⇨ smokey bear; smokey; bearnoun a police officer; the police. Citizens' band radio slang; from Smokey Bear (aka Smokey the Bear), a caricatured black bear, from Capitan, New Mexico, used since 1950 to promote forest fire prevention. The symbolic bear wears a hat similar to that worn by US highway patrol officers and state troopers. Also used to designate police in various forms: 'smokey beaver' (a policewoman), 'smokey convention' (two or more police cars), 'smokey on four legs' (mounted police), 'smokey with a camera' (police using speed detection equipment), 'smokey with ears' (police with radio), etc US, 1975