Need You Dead

Slang and phrases

ABC — Assume Nothing, Believe No One, Check Everything. The Senior Investigating Officer’s mantra for maintaining an open and enquiring mindset in investigations.

Beep test — the fitness test all officers are required to pass. It is a multistage aerobic fitness test in which officers must complete twenty-metre shuttle runs in time with the recorded bleeps until the bleeps get too quick for them.

Bosher — the heavy metal handheld ram used to force open doors and allow officers to enter a locked premises or room swiftly and with the advantage of surprise.

Bundle — a fight, or a file of documents prepared and presented at court or to the Crown Prosecution Service for advice.

Copper’s Nose — a police officer’s instinct. The sixth sense which often guides an officer’s suspicions.

Go bag — a pre-prepared bag containing essential equipment. Commonly kept by officers on call who may need to deploy to a scene of a crime or an incident quickly, knowing that they have all they will need with them — within reason!

Golden Hour — the first hour after a crime has been committed or reported when the best chances of seizing evidence and/or identifying witnesses exist.

PC Rain — so called as a good downpour has a greater chance of clearing people, including drunks and criminals, off the street than any number of police officers can!

Policeman’s chair — the location where police officers like to sit in pubs or restaurants when on duty. Usually this is with their back to the wall, giving them a clear view of the main entrance and exit so they can see all the comings and goings and not be taken by surprise.

Q word — short for ‘quiet’. Emergency services personnel never say the word ‘quiet’, as it invariably is a bad omen, causing chaos to reign!

Shit magnet — slang for a police officer who seems to attract trouble and around whom disaster invariably reigns.

Shout — slang for an emergency (999) call. All emergency services use this term.

Slow time — the term given to an investigation or enquiry that has passed its critical stage and can be undertaken at a reduced pace.

Stinger — a device used to impede or stop the movement of a vehicle by puncturing its tyres. Usually used to end a pursuit when deployed by trained officers at the roadside ahead of the target vehicle, causing it to stop quickly yet in a controlled manner.

Stop-stick — another version of a stinger.