Police are called "5-0" (five-oh) because of the popular 1968-1980 TV show Hawaii Five-O, named for Hawaii being the 50th state, which embedded the term into pop culture as slang for law enforcement, Alibaba,. The show featured an elite state police task force, making "Five-O" synonymous with the police, even though it wasn't the actual code for Hawaiian police.
5-0. “5-0” (pronounced five-oh) became a popular nickname after the television show Hawaii Five-O which aired from 1968 to 1980. “Five-o” referred to the Hawaiian police force in the show, based on Hawaii being the fiftieth state to join the union.
Five-O may refer to: Five-O, an North American slang term for law enforcement. Hawaii Five-O (1968 TV series), an American television police drama airing from 1968 to 1980. Hawaii Five-O (album), a 1969 album by The Ventures.
For many, especially within certain communities or social circles, '5 0' serves as slang for police officers. This usage stems from the phonetic similarity to the way some people pronounce 'five-oh,' which references the television show "Hawaii Five-O," centered around law enforcement and crime-solving.
bobby, slang term for a member of London's Metropolitan Police derived from the name of Sir Robert Peel, who established the force in 1829. Police officers in London are also known as “peelers” for the same reason.
Bottle and stopper = copper
Copper is a slang term in itself for a policeman. In this case, there are two meanings; a bottle would hold the contents – like police would in jail, or the stopper would prevent someone or something from happening.
They were part of the reform of London's metropolitan police force launched by British home secretary and future prime minister Sir Robert Peel. The officers were henceforth known as bobbies, after Peel's first name, or sometimes as peelers, after his last name.
The show centers on a fictional state police force led by former U.S. naval officer Steve McGarrett (played by Jack Lord), a detective captain, who is appointed by the Governor, Paul Jameson.
Why 12 Is Slang for the Police: Quick Overview. The origin of calling cops “12” is unclear, but many people believe it stems from police radio codes. The code “10-12” is used to inform officers to be discreet since civilians may be nearby, which was shortened to “12” over time.
GROUT is an mnemonic device used to describe suspects in a way that cops will understand. It stands for: G - Gender. R - Race. O - Over as in Above the Torso.
Red ball or redball, jargon for a high-profile police case that draws media and political attention, often used in the book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets.
No, it is a slang term for a police officer but not generally considered offensive including by police officer.
Cops as 5-0 and the 12
In the context of the show, “Five-0” referred to Hawaii being the 50th state. (The show actually influenced two major bits of slang: “Book 'em, Danno,” a phrase used by star Jack Lord in reference to processing perps, also entered the lexicon.)
The number eleven (and twelve) gets its unique name from ancient Germanic words meaning "one left" and "two left" after counting to ten, reflecting an early system where numbers beyond ten were seen as leftovers from a base-ten count, with "eleven" coming from ainalifa (one left) and "twelve" from twalif (two left), differentiating them from the later "-teen" pattern.
The term copper was the original word, used in Britain to mean "someone who captures". In British English, the term cop is recorded (Shorter Oxford Dictionary) in the sense of 'to capture' from 1704, derived from the Latin capere via the Old French caper.
According to Etymonline.com: 1894, "a survival, a thing left over from before," from hang (v.) + over. Meaning "after-effect of excessive drinking" is attested by 1902, American English, on notion of something left over from the night before.
History. Jim "Moose" Brown wrote "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" with Don Rollins (not the same Don Rollins who wrote "The Race Is On" for George Jones in 1963). Although Brown had several other cuts recorded by other artists, this song was the first to make the final cut of an album.
Generally speaking, beers are usually larger in volume than wine or spirits-based drinks, but contain a lower ABV. So, it'll take you longer to drink a beer than a shot or a cocktail, which theoretically gives the body more time to flush out the alcohol.
In Hawaii, the 🤙 (shaka) sign means much more than "hang loose"; it's a symbol of the Aloha Spirit, conveying greetings, thanks, friendship, understanding, and solidarity, replacing formal "hello," "goodbye," or "thank you" in many casual situations, like thanking a driver or showing approval. It signifies goodwill, patience, and a relaxed, positive attitude, embodying love and local pride, and was even made Hawaii's official state hand gesture in 2024.
Living in Hawaii on $3,000 a month is extremely challenging and generally not feasible for a comfortable life, as basic expenses like rent, groceries, and utilities often exceed this amount, requiring a very strict minimalist lifestyle, roommates, or finding rent-free housing, with many experts suggesting over $4,500 monthly is needed for essentials. Housing costs alone, particularly on islands like Oahu, frequently consume most of that budget, with average one-bedrooms around $2,000-$2,200+, making it very tight for everything else.
Gregory Peck was offered the lead role of McGarrett. He turned it down.
In 1822, Sir Robert Peel was appointed Home Secretary. He would become closely associated with penal reform in Britain. He is remembered especially for the formation of the Metropolitan London Police Force in 1829. Police constables were called 'bobbies' or 'peelers' in reference to Peel.
Initially made of cork – which led to constables sometimes being referred to as 'woodentops' - it was possibly based on the Pickelhaube in use by the Prussian army, or perhaps by military helmets more generally.
The Garda Síochána (also commonly referred to as the Gardaí) is the national police force in the Republic of Ireland. The name Garda Síochána in English means 'guardians of the peace'.