# "Known To Police" and other ways you DON'T want to be described **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 17, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/known-to-police-and-other-ways-you-dont-want-to-be-described/486293 "2009-02-17T17:37:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/known-to-police-and-other-ways-you-dont-want-to-be-described/486293/1 "2009-02-17T17:37:18Z")
Ever read a story about some crime and it mentions the suspect is “Known to Police”? Maybe it’s a Canadian thing, but I read that all the time. “Toronto authorities are seeking Kevin Wayne Dwayne, noting he is known to police.” I assume “known to police” means “has a record as long as your arm.” In one article I read, a 13-year-old boy in Vancouver described as being “known to police” was involved with police seventy-five times in 2008 alone. I don’t think I’ve spoken to 75 police officers in my entire life in any capacity. I think it’s safe to say that a key measurement of having a successful life is that you are never, ever described as being “Known to Police.” Indeed, I would say there are several phrases which, if ever applied to you, indicate that you need to reexamine your life decisions. Or if they never have been applied to you, you never want them to be: **"Known to Police" “A Person of Interest” "Of No Fixed Address"** Any others? ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/known-to-police-and-other-ways-you-dont-want-to-be-described/486293/2 "2009-02-17T17:38:36Z")
There was once a thread about phrases you don’t want to have in your obituary. Mine were **lifelong bachelor, longtime companion,** and **complications from pneumonia**. (The thing to reexamine would be how in the world I ended up with such an asshole writing my obituary.) ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/known-to-police-and-other-ways-you-dont-want-to-be-described/486293/3 "2009-02-17T17:38:56Z")
He was a quiet person. Always kept to himself. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/known-to-police-and-other-ways-you-dont-want-to-be-described/486293/4 "2009-02-17T17:41:14Z")
**Sex offender** can’t be very good on your CV. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/known-to-police-and-other-ways-you-dont-want-to-be-described/486293/5 "2009-02-17T17:48:22Z")
There’s a news story making the rounds about the arsonist in Australia. He’s described as a [lovelorn recluse](http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/588469). And as… > [@](#): > > a lonely Web surfer who likes dogs, always said “G’day” to neighbours, and has been trying to find love online… And of course the slams against quiet people come out: > [@](#): > > “He was quiet. You wouldn’t know if he was odd or not,” said a neighbour who went didn’t want to be named. “He would say G’day when you passed him.” > > Others say he kept to himself and lived alone. One said she thought he was strange because she once saw him watering his lawn in the rain. > > “I told my kids to keep away from him,” said the young mother, who also did not want her name used… ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/known-to-police-and-other-ways-you-dont-want-to-be-described/486293/6 "2009-02-17T17:55:04Z")
\*\*The late… \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/known-to-police-and-other-ways-you-dont-want-to-be-described/486293/7 "2009-02-17T18:51:31Z")
**Common-law wife** is a phrase you never hear about, say, the longtime companion (in a heterosexual way) of the local symphony director. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/known-to-police-and-other-ways-you-dont-want-to-be-described/486293/8 "2009-02-17T19:37:34Z")
Unindited co-conspirator. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/known-to-police-and-other-ways-you-dont-want-to-be-described/486293/9 "2009-02-17T19:42:58Z")
King of Pop. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/known-to-police-and-other-ways-you-dont-want-to-be-described/486293/10 "2009-02-17T19:51:07Z")
In an obituary, **He never married.** ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/known-to-police-and-other-ways-you-dont-want-to-be-described/486293/11 "2009-02-17T21:14:12Z")
The victim, Subject, The defendant, (Former) Boy-Band Member ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/known-to-police-and-other-ways-you-dont-want-to-be-described/486293/12 "2009-02-17T21:31:33Z")
“Identifiable by his dental records…” ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/known-to-police-and-other-ways-you-dont-want-to-be-described/486293/13 "2009-02-17T22:28:27Z")
“long time fugitive” “notorious” “disbarred” “convicted criminal” “widely blamed” “disgraced” “recluse” “cat lady” ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/known-to-police-and-other-ways-you-dont-want-to-be-described/486293/14 "2009-02-17T22:31:22Z")
^ I dunno about that last one. I don’t necessarily think being a crazy cat lady is a bad thing (which is good, as I’m well on my way to becoming one). ---
**Author:** ![Furious\_Marmot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dfb087/32.png) [@Furious\_Marmot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Furious_Marmot)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/known-to-police-and-other-ways-you-dont-want-to-be-described/486293/15 "2009-02-17T23:02:49Z")
“Unidentified male” “Failed” “Infamous” “At large” “Local celebrity” “Noted eccentric” “B-movie actor” “B-movie” cameraman, director, or anything else, really. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/known-to-police-and-other-ways-you-dont-want-to-be-described/486293/16 "2009-02-17T23:03:51Z")
Survivalist. I’m sure there are many fine people with excellent wilderness survival skills. But when someone is described in the paper as a “survivalist”, that’s not someone you want to engage in a lively political debate. ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/known-to-police-and-other-ways-you-dont-want-to-be-described/486293/17 "2009-02-17T23:28:38Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#): > > In an obituary, **He never married.** What’s so bad about not getting married? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/known-to-police-and-other-ways-you-dont-want-to-be-described/486293/18 "2009-02-17T23:46:13Z")
It is or WAS used as a sneaky way of suggesting “gay” without saying so. Probably not so much in use these days. Edit to add for clarity - I mean when such might be widely considered a slur in some way. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/known-to-police-and-other-ways-you-dont-want-to-be-described/486293/19 "2009-02-17T23:53:24Z")
“Beloved local figure.” If you’re “beloved” and “local” but the most descriptive noun they can think of is “figure,” you’re the crazy guy with the dreadlocked beard living under the downtown bridge who wears a cheerleader outfit and does pom-pom routines for passing cars. Even worse if you’re an “institution.” ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2009, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/known-to-police-and-other-ways-you-dont-want-to-be-described/486293/20 "2009-02-18T00:16:35Z")
…described as always somewhat of a loner. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/known-to-police-and-other-ways-you-dont-want-to-be-described/486293.md?page=2)