced entry or otherwise having unauthorized presence in the household.

hot pencil

A police officer who writes a high volume of traffic tickets.

identification parade

A process by which a witness confirms the identity of a criminal suspect, by viewing the suspect together with other people who were not involved in the crime.

identity broker

A service or other intermediary that provides a client with a means of forming or constructing a new identity, usually a false one.

identity parade

A process by which a witness confirms the identity of a criminal suspect, by viewing the suspect together with other people who were not involved in the crime.

identity theft

The deliberate assumption of another person's identity, usually to gain access to that person's finances or to frame a person for a crime.

in hot pursuit

Pursuing someone in order to apprehend them, especially across a border.

incarcerated

Imprisoned.

incident report

A commonly used description for law enforcement or help desk events.

inside job

A crime or other illicit action committed by or with the assistance of someone either having a relationship with a victim or entrusted with access to the victim's affairs and premises.

internal affairs

A division of a law enforcement agency investigating incidents and plausible suspicions of lawbreaking and professional misconduct attributed to officers on the force.

interview under caution

A formal interview of a suspect by the police as part of a criminal investigation, for which the suspect is entitled to legal representation. Used to determine whether or not to prosecute the suspect, and most commonly…

Inv.

Investigator. (as a title)

juice badge

An unofficial police badge issued in the 1930s by the LAPD chief and given to his supporters.

jury tampering

The crime of unduly attempting to influence the composition or decisions of a jury during the course of a trial.

kill kit

A collection of items, often including duct tape, rope, handcuffs, knives, and guns, usually kept out of sight, and used by criminals to commit a murder, or other violent act.

knock-and-talk

An official visit by a police officer to a person's home to discuss some matter.

lawful but awful

Morally questionable but legally allowed.

maximum holding time

The greatest amount of time in which a sample may be stored between sampling and the commencement of analysis and still be considered a valid sample for compliance testing.

Miranda

A Miranda warning.

most wanted

A list of criminals and alleged criminals who are believed to be at large and are identified as a law enforcement agency's highest priority for capture.

moving violation

Violation of the law by the driver of a vehicle while in motion.

mug shot

A photograph of a person's face, especially one taken by the police during an arrest.

murder book

A case file of a murder investigation.

murder-suicide

A murder in which the killer subsequently commits suicide.

no further action

A potential formal outcome for a suspect from a police investigation, indicating that no action will be taken.

number coding

A policy in some urban areas where vehicles with plate numbers ending in a particular number are barred from using the main streets on a particular pre-assigned day to reduce traffic.

number two

White, Caucasian.

obs

Police observation.

occupational crime

A crime that is committed through opportunity created in the course of a legal occupation.

offence to be taken into consideration

An additional criminal offence which a defendant agrees to admit to following their conviction, which is formally taken into account when they are sentenced, but with a lesser weight than a full conviction.

officer down

A police officer has been critically wounded, incapacitated, or killed.

on the hurry up

At top speed; as fast as possible.

on the pad

Taking regular bribes.

orange notice

A notice from Interpol warning of an imminent threat and danger to persons or property.

outside job

A crime or other illicit action committed by an individual not connected or associated with the premises or organization in which it took place.

panda car

A police car; specifically (historical), one with a broad white stripe painted around its middle on a darker-coloured or, originally, black background.

paper tripping

A form of identity theft in which a person illicitly obtains a new identity, usually by assuming the identity of a deceased person.

patrol officer

A member of a local or state law enforcement agency who patrols a particular area.

peace officer

A civil law enforcement officer with a duty to maintain law and order, such as a police officer, sheriff and bylaw officer.

perfect crime

A crime that is undetected, unattributed to a perpetrator, or otherwise unsolved.

perimeter check

A patrol conducted by law enforcement to monitor or secure an area.

perp

A perpetrator.

perp walk

The intentional public display before news cameras of a person in police custody, especially someone famous or notorious, for the purpose of satisfying public interest, demonstrating the effectiveness of the…

person of interest

Someone who police have reason to believe may have a connection to a crime, or to possess important information relating to that crime, but who has not been accused or charged by authorities nor been officially deemed…

person unknown

An individual yet to identified.

photo pack

A collection of photographs to be shown sequentially to a witness, conducted by a police officer or detective who does not know the identity of the suspect.

PIT maneuver

A technique in which a pursuing car bumps the rear fender of a pursued car, causing it to spin out, in order to terminate a car chase.

police captain

A high-level officer in a police department who is usually responsible for an entire district or precinct.

police constable

A law enforcement officer of the lowest rank.

police department

Police force, especially a local or regional branch of a national police force.

police escort

A service offered by police and law enforcement to assist in transporting important individuals or resources.

police force

Any police organization; a constabulary.

police jury

The most common type of governing body for a parish in the state of Louisiana.

police lieutenant

A police rank in the police departments of certain nations.

police lives matter

A phrase used to counter "black lives matter", rallying people to defend police officers and their use of lethal force in carrying out their duties.

police record

A file held by the police, containing a record of the past crimes of which someone has been suspected of or convicted.

police scanner

A scanner that is tuned to receive the frequencies used by police for their communications.

police sergeant

A rank of law enforcement who supervises officers and handles daily precinct operations.

police service

Police force.

police squad

A small squad of law enforcement officers who are trained to deal with a particular kind of crime.

police van

A type of vehicle operated by a police force, usually employed for the transport of prisoners inside a specially adapted cell.

