felon have been referring to constabulary as pigssince at least 1811 . But just as they came up with many creative name for thepeople who shop them out , crooks also called cop and private tec by many other , more creative name . Here are a few of them from Eric Partridge’sDictionary of the Underworld .
1. Beak Runner
A term circa 1789 for a policeman who is running down , or finding information about , criminals . It was disused by 1870 .
2. Cannon-Shooter
According to Henry Leverage ’s " Dictionary of the Underworld , " which come along in a 1925 issue ofFlynn ’s , this term refer to a detective who looked for dip .
3. Elephant Ears
" Popular news report has it that he listens so often , so long , so hard , that his ears grow to monstrous sizing , " Partridge write of this term for a officer , which originated with a piece by J. Allen Dunn in the November 15 , 1930 payoff ofFlynn ’s : " There ’s a couple of elephant capitulum … spotting this joint . "
4. Fuzz
Fuzz , refer to the police force force , originated in America in 1929 . Afuzzy , meanwhile , was a term from 1931 and referred to a police officer who was " very persevering in enforcing the law . "
5. Lizzie Lice
A term from 1933 for policemen police in car . The singular form isLizzie Lousie : " ' A policeman who uses a smalle coupe in which to patrol his beat ' … that being a contemptuous term , " bobwhite quail writes .
6. Mitney
This 1910 term was " not very common , " agree to Partridge . " Perhaps , via a supposed mittery … hands clapped by policemen on malefactors ' shoulders . "
7. Nabbing Cull
A 1781 term for a constable or officeholder of the law , from Ralph Tomlinson ’s parody , :
The term was obsolete by 1860 .
8. Rat Bag
An Australian term , circa the 1930s , for a plainclothes detective .
9. Scorcher
Scorchis a 1925 condition have in mind " to pick up ( someone ) . " Ascorcheris the policeman or detective who does the arresting .
10. Tiggy
This condition for a tec come in from Edwin Pugh ’s 1906 novelThe Spoilers :
It also appear again in Pugh ’s 1914 bookThe Cockney at Home : Stories and Studies of London Life and Character ; by 1918 , it was low slang .
11. Wire Split
This term , used since 1930 , referred to a detective of the cutpurse squad .
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