sniffer n.— «As they talk, the flashlight—this is no ordinary flashlight—is on the job. It is a little-known device that surreptitiously traps a sample of a motorist’s breath and tests for the presence of alcohol. Commonly called...
grow-op n.— «Law enforcement agencies seized 11 expensive homes in Andover, Pembroke, Concord, Canterbury, Hopkinton, Weare and other communities and confiscated 7,000 high-quality marijuana plants. The police called it the biggest drug...
wobbler n.— «Section 273.5 cases are considered “wobblers” in law enforcement jargon, meaning charges can be filed either as misdemeanors or felonies. The decision is left to the arresting officer, detective supervisor and...
grow teeth v. phr. in golf, (said of a course or hole) to become difficult; generally, to increase in importance or effect. Editorial Note: The Oxford English Dictionary has a sense under tooth “pl. denoting the ability to compel or enforce...
move over law n.— «Florida has what’s called a Move Over law. Here’s how the driver’s handbook explains it: “When driving on interstate highways or other highways with two or more lanes traveling in the direction of the emergency...
dipmom n.— «Jones agrees, saying she is heartbroken about a new law enforcement acronym: “dipmoms,” which stands for “dad in prison, mom on meth.”» —“Guv hooked on Montana’s anti-meth ads” by Matt...