Illustration: Corbis

1845: New York City
Police Are Nicknamed "Cops"

In 1845, New York City’s police officers began wearing shields with civilian clothes. The first, called "the star," was an eight-pointed star with the city seal on its center that was made of stamped copper. It is believed to have led to the nickname "coppers," which was abbreviated to "cops." In 1857, the police adopted white metal badges. In 1870, white metal shields with copper numbers, called "the acorn" shield, were introduced. Their unpopularity caused them to be recalled in 1875, after only five years. A fourth badge design, white metal, was then used. From 1889 to 1898, the police wore badges nicknamed "potseys" because they looked like the folded tin cans children used to play the sidewalk game, potsey. A fifth shield was introduced in 1898, after the city’s consolidation. In 1902, the glossy shield made of nickel silver that is still used today was introduced. New York City Police with their copper star badges are pictured here in a 1854 illustration.

–Cynthia Blair