the popo

 It seems that it is time for slang names for the police, such as the cops or the rozzers, to make way for the latest American import which is the popo. This is a Californian slang term from the 1980s which has taken a little while to become popular here.  The theory is that it is the shortened form of police, or the acronym from police officer. One suggestion is that PO was on the uniform of police officers back then.  Reduplication makes it the more satisfactory popo.

 In informal contexts such as Twitter where the police are now aiming to engage the public humorously from time to time and bump up their ratings so that important messages are read, the police will refer to themselves as the popo.  The slang name is coloured in different ways, depending on who is using it.