[Mitch86]

A minor point: I am greatly amused by the continued use of the word ‘bobbies’ in this thread and on the website in general. I’m not sure where you have got this from. No-one, and I include my OAP parents in this, uses that word in this country anymore. Coppers, Rozzers, the Old Bill, yes. Youngsters, as in most cases, have begun aping their US counterparts and calling them “the feds”. But never, ever Bobbies

[expat1000]

A minor point: I am greatly amused by the continued use of the word ‘bobbies’ in this thread and on the website in general. I’m not sure where you have got this from. No-one, and I include my OAP parents in this, uses that word in this country anymore.

Really? Explain this, then.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?ITO=1704&searchPhrase=bobbies

That's 43 pages at 10 hits, per, and that is just the Daily Mail.

[sinsofsolarempirefan]

Up here in Lancashire, I know many police officers who call themselves ‘bobbies’ and they are known as such by members of the public as well (generally by people who have a positive opinion of them). Of course, they are called more pejorative terms as well by people of the sort who have reasons to view them in a less affectionate way.
In Manchester they’re known as ‘the Dibble’ and in Liverpool as ‘the Bizzies’ (because allegedly, whenever you call them, they’re always busy).