# Police speak. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 18, 2005, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-speak/295136 "2005-03-18T14:31:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-speak/295136/1 "2005-03-18T14:31:45Z")
Who teaches these guys to talk like this? “_At this time_, the vehicle was signaled to stop. It did not and a high speed pursuit was _initiated_. The vehicle _contacted_ several other vehicles before coming to a stop. _At this time_, the arresting officers approached the vehicle and _initiated_ the arrest.” “_The officer in question \* approached the vehicle and requested identification. The occupants were asked to exit the vehicle and_ the officer in question initiated \* a vehicle search. While \*in the process \* of a search the _officer in question_ found _substances of illegal nature_. An _arrest was initiated_ \*at which time \* the suspects resisted arrest and _a struggle initiated_. Two of the suspects \*attempted to leave the scene \* and were pusued on foot by assisting officers. The suspects were captured and arrested.” “During a routine traffic stop, the arresting office overheard the suspects plotting, in spanish, to shoot the _officer in question_. The officer returned to the car to call for backup, \*at which time he received indication \* that the suspects had discharged a gun. The officer took a defensive position behind his vehicle and \*attempted to disable the suspects \* by returning fire. At this time, the suspect’s vehicle left the scene and an area wide search is being _initiated_ for a red 82 Camaro with tinted windows and white stripes.” These guys may be good at their job and I’m certainly glad they are out there doing their best to protect and serve but damn, do they get extra pay for using a maximum number of words to say something that can be said simpler and quicker? Are they frustrated lawyers? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-speak/295136/2 "2005-03-18T14:48:43Z")
You answered your own question. Lawyers make them talk that way. It isn’t for maximum verbiage…it’s for unquestioned accuracy in court. No ambiguity. You can’t say on an official report “He looked dirty, so I lit up the bar and snagged him. The dirtbag tried to rabbit, so my partner made him do the Funky Chicken” while I grilled his bitch about the job." Just doesn’t go over well in open court. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-speak/295136/3 "2005-03-18T14:52:12Z")
I think they learn to speak the way the rest of us do. Television. So blame Joe Friday. He started this whole “police-speak” business. ---
**Author:** ![mrklutz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@mrklutz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrklutz)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-speak/295136/4 "2005-03-18T15:38:37Z")
I expect there’s also a bit of what affects just about everybody who works in a particular trade. There’s a certain jargon to every industry that just rubs off on you the longer you work there. I can’t count the number of times I’ve caught myself using heinous corporate speak when I’m at home. ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-speak/295136/5 "2005-03-18T15:41:28Z")
Cops don’t talk like that. They talk more in 10 code and like **silenus’s** example. They are taught to write reports this way in the police academies because otherwise lawyers pick the reports apart, word by word and letter by letter. Well, they still do that but at least the officer tried to write the report well. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-speak/295136/6 "2005-03-18T16:07:06Z")
The reports have evolved in response to the pressure of having to get by lawyers. I sometimes write reports that have to be approved by, among other folks, a Deputy City Atty. What does an engineer do in that case? We look for a previous, similar report that got approved with no hassle. We follow the general outline and cut and paste big chunks of language. Then there’s a new Deputy or there’s a lawsuit and suddenly new chunks need to be added. There are memos and examples of language to be added are passed around. There’s usually a counter-pressure for brevity. No one likes writing long reports and if you make it too long, it will never be read, only skimmed through. It’s kind of fun to watch the things evolve. You just have to make sure that the template that you’re using is recent enough to have all the new bits. Or you have to get the new bits from another report. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-speak/295136/7 "2005-03-18T16:16:41Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > "_At this time_, the vehicle was signaled to stop. How else would you phrase this? > [@](#): > > It did not and a high speed pursuit was _initiated_. I see nothing wrong with this at all. > [@](#): > > The vehicle _contacted_ several other vehicles before coming to a stop. ‘Made contact with’ would be grammatically correct. And again, what’s wrong with it? > [@](#): > > "\*The officer in question \* approached the vehicle and requested identification. Yep, that’s him. > [@](#): > > The occupants were asked to exit the vehicle and\* the officer in question initiated \* a vehicle search. This could encompass the officer instructing another to begin searching the vehicle. > [@](#): > > An _arrest was initiated_ Yes, an arrest was initiated. So? > [@](#): > > _a struggle initiated_ Incorrect grammar. ‘A struggle ensued’ would be correct. > [@](#): > > Two of the suspects _attempted to leave the scene_ What on earth could be the problem with this? (And as they are attempting arrest, it’s a crucial piece of information.) Just because you don’t speak that way, it doesn’t mean that this isn’t the best way to use language to ensure the precise details are given, and that no extraneous and inaccurate information is implied or included. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-speak/295136/8 "2005-03-18T23:29:48Z")
I’m doing my best with quoting quoted stuff, so I hope this shows up o.k. Basically, there are shorter, more ordinary and direct ways of saying most of these things. > [@](#): > > Quote: > Originally Posted by QuickSilver > "At this time, the vehicle was signaled to stop. > > How else would you phrase this? I’d substitute “Then” for “At this time.” > [@](#): > > Quote: > It did not and a high speed pursuit was initiated. > > I see nothing wrong with this at all. “Started,” or “begun” is more direct. > [@](#): > > Quote: > The vehicle contacted several other vehicles before coming to a stop. > > ‘Made contact with’ would be grammatically correct. And again, what’s wrong with it? Grammatically correct, but unnecessarily wordy. How about, “The vehicle hit several other vehicles before stopping.” > [@](#): > > Quote: > The occupants were asked to exit the vehicle and the officer in question initiated a vehicle search. > > This could encompass the officer instructing another to begin searching the vehicle. Substitute “began” or “started” for “initiated.” Why add three extra syllables that add no extra meaning? > [@](#): > > Quote: > Two of the suspects attempted to leave the scene > > What on earth could be the problem with this? (And as they are attempting arrest, it’s a crucial piece of information.) You could use “tried” instead of “attempted.” IMHO people often believe that big words make them more important. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-speak/295136/9 "2005-03-18T23:46:31Z")
My brother in law is a police officer. They don’t speak like that in real life. “Cop speak” only for the reports. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-speak/295136/10 "2005-03-18T23:50:31Z")
> [@MLS](#): > > I’d substitute “Then” for “At this time.” ‘Then’ means ‘subsequently’. ‘At this time’ means ‘immediately following’. ‘Then’ also has a causal implication (it…then) which is not wanted in this situation. So I’d say using ‘then’ introduces ambiguity. > [@](#): > > “Started,” or “begun” is more direct. ‘High-speed chase was initiated’ acknowledges that the police caused the chase to begin. Your options don’t indicate this. > [@](#): > > Grammatically correct, but unnecessarily wordy. How about, “The vehicle hit several other vehicles before stopping.” Are two syllables really such a problem? > [@](#): > > Substitute “began” or “started” for “initiated.” Why add three extra syllables that add no extra meaning? Evidently yes. > [@](#): > > You could use “tried” instead of “attempted.” ‘Tried’ has numerous different meanings (particularly in the course of a trial 😉 ) - ‘attempted’ is far less ambiguous. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-speak/295136/11 "2005-03-18T23:52:22Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > My brother in law is a police officer. They don’t speak like that in real life. “Cop speak” only for the reports. But aren’t the reports what matter? They’re what go before the courts? They’re where any ambiguities will be identified and exploited?