WE all have to follow the letter of the law – but most of us wouldn’t have a clue if a policeman started talking about a C/ARB or FAT.
London’s Metropolitan Police has published a bible of acronyms and phrases for its officers that contains more than 2,000 terms.
Many would even flummox the jargon-loving cops from AC-12 in TV’s Line Of Duty.
The glossary reveals C/ARB stands for Collision/Accident Report Book, while FAT is Factory Acceptance Test.
As you would expect, FBI represents America’s Federal Bureau Of Investigation, but CIA — one of the many confusing acronyms that have multiple meanings — stands for Community Impact Assessment or Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability.
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Film buffs might also be surprised to learn that the MIB actually exists — but it’s not the alien-hunting Men In Black.
It stands for Met Intelligence Bureau.
The Plain English Campaign, which lobbies against gobbledegook, says acronyms can be useful only when everyone knows what they mean.
The group’s Tony Maher said: “If there are too many, you risk some people becoming confused.”
We round up some of the baffling police lingo, where Elvis, Jedi piano and RIP don’t mean what you would think . . .
AHORSETR: Assistant Horse Trainer
ALIB/ALIBRARN: Assistant Librarian
AMI: Apparent Mental Illness
BAU: Business As Usual
BOBB: Behave Or Be Banned
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C/ARB: Collision/Accident Report Book
CBSS: College Based Sandwich Student
CCC: Central Communications Command or Central Casualty Bureau
CCCs: Community Consultation Coordinators
CEO: Communications Enquiry Office or Communications & Electronics Officer
CIA: Community Impact Assessment or Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability
DV: Domestic Violence or Development Vetting
DECT: Digitally Enhanced Cordless Telephone
ED: Expected Delivery or Excited Delirium
EEK: Early Evidence Kits
ELVIS: Easy Link Vehicle Information System
FAT: Factory Acceptance Test
HH: Tower Hamlets or Half Hour
IR: Informal Resolution or Information Room
ISS4PS: Information Systems Strategy For The Police Service
JEDI: Joint Enforcement Development Initiatives
LEAD: Local Environmental Awareness of Dogs
MAP: Mobile Aware Project or Microsoft Accelerate Programme
MI: Major Incident or Management Information or Met Intelligence
MIB: Met Intelligence Bureau
MSN: Most Significant Nibble
PAT: Positive Action Team or Procurement Assurance Team
PC: Personal Computer or Police Constable or Public Complaint
PIANO: Personal Injury Accident Notification Online
RIP: Retention Improvement Project
SHACKS: Seen, Heard, Actions, Conversation, Knowledge and Smell
SOIE: Set Off In Error
SC: Security Check or Special Constable or Specialist Crime
VFM: Value For Money
WEEE: Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment
