How to Say "Police Officer" in Japanese: Common Terms and Slang

There are several ways to say "police officer" in Japanese, and each one has a different level of formality and usage. We'll first look at the common terms—these are the words you'll hear most often in conversations. Then, we'll explore slang terms, which are useful for understanding anime and dramas.

1. Common Terms for “Police Officer”

Below is a quick reference table for the most frequently used terms. After this table, we'll dive deeper into each expression.

1.1 お巡りさん (おまわりさん) – "Policeman" (Casual & Friendly)

✅ Usage: Casual, friendly, polite
✅ Situations: Talking to or about a local police officer (kōban officer), especially in daily conversation.

• This is the most common word used by the general public, especially children.
• Not formal, but not rude—it’s a friendly way to refer to police officers.

Example Sentences

1. お巡りさん、道を教えてください。
   – "Officer, can you tell me the way?" (Friendly way to ask for directions.)
2. 子供が「お巡りさん、こんにちは！」と言った。
   – "A child said, 'Hello, officer!'"

1.2 警察官 (けいさつかん) – "Police Officer" (Neutral & Formal)

✅ Usage: Formal, neutral, professional
✅ Situations: Used in news reports, job titles, legal documents, and general formal speech.

• This is the most neutral and general term for a police officer.
• It refers to any officer, regardless of rank or department.
• Not used when speaking directly to an officer—it’s more of a descriptive term.

Example Sentences

1. 彼は警察官として働いている。
   – "He works as a police officer."
2. 警察官が事件を捜査している。
   – "The police officer is investigating the case."

1.3 警官 (けいかん) – "Police Officer" (Neutral, but Slightly Less Formal)

✅ Usage: Neutral, used in everyday speech & writing
✅ Situations: Used when referring to a police officer in general conversation or media (TV, books, newspapers).

• Shorter and slightly less formal than 警察官, but still a respectful term.
• Not usually used when addressing an officer directly.

Example Sentences

1. あの警官はとても親切だった。
   – "That police officer was very kind."
2. 警官が現場に駆けつけた。
   – "A police officer rushed to the scene."

1.4 巡査 (じゅんさ) – "Police Constable" (Rank-Based)

✅ Usage: Formal, used in official settings
✅ Situations: Used to refer to a low-ranking officer in a professional setting.

• This is an actual rank within the police force.
• Not commonly used in everyday speech, but appears in formal documents, reports, and TV dramas.

Example Sentences

1. 彼は巡査に昇進した。
   – "He was promoted to police constable."
2. 巡査がパトロールをしている。
   – "A police constable is patrolling the area."

1.5 刑事 (けいじ) – "Detective" (For Investigators)

✅ Usage: Formal, used for police detectives
✅ Situations: Refers specifically to detectives or investigators.

• Used when referring to officers who handle criminal investigations (not general patrol officers).
• Frequently heard in police dramas, news reports, and crime-related stories.

Example Sentences

1. 彼は刑事として働いている。
   – "He works as a detective."
2. 刑事が容疑者を取り調べている。
   – "The detective is interrogating the suspect."

1.6 警視 (けいし) – "Police Inspector" (High Rank)

✅ Usage: Formal, rank-specific
✅ Situations: Used for high-ranking officers, especially in police hierarchies.

• Not used in casual speech but appears in official settings, police dramas, and crime reports.

Example Sentence

1. 彼は警視に任命された。
   – "He was appointed as a police inspector."

Summary

• お巡りさん – Friendly, used when talking to or about a patrolling officer.
• 警察官 – Formal, neutral, general term for any police officer.
• 警官 – Shorter than 警察官, often used in conversation or media.
• 巡査 – Rank-based term for a low-ranking officer.
• 刑事 – Detective (used for criminal investigations).
• 警視 – Police inspector (higher rank, formal).

For everyday conversation, お巡りさん or 警察官 are the best choices.

2. Slang and Informal Expressions

Just like English (“cops,” “pigs,” “the feds”), Japanese also has slang for police officers. Some are neutral or mildly negative, while others are outright offensive. Be aware of them if you watch anime or crime dramas, but use caution in real-life situations—most are best understood passively rather than spoken.

2.1 サツ (Satsu) – "Cops" (Common Slang)

✅ Most common Japanese slang for "cops."
✅ Slightly negative but not extremely rude.
✅ Often used in movies, anime, and by street gangs.

Example Sentences:

1. サツに見つかったらヤバいぞ！
   – "If the cops find us, we’re screwed!"
2. あそこにサツがいる。
   – "There are cops over there."

🚨 Comparable to English "cops" or "the feds."

2.2 ポリ (Pori) – "Police" (Casual & Neutral)

✅ Comes from "police" (ポリス, porisu) but shortened.
✅ Used jokingly or in casual conversation.
✅ Not as rude as サツ.

Example Sentences:

1. ポリが来た！逃げろ！
   – "The cops are here! Run!"
2. ポリに止められたけど、何も聞かれなかった。
   – "I got stopped by the cops, but they didn’t ask anything."

🚔 Comparable to "police" or "po-po" in English.

2.3 ポリ公 (Porikō) – "Pig" (Derogatory)

❌ Very rude and insulting.
❌ Used by criminals, delinquents, and anti-police people.
❌ Avoid using unless you're writing fiction or quoting someone.

Example Sentences:

1. ポリ公なんて信用できない。
   – "You can’t trust those pigs."
2. ポリ公がまたウロウロしてるぞ。
   – "The pigs are lurking around again."

🐷 Comparable to "pigs" in English.

2.4 デカ (Deka) – "Detective" (Neutral & Common in Crime Fiction)

✅ Originally from 刑事 (けいじ, keiji – "detective"), but shortened.
✅ Common in police dramas, crime stories, and old-school gangster movies.
✅ Not offensive, but sounds cool, like "detective" in crime films.

Example Sentences:

1. あのデカ、ずっと俺たちを見張ってる。
   – "That detective has been watching us the whole time."
2. 兄貴は昔、デカだったんだよ。
   – "My older brother used to be a detective."

🕵️‍♂️ Comparable to "detective" or "cop" in English.

2.5 マッポ (Mappo) – "The Cops" (Old-School & Slightly Negative)

🔴 Sounds old-fashioned, used in classic gangster movies.
🔴 Not extremely rude, but not polite either.
🔴 People don’t use it much anymore except in historical/crime fiction.

Example Sentences:

1. マッポが来るぞ、急げ！
   – "The cops are coming, hurry!"
2. 昔はヤクザとマッポの戦いがすごかった。
   – "Back in the day, the yakuza and the cops had intense battles."

🚔 Comparable to "the fuzz" or "the boys in blue" in English.

2.6 犬 (いぬ, Inu) – "Snitch" (Derogatory Slang)

❌ Literally means "dog," but in slang, it refers to a police informant or snitch.
❌ Used in yakuza films, crime dramas, and delinquent speech.
❌ Strongly negative—implies betrayal, often used to insult someone cooperating with the police.

Example Sentences:

1. あいつは警察の犬だ。
   – "That guy is a snitch for the cops."
2. 組の仲間に犬がいるかもしれない。
   – "There might be a snitch among our crew."

🐕 Comparable to "snitch" or "rat" in English.

3. Summary Table

The Bottom Line

• Everyday life? → お巡りさん (friendly) or 警察官 (formal)
• Casual joking? → ポリ
• Talking about detectives? → デカ
• Street talk or slang? → サツ
• Want to sound like a gangster? → 犬 (いぬ), マッポ, or ポリ公 (🚫 Not recommended in real life!)