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Why is the term 'Pigs' sometimes used to describe police?
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Many people are ignorant enough to think that pigs are quite unpleasant animals. They then use the word to describe people who interfere with their law-breaking. It is intended as an extreme insult, but in fact the police do not react to the use of the word at all, and sometimes use it about themselves as a joke.
Many believe the term originated in the 1960's as derogatory for police, however Word Origins informs us that: The OED2 has pig being used as a term for a contemptible person as early as 1546. The earliest cite for a police officer in particular is from the Lexicon Balatronicum of 1811, which defines pig as "a China Street Pig, a Bow Street officer." The Bow Street Runners were an early police force of London, named after the street that housed their headquarters. The Lexicon Balatronicum also offers "floor the pig and bolt," meaning to knock the policeman down and run. According to Partridge, by 1873 the term's usage was restricted to plain-clothes officers. The term was an underground term, part of the criminal argot, until it emerged into the mainstream in the 1960s.
grunty, I beg to differ about the police not reacting to the use of the word pigs. My Brother-in-law got threatened with arrest a few weeks ago when he said "it's the pigs" on a night out, not realising that the charming constable was about six feet away at the time
"Oi, call me that again and i'll f*****g nick ya, ya c**t" He said
We laughed and strolled off
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