police work

Work performed by police; the investigation of criminal activities.

prison guard

An armed person working to provide order, security, discipline, punishment, and prevent escapes of prisoners in a jail that answers to a warden.

process server

A deliverer of processes or summonses, the formal announcements of the beginning of a legal action; a huissier de justice or other equivalent position in other legal systems.

process-serving

The act or assignment of delivering processes or summonses.

prone out

To order or cause a person to lie prone on the ground, usually at gunpoint and to effect a high-risk arrest.

protective custody

Lawful confinement of a person or close supervision of his or her movements, on a voluntary or involuntary basis, by authorities in order to safeguard that person from attack or other dangers.

public enemy number one

A person who ranks highest on the federal government's prioritized list of wanted criminal fugitives.

purple notice

A notice from Interpol providing information on modi operandi, procedures, objects, devices, or hiding places used by criminals.

radio car

Synonym of police car.

rap sheet

A printed police record of an individual's citations, arrests, convictions, and incarcerations, usually in a single jurisdiction.

red notice

A notice from Interpol that a person is an international fugitive and should be arrested.

refs

A scheduled meal break during a shift.

rehab broker

Synonym of body broker (“a firm or an individual who seeks financial gain by exploiting a vulnerable person who is seeking treatment for addiction”).

return fraud

The act of defrauding a retail store by means of the return process.

right to silence

A legal principle guaranteeing any individual the right to refuse to answer questions from law enforcement officers or court officials.

riot shield

A lightweight handheld protection device, generally used in riot control.

rotary-wing intercept

An intercept performed by rotary-wing aircraft.

rule of engagement

An internal rule among a military, police, etc. force defining the circumstances in which and manner with which to use force.

run someone's file

To search through someone's criminal record.

school resource officer

A police officer stationed at a school, such as a high school.

security police

A law enforcement agency focusing primarily on providing security and law enforcement services to a particular area or a specific property.

serial killer

An individual who murders three or more people, with the killings taking place over a period of more than one month in three or more separate events.

service dog

A dog which assists the work of military or law enforcement officers.

show-up

The showing of a suspect to a victim by police in the hope of identifying the suspect as the culprit.

sky marshal

An armed, undercover guard on a commercial-airline flight.

slips and capture

Particularly, the error by which a police officer bears a gun while intending to take out a Taser instead.

soft room

A room set up in a police station with amenities that make it easier to talk with children, trauma victims, or other vulnerable populations.

solve

A solution; an explanation.

special victims unit

A specialized branch within some law enforcement agencies, focusing on cases involving vulnerable or high-risk victims.

spike strip

A device consisting of a portable bed of nails used by police and armed forces to puncture car tires.

spit hood

A head restraint intended to prevent spitting and biting.

spy cop

An undercover police officer tasked with infiltrating a politically active group which is deemed to pose a risk of criminal activity, so as to allow the police to monitor the group's activities on an ongoing basis.

state police

The police force belonging to the state (subnational) government, as contrasted with federal, county, or municipal law enforcement.

stick on

To charge (someone) with an offence.

stingray

A device that simulates a cell tower, used to intercept cell phone communications.

stolen goods

Any goods or other property that have been obtained, carried off, or abstracted by means of a crime.

street gang

An organized group of lower-class criminals; an urban gang.

SWAT

A SWAT team.

tac squad

A tactical unit

tactical contact

The use of a police vehicle to deliberately ram another vehicle, in an attempt to bring a pursuit to an end.

take the ride

To concede to be arrested for a crime and be transported to jail.

tango

A target; an enemy.

tasking

A task; an assigned item of work.

tax evasion

The illegal reduction of paying tax, especially by making a false declaration of income etc.

Terry search

A search carried out by the police during a Terry stop.

Terry stop

The brief detention of a person by the police on reasonable suspicion of involvement in criminal activity but short of probable cause to arrest.

tickle the wire

To create a situation that will encourage the target of a criminal probe to speak and divulge information on a wiretapped telephone.

time of occurrence

An event, such as the time of death or the time of incident, that is crucial to a death investigation.

traffic lead

unarmed traffic police

traffic police

A body of officers in charge of enforcing traffic laws and managing traffic.

unmarked car

A police car that has no markings to distinguish it from a civilian car.

usual suspects

The people, often scapegoats, routinely arrested in response to a crime.

vic

A victim of a homicide.

vice squad

A police section specialized in vice crimes.

victim impact statement

A written or oral statement by the victim, or the relatives of the victim of a crime, made as part of the judicial process to convey the impact that the crime has had upon the victim or their relatives.

wanted

Subject to immediate detainment by law enforcement authorities on sight.

warrant officer

An officer assigned to execute warrants and other writs.

whirling

An organized attack where a group of people, usually teenagers, surround and attack women, with sudden physical assaults or harassment.

white-collar criminal

An individual who partakes in, or has been convicted of, a white-collar crime.

witness protection

A government program that provides new identities and protection for witnesses who come forward and testify in court against dangerous targets.

witness tampering

The act of attempting to improperly alter, influence or prevent the testimony of witnesses within civil or criminal proceedings.

work the oracle

To fabricate a suspect's verbal statement.

yellow notice

A notice from Interpol seeking to locate a missing person or to identify a person unable to identify themselves.

youthful offender

A juvenile offender whose crime is serious enough that they can be sentenced as an adult.