But one of the most popular slang terms for the local police today is “popo”. The word has its origins in 1980s southern California, where T-shirts bearing “PO” (“police officer”) worn by cops on bicycles would, with officers riding in pairs, spell out “POPO”.

In fact, some saw racist overtones in the prank. … Renaming the force “PoPo” — which is slang for police — got mixed reactions, and some felt it was racist. Implying the community should “watch out for the PoPo” was a move some deemed insensitive in light of the controversy over police shootings, CBS Detroit reports.