paddywaggon

n

a secure police van, a black maria or a police car. This term was introduced into Britain and Australia from the United States at the end of the 19th century. The reference to paddy reflects the impor-tance of the Irish population of New York and other northern cities in providing police officers at the time, rather than to the number of Irishmen arrested. Meat wagon is a racier, more modern alterna-tive.