POLICE NICKNAMES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2620, 16 August 1923, Page 1

POLICE NICKNAMES.

Nicknames are applied to policemen everywhere. With us “bobby” owes his epithet to Sir Robert Peel, who framed the Bill that organised the force in Great Britain. American police are everywhere called “cops” or coppers.” The police of Spain are seronos from a custom that formerly prevailed there. One 3 every hour it was the duty of the man on the beat to cry ont the state of (lie weather. As it was usually clear, his cry was “tiempo sereno,” and the word sereno (clear) became synonymous with policeman. The name has followed the Spaniards across the seas in their new possessions. The policeman’s outfit for offence and defence varies from a walking arsenal, such as the Jericho policeman possesses, to the clubless patrol man of one or two American cities. The baton, however, is generally recognised as the policeman’s badge of authority. In Darjeeling', India, the policeman carries a reed pole about Oft. long. In Seville, Spain, the night police arc, says the Pall Mall Gazette, armed with long spears, such as the knights of old used. The police of Holland, Belgium, and many other countries arc armed with a short sabre besides the regulation baton and pistol. The police of various dominions generally wear a uniform adapted in some way from that of the English “bobby,” and with some modification for climate. The helmet is usually part of the outfit, and the barefoot Zulu police officer would note onsider himself dressed withnot consider himself dressed withtowns these Zulu policemen carrynative weapons, including spear and shield. Nevertheless, they arc commissioned officers of the law, 4 duly authorised to arrest any person who may be caught disturbing the peace of his Britannic Majesty’s Empire.