12 Meaning

What Does 12 Mean in a Text?

The Quick Answer

12 means "Police."

More Observations...

The number 12 is used to refer to the police or other law enforcement personnel. For example:

• The 12 pulled me over and said, "Papers." I said, "Scissors, I win!" and drove off. I think he wants a rematch, because he's been following me for the last 20 minutes.
• The 12 said "We are going to have to give you a drugs test." I said "Cool, which drugs are we testing?"

The most popular theory for the use of the number 12 to refer to the police, claims that it comes from Adam-12, a TV crime drama about the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). The show ran for seven seasons, from 1968 to 1975, and followed two officers on patrol in the city. Their patrol unit callsign was 1-Adam-12. 12 is one of many abbreviations for the police. Others include:

• 50.
• COPS.
• FIVE O.
• FUZZ.
• PIGS.
• ROZZERS.
• SOWS (female police officers).

Image for 12

When I write 12, I mean this:

Adam-12 was a popular TV show.

Summary of Key Points

"Police" is, by far, the most common meaning for 12 when it is used in a text. (Bear in mind that it could have another meaning if used in a different context.)

12
Definition:	Police
Type:	Internet Slang Term
Guessability:	4: Difficult to guess
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Using Numbers in Texts

This video shows the different ways that numbers are used in "text speak":

Example of 12 Used in a Text

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