code police

(By analogy with George Orwell's "Thought Police" in "1984") A mythical team of Gestapo-like storm troopers that enforce programming style rules. Used ironically, to suggest that the practice under discussion is condemned mainly by anal-retentive weenies. "Dike out that goto or the code police will get you!" The ironic usage is perhaps more common.

[Jargon File]