quick question: wat's a "shake"?

[AuntBee09]

wat's a "shake"? i hear seattle PD say it all the time. i assume it's a drug search, but i'm just guessing. i'll just monitor this forum, so thanx ahead of time

ps: i can't find the definition online. if anyone knows a good site for police codes/jargon, please let me know.

 

[blueline_308]

Give us some context as to how they use it, maybe use it in a sentence that you have heard them say. I mean do they say 'lets go shake that guy' or 'out at 123 n. 43 st with a shake' or 'we are goin on a shake'.............

 

[RWF]

It's like they are checking out a couple guys parked in a car,or a group standing around a bus stop and haven't gotten on the last 2 busses,etc.There is a bus stop/park across the street from my business where drug deals and the like go on.Whenever I hear Spd "on a shake,Delridge and Barton",out the door I go to see what's up.

 

[blueline_308]

Well...it could be short for a shakedown...you know where they do a 'Terry Frisk' for weapons and see how the person reacts (runs, gets unusually nervous, etc.).
OR
If community policing is a big deal where you are, it could be short for a 'shake and talk', which is when the police approach citizens, shake thier hands, introduce themselves and engage in conversation. This activity is a pleaseant way of accomplishing the same thing as a shakedown, because more times than not, if a dude is holding narcotics or guns, they wont talk to the officer or if they do, will either do, say or act in a way that will generate a reasonable suspicion that will allow the officer to change into a more investigative mode.

Now, from being many miles away from your part of the country, these are just educated guesses on my part, based on how things are done over here.

Jim

 

[AuntBee09]

Give us some context as to how they use it, maybe use it in a sentence that you have heard them say. I mean do they say 'lets go shake that guy' or 'out at 123 n. 43 st with a shake' or 'we are goin on a shake'.............

they say it like RWF quoted, "on a shake,Delridge and Barton". and i think it is like searching or interacting with someone to investigate them. nice point about the shaking hands thing tho blueline_308, that's a pretty easy way to know if someone is up to no good.

along the same lines of this question, i often hear an SPU unit report to dispatch saying something like "bob and i are on a detail" . . . what's a "detail" lol? i've always thought it ment the same thing as "patrol", but why don't they just say "patrol" like every other police department in King County? is it officers on foot or on horse back? . . hmmmm any ideas? thanx

 

[karldotcom]

I know this is an old post...but good to see Seattle keeps using the same terms as when I was scanning them in the late 80s.

A shake was a term when PD saw someone suspicious, they would go and check them out. They are letting dispatch know so they arent "available" and will be out of the car for a while. Some departments call it an "FI".....or Field Investigation....where the officer will fill out a little FI card with information on who they contacted, why, etc.....height, weight, hair, that stuff...drivers license or ID card number, visible tattoos.......that will be entered into the computer later.

I am sure you find yourself sitting in traffic sometime and looking at people that you think "wonder what they are up to?!?"....somethine looks out of place, etc. Well, a PD officer can stop and ask them questions about it.

 

[DickH]

... Whenever I hear Spd "on a shake,Delridge and Barton",out the door I go to see what's up.

And someday you may be "what's up" (or down).