List of Police-related Slang Terms - S

S

Salatfad

Danish slang for police van. Directly translates to "salad platter".

Sbirro

Italian slang for policeman. It's a very vulgar word, used mainly by criminals.

Screw

Technically, a slang term for a prison guard and not for a police officer.

Scuffers

An old Liverpudlian term, which came to prominence in the 1960s Merseyside-set BBC television series Z-Cars.

Schmier(e)

(grease) German slang, mostly southern Germany and Austria, for police

Schmig(s), Schmigglers

A variation on Pig, originated in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the early 1980s.

Schmitt

Used in France, origin unknown (possibly based on German).

Shades

Used in west and south west Ireland. Derived from the Irish (Gaelic) term "Se d'og", pronounced Shay Dowgs, meaning "Little Johns" originally referring to the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) – British Army soldiers in Ireland were called "Johns", so the British controlled police force (the RIC) were called "Little Johns". "Shay Dowgs" became shortened to "Shades".

Sinivuokko

A Finnish slang term, literally meaning the liverwort (Anemone hepatica). Comes from the bluish colour of the flower resembling the characteristic blue uniforms of the Finnish police forces. This is emphasised by the word sini ("blue") in the flower's Finnish name.

Skowtu

Used in the Netherlands, origin from Suriname, which used to be part of the Netherlands.

Slaktarbussen

Swedish slang for police van, usually referred to riot police vans. Literally "Butchers van".

Skel

A criminal, typically a drug addict who is extremely thin as the result of malnutrition as he/she binges on narcotics and other drugs.

Skoude

A Helsinki slang term for a police officer.

Smokey

A term from the CB Radio fad of the 1970s. See "Bear", above. Smokey Bears are usually those that belong to a Highway Patrol or State Police agency in the United States.

Smurfs

Used in Greece and Poland. Because the blue colour of police uniforms is like the Smurfs.

Små Blå

Danish slang for police officers. Translates into "Little blue ones". Små Blå is also a Danish brand of liqorice vodka shots sold in tiny glass bottles.

Snippers

An African-American term used mostly in North America.

Snut

A slang used in Norway and Sweden, coming from "snute" which is "nose on a dog" describing that the police "sniffs".

Soggies

Australian term for officers of the Special Operations Group.

Squealers

A reference to the noise a pig makes. In the UK, squealer, or grass, is used to denote someone who informs on their criminal confederates.

SS RUC

A term used in Northern Ireland by the Republicanist/Catholic Community particularly during a riot. SS from the German secret police and RUC from the former name of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (Now Police Service Northern Ireland (PSNI)).

State boy

A US state trooper. Usually used in the Midwest.

Staties

Refers to State Troopers, used throughout New England.

Stench

UK and Australia – similar to filth.

Strisser

Danish slang for police officer.

Strømer

Danish slang for police officer. Pronounced "Stroehmah".

Suicide by Cop

American. Occurs when a suspect behaves in a manner that provokes or compels the police kill him, such as by holding hostages or threatening officers or civilians with a weapon or what appears as a weapon.

Suits

Members of the Metropolitan Police CID as referred to by their uniformed colleagues.

Summon Auntie

Singapore. Used to refer to middle-aged female traffic wardens who place a summons on vehicles violating parking laws.

Super Troopers

Became a common name in Vermont for police in that state after the release of the movie Super Troopers.

Sün

Hedgehog Hungarian slang, during the 2006 protest against the Hungarian Government, policemen used a formation called hedgehog (sün in Hungarian). This comical situation became a widespread meme in the country and eventually policemen were given the name "sün". ("s" in Hungarian sholuld be pronounced as "sh")

Sweeney

Cockney rhyming slang for the Metropolitan Police's Flying Squad, from Sweeney Todd, inspiring the television series The Sweeney, (see also Heavy).

Swine

Comes from pig (see above).