"12" is slang for the police, originating from the police radio code "10-12" (meaning "visitors/civilians present") or the TV show Adam-12, and popularized in hip-hop to warn of law enforcement presence or express anti-police sentiment, often appearing in phrases like "Fuck 12".
It's police code. Specifically, “10–12,” which means visitors are present, or that an officer isn't alone. “So shouting '12' was a street way to warn others that cops were nearby,” explained retired officer Ralston.
12 is a slang term for police or any law enforcement officials. It came from the police radio code “10-12” and the 1968 TV show Adam-12, which followed two police officers Pete Malloy and Jim Reed, from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) patrolling the Los Angeles streets in their patrol car, 1-Adam-12.
The Mystery of '12': Unpacking the Slang for Police
You might hear someone say, "Watch out for 12," and while to some it may sound like an obscure reference, to many others it's an immediate signal: police are nearby.
You might hear someone say “12 is coming” in a song or on the street and wonder what it means. The term “12” is slang for police officers. People use this code word to warn others that cops are nearby or approaching.
12 is slang for Police officers because of the 10-12 Police radio code.
For example, 12 o'clock means directly ahead, 3 o'clock means directly to the right, 6 o'clock means directly behind, and 9 o'clock means directly to the left.
In slang, "clock" means to notice, realize, or identify something or someone, often something hidden or obvious; it can also mean to hit someone hard, or, in queer culture, to recognize someone as transgender, though this usage can be sensitive. So, "I clocked you" could mean "I noticed you" or "I saw you were trans," while "clock it" means "notice that!" or "I agree with that observation".
Eighty-six or 86 is American English slang, generally meaning to "get rid of" someone or something. In the hospitality industry, it is used to indicate that an item is no longer available, traditionally from a food or drinks establishment, or referring to a person or people who are not welcome on the premises.
So, why are police called 12? ✔️ The most likely reason is the 10-12 police code, which warns officers that bystanders (or potential threats) are nearby. ✔️ Some believe it comes from Atlanta's narcotics unit numbers. ✔️ Others think it's inspired by the TV show Adam-12.
“12” is slang for the police or law enforcement. It is used as a warning, especially in situations involving illegal activities. The term is similar to other slang terms like “po-po” and “one-time.”
In Atlanta and other parts of the South, “12” is widely used slang for cops, due to its frequent use in rap and hip-hop songs.
12 is slang for Police officers because of the 10-12 Police radio code.
'12' has become a common term in urban slang, particularly when referring to police officers. Its origins are steeped in the evolution of communication within law enforcement and the cultural expressions that have shaped its meaning over time.
For some time past there has been going the rounds of the men about town the slang phrase "Twenty-three." The meaning attached to it is to "move on," "get out," "good-bye, glad you are gone," "your move" and so on.
Through numeric substitution, 39 is the Internet chat slang term for "Thank you" when written with numbers: 3 (三, san) and 9 (九, kyū).
Eighty-six is slang meaning "to throw out," "to get rid of," or "to refuse service to." It comes from 1930s soda-counter slang meaning that an item was sold out. There is varying anecdotal evidence about why the term eighty-six was used, but the most common theory is that it is rhyming slang for nix.
213 (pronounced "Two One Three") was an American hip-hop group from Long Beach, California composed of Snoop Dogg, Warren G and Nate Dogg. The name derives from Los Angeles' original telephone area code 213, which served the city of Long Beach at the time of the group's formation (it later became area code 562).
The 10-12 police code means: *“Stand by / Be on alert” or “There are visitors or bystanders present.” Officers often use 10-12 when referring to civilians or other people nearby. Over time, 10-12 was shortened to just “12,” and people started using it as a warning that police were present.
The number 12 is strongly associated with the heavens—the 12 months, the 12 signs of the zodiac, and the 12 stations of the Moon and of the Sun. The ancients recognized 12 main northern stars and 12 main southern stars. There are 24 =…
an integer equal to or greater than ten. adjective. denoting a quantity consisting of 12 items or units. synonyms: dozen, twelve, xii. cardinal.
12 in words is written as Twelve.
ACAB, an acronym for all cops are bastards, is a political slogan associated with those opposed to the police and commonly expressed as a catchphrase in graffiti or tattoos. It is sometimes expressed as 1312, with each digit representing the position of the corresponding letter in the English alphabet.
12. The Police. Any law enforcement agent. See also "PO-PO" and "ONE-TIME." Shouting "TWELVE" when the cops are spotted approaching the scene of some illegal activity.
730 (comparative more 730, superlative most 730) (New York, slang) Crazy, insane.