The term “12” as slang for police originates from a few theories, with one popular explanation being linked to the police radio codes. In some areas, the number “12” was used as shorthand for police officers, particularly in the 1970s. Another possible origin comes from a reference to a local radio code for police, or it may simply be a symbolic term that stuck over time, much like “the fuzz” or “the po-po.” While it doesn’t directly correlate with the mathematical sum of 9 + 1 + 1, the term “12” became a widespread nickname for law enforcement in American pop culture, especially in hip-hop and street slang.
