The van driven by the police, to pick up unruly teens out getting drunk in public places, after the town curfew, used to bring the teens to the police station, usually for the night.

means "P. D. Wagon"

modern: Van or truck used for transporting prisoners.

Origins of the phrase are not sinister. The origin is from the era of horse drawn box enclosed wagons employed by the Police Department, especially of New York City. These wagons had the sole identification painted on the sides, in large letters the initials P.D. When spoken the term "P.D. Wagon" easily becomes "paddy wagon".

While the word "paddy" may be in modern use in derogatory ways, the development of those meanings are separate and unrelated to the "P. D. Wagon".

These derogatory uses however, have led to fabricated, invented and much more complicated explanations of the phrase "paddy wagon" and while a word or phrase may develop new meanings over time, and thus become valid of themselves, that does not change the true and simple origin as a slurring of the phrase "P.D. Wagon"

Irish/English word for Police Van where they load up typical gangs of drunks that are acting the eejit in public

The term 'paddy wagon' is of English origin due to it's use to pick up drunk Irish louts (paddy's) from pub brawls.

It is commonly used across all prior English colonies including Canada, Australia, New Zealand and many others.

Contrary to other postings here, the term 'divvy van' is unbeknownst to any Australia on my extensive MSN list, nor have I heard it in the 47 years I've lived here, so I'd say it's someone attempting to coin a phrase.

Paddy wagon may be used all over australia but the term "divvy van" is also used such as at cricket matchs

When a girl (transexual) whips out her ginormous penis, proceeds to slap her boyfriend in the face and breasts, ejaculates in his hair, shoves a lollipop in his ass, has a horse eat it, then jacks the horse off.

Also used in the northern states of Australia, the wankers down south call them divvy vans

An old station wagon, festooned with rust and riding on bald snow tires. Known as a "paddy" wagon because it is driven by an illiterate, chain-smoking Irish-American blowse named "Erin" to pick up her alcoholic boyfriend "Kevin" and his severely retarded, anti-social brother "Seamus" from the bus station.

Used all over Australia, dumbarse. Never heard of that other description.