Truth be told, after watching this show for the last few years, and then seeing this video clip, I find myself using that phrase every day. A lot. lol

Do me a favor and watch the video. :thumbsup:

It's a nice way of saying 'do this or i will arrest you for obstruction'/I'm politely asking you to do something that I really can't force you to do.

Funny how it has become so nationalised though.

Edited February 25, 201214 yr by Ekalb

I love the expression "Do me a favor", Especially when it comes to police work, I think mainly most of the officers use it as a term to be polite, Instead of being like "Sit down right here" With a stern voice, You can say in a gentle toned but strict voiced "Do me a favor bud, Have a seat right here", Sounds more professional.

EDIT: Well, I was semi ninja'd by Ekalb, But I'll take it as we both have the same point of views .

Agreed with Ekalb and JAM. It's commonly used but it is a very polite way of ordering a subject to do something. I only just noticed after watching this video how much the RCMP in my town and myself have used this saying, haha. It's just polite, and yeah...

It doesn't have to even be anything that could be said forcefully. I had a bad smell of smoke/natural gas in my house on Tuesday, so I called 911 and PD showed up on scene first. He parked at the end of my driveway and came up to talk to us, and as we were talking, and it was freaking cold outside, and I had left my jacket inside as we evacuated, and he goes "Hey, do me a favor, tell me where your coat is so I can have FD get it when they get here" and then one of the firefighters got my coat for me. Wasn't forceful, mainly polite.

Was it Al Capone who said "You can get further with a kind word and a gun than just a gun" ? I might be wrong on that quote but it's a similar meaning. Implying someone is doing something of their own free will when in fact both parties know it is a demand does ease a situation.

EDIT: Actually thnking about it Al Capone might have said it the other way "You can get further with a kind word and a gun than just a kind word". Which sounds more in character for him and obviously has a very different meaning :p

Anyway I agree with the first few posts and the OP regarding "Do me a favour" A polite way of saying "do it now" :)

However if you have a suspect where it is important to instantly establish your authority then such language may be taken as weakness and abused.

Time and a place for both approaches.

Edited February 25, 201214 yr by Molten

When they say "do me a favor", it actually means "do it, before I force you to do it". You can see, that everytime they don't obey to "do me a favor", they will land on the ground face to the floor. It's a really polite expression for that though.

Favor? Oh, that's American spelling. It's spelt favour in Australia. Cool video find!

Favor? Oh, that's American spelling. It's spelt favour in Australia. Cool video find!

Yeah, same thing with colour, they write it color in America. It's just how they reformed English and the Brits/Australians didn't.

The term 'do me a favor' can be used as a form of mental manipulation through speech, in such a way that when you ask someone a question like "Can you do me a favor and hang on a minute?" they're less likely to reject your request. This is used in policing but also as a sales strategy in many retail stores. At a store that I worked at for years, instead of telling someone to stop and see security on your way out to check your bags for stolen items, I'd say "Alright, you're all set; just do me a favor and show that receipt on your way out, alright?" I had never got a rejection for that request, ever.

The term 'do me a favor' can be used as a form of mental manipulation through speech, in such a way that when you ask someone a question like "Can you do me a favor and hang on a minute?" they're less likely to reject your request...."

^^^This, police officers use that phrase amongst other to gain compliance without making it seem like they are forcing you to do it. Now if you were to reject and not do the officer a favor they might make you anyway.