blue wall of silence
Strict secretiveness maintained by the members of a police force with respect to information which might be contrary to their interests, especially information concerning questionable police actions.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The officers kept the blue wall of silence about the accident.”
“The blue wall of silence protects dishonest police officers from being punished.”
“Internal investigators struggled to uncover the truth because the officers maintained a strict blue wall of silence.”
“The young officer felt pressured to follow the blue wall of silence after witnessing his partner take a bribe from a local shop owner.”
“Lawyers for the victim argued that the blue wall of silence prevented witnesses from speaking honestly about what happened during the arrest.”
“Despite mounting public pressure for accountability, the department remained protected by a rigid blue wall of silence that prevented any meaningful reform.”
Derived from the traditional colour of police uniforms, the term describes a code of informal silence maintained among officers. It appeared in the late 20th century to denote the refusal of law enforcement personnel to report the misconduct or crimes of their colleagues.
- 01
back to the wall
A very difficult situation with no beneficial options available for action.
- 02
balls to the wall
With maximum effort or commitment.
- 03
bang one's head against a brick wall
To waste effort on a futile project.
- 04
blue chamber
A forbidden room.
- 05
blue devils
Low spirits; depression.
- 06
blue moon
A long time.
- 07
blue note
The flatted 5th scale degree in the blues scale.
- 08
blue ribbon
Highly superior in quality, style, substance, prestige, etc.
Last updated August 10, 2026