(By analogy with George Orwell' s "Thought Police" in "1984") A mythical team of Gestapo-like storm troopers thAT might burst into one' s office and arrest one for violATing programming style rules. May be used either seriously, to underline a claim thAT a particular style violATion is dangerous, or ironically, to suggest thAT the practice under discussion is condemned mainly by anal-retentive weenies. "Dike out thATgoto or the code police will get you!" The ironic usage is perhaps more common. [Jargon File] (1994-12-08)