Green’s Dictionary of Slang

lice n.

[deliberate derog. mispron.]

(N.Z. prison) the police.

[NZ]D. Looser Boobslang [U. Canterbury D.Phil. thesis] 107/1: lice n. the police. [from pronunciation of ‘police’ = police; as one inmate explains: 'You can't seem to get them out of your hair. '] .