I am not here to explain to you what it is. I see a lot of people talking about the long arm. Many seems to take the words of Suoodh wrong. I will just present with 3 meanings. A dictionary meaning, an explanation of the origin of the term by ABC news and a poem on this.
The dictionary meaning
( http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/long+arm+of+the+law,+the )
1- The far-reaching power of the authorities. For example, You'll never get away with leaving work early; the long arm of the law is bound to catch you. This expression began as Kings have long arms (or hands) and was listed as a proverb in 1539. The current version, now often used lightly, was first recorded in 1908.
An explanation of its origin by the ABC news. (http://www.abc.net.au/newsradio/txt/s1531144.htm)
2- A News Radio listener asks for the origin of the expression the long arm of the law – meaning (of course) that you can’t escape the reach of the law.
Quotations expert Nigel Rees thinks all of these expressions ultimately derive from an old English proverb
It’s first recorded as the title of movie in 1956. But