Cop Talk

OK, time to put on my Grammar Diva hat and climb upon my pedestal. Today’s gripe is---Cop Talk. 

It’s a strange phenomenon that happens to a regular person once they’re in uniform.  Police and other official types have come up with a new language that only they speak.  Someone, somewhere, sometime decided that “officials” must speak a language from another planet.  I think the planet is called Try Not To Get Sued. 

So, since I have a news background and had to listen to Cop Talk (a lot) I thought I’d offer a few translations:

Deceased-dead

Deceased male-dead guy

Deceased male appears to have been there a while—gross dead guy

Appears to be deceased—looks dead to us

Not a suspect but a person of interest--we think he probably did it

Fled on foot--ran away

Undetermined amount of cash—we know how much money he stole but we won’t tell you

Apprehended—caught

Firearm—gun

At a rapid rate of speed—fast

Sibling—brother or sister

See the man—OK, that’s not really one but I’ve been watching old cop shows on TV.

And of course, there’s always Alleged.  Almost everything and everyone gets an alleged.  This word is universal and ubiquitous not only in Cop Talk but in Broadcaster Speak.  Alleged is definitely from the Try Not To Get Sued planet.

Of course, some of these phrases are mandated by the person who signs the paycheck.  Years ago I had a copy of the CNN style guide, which is a list of what you could and couldn’t say on CNN’s airwaves.  The then- owner had a few specifics—he disliked the term “foreigners” and replaced it with “foreign nationals” or identified folks specifically by country of origin.  If someone had a house fire and could no longer live there, they were not “homeless” but “without shelter.”  Phrases like that don’t exactly roll off the tongue, but he signed the checks, so…..

This person of interest is going to flee on foot at a rapid rate of speed to see what’s in the alleged refrigerator.