• AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    Cop = Citizen On Patrol. It’s derogatory, as it correctly implies they aren’t officers, and they absolutely hated being called cops as recently as the early '90s.

    • Liz@midwest.social
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      3 months ago

      Cop is short for copper, which was a reference to the big brass buttons they used to have on their uniforms.

      Could be both. Could be neither. I’m just a random person on the internet.