Why are the police called 12? Follow
Over generations plenty of slang terms have passed through contemporary lingo for the police. You may have noticed that the term “12” is currently a mainstream part of the vernacular in pop culture and urban communities.
Having originated from the radio code “10-12,” which means that officers are present on site, the “12” was picked up as a common shorthand to reference law enforcement.
Another theory about the origin of the slang “12” is that it is derived from slang specific to Atlanta, Georgia. Narcotics officers in the region were said to have been identified as “unit 12.” This term can be heard in hip hop music and other media as a nod to encounters with police.