or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
or
Amazon Prime Free Trial required. Sign up when you check out. Learn More
More Buying Choices
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Cop Speak: The Lingo of Law Enforcement and Crime
 
 
Tell the Publisher!
I'd like to read this book on Kindle

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Cop Speak: The Lingo of Law Enforcement and Crime [Paperback]

Tom Philbin (Author)
3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)

Price: $15.95 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
  Special Offers Available
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
Want it delivered Monday, January 30? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details
Textbook Student FREE Two-Day Shipping for Students. Learn more

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
Hardcover --  
Paperback $15.95  

Book Description

0471043044 978-0471043041 December 7, 1995 1
From the "git-go" until the case is "cleared," law enforcement officials--and the criminals they pursue--have a language all their own. In CopSpeak, Tom Philbin sets the record straight with a fun, factual, and fascinating compilation that's part dictionary, part encyclopedia, and all entertaining. From "Abe" (five dollars' worth of illegal drugs) to "zombie" (a police officer who works at night), CopSpeak is "phat" (cool). Take a "taste" (sampling):

SHANK

A knife or other sharp instrument used by prison inmates.

Prisoners are ingenious at making shanks. They have been constructed from everything from a metal bed slat to a toothbrush handle in which a razor is embedded. "At any given time," said one ex-convict, "there's enough shanks in a prison to open a cutlery factory."

Special Offers and Product Promotions

  • Buy $50 in qualifying physical textbooks, get $5 in Amazon MP3 Credit. Here's how (restrictions apply)

Frequently Bought Together

Customers buy this book with Cop Talk: A Dictionary of Police Slang $11.95

Cop Speak: The Lingo of Law Enforcement and Crime + Cop Talk: A Dictionary of Police Slang
  • This item: Cop Speak: The Lingo of Law Enforcement and Crime

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • Cop Talk: A Dictionary of Police Slang

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details



Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This prolific author offers a fascinating look at the peculiar argot of law enforcement. Each of the 600+ entries from a variety of domestic and international agencies includes an incisive definition, followed by a brief explanation of the word's background along with the etymology, anecdotal history and narrative accounts associated with it.

From the Back Cover

From the "git-go" until the case is "cleared," law enforcement officials—and the criminals they pursue—have a language all their own. In CopSpeak, Tom Philbin sets the record straight with a fun, factual, and fascinating compilation that's part dictionary, part encyclopedia, and all entertaining. From "Abe" (five dollars' worth of illegal drugs) to "zombie" (a police officer who works at night), CopSpeak is "phat" (cool). Take a "taste" (sampling):

SHANK

A knife or other sharp instrument used by prison inmates.

Prisoners are ingenious at making shanks. They have been constructed from everything from a metal bed slat to a toothbrush handle in which a razor is embedded. "At any given time," said one ex-convict, "there's enough shanks in a prison to open a cutlery factory."


Product Details

  • Paperback: 240 pages
  • Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (December 7, 1995)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0471043044
  • ISBN-13: 978-0471043041
  • Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,202,261 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

 

Customer Reviews

5 Reviews
5 star:
 (2)
4 star:    (0)
3 star:
 (2)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.4 out of 5 stars (5 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars A decent compendium, May 23, 2001
By 
Curtis G (Surf City USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   
This review is from: Cop Speak: The Lingo of Law Enforcement and Crime (Paperback)
I picked this up at the library (it's non-circulating for some reason) to see whether I'd like to own it. After five minutes of scanning, I decided that I already knew most of the material. Some of the text seems as if it has been lifted directly from Mark Baker's "Cops" and Connie Fletcher's "What Cops Know." In fact, there are references to these books, both of which I highly recommend. There was, to be fair, a very detailed list of street names for crack, in case that's useful to you.

"Cop Speak" is a decent compilation of information from diverse sources, but there is very little in the book that you wouldn't learn from reading a few Elmore Leonard novels. Check it out before you buy it.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


3.0 out of 5 stars Useful, January 10, 2003
By 
MarkH_1974 (London, England) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Cop Speak: The Lingo of Law Enforcement and Crime (Paperback)
I thought this was a timely gift for my girl-friends brother Derek as he descends further down his chosen life path. The book not only throw some light on the confusing code that is police `jive' but also provides an interesting look at the psyche of the law enforcement officer. The book is entertaining whilst still putting across vital information for those in frequent contact with cops. I'm sure Derek will find it helpful knowing such phrases as `giving a Rodney', which means its time for you to adopt the foetal position and pray.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Really funny!, February 10, 2010
This review is from: Cop Speak: The Lingo of Law Enforcement and Crime (Paperback)
Fun to read and makes you really think about what cops have to go through every day!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews



Only search this product's reviews



Inside This Book (learn more)
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
hollow point bullets, dying declaration
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New York City, Los Angeles, Oxford English Dictionary, Henry Lee Lucas, United States, Connie Fletcher, Practical Homicide Investigation, Suffolk County, Eric Partridge, Mark Baker's Cops, Pure Cop, San Francisco, Vernon Geberth, Edgar Hoover, Their Own Words
New!
Concordance | Text Stats
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:


What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?


Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   
Related forums



So You'd Like to...


Create a guide


Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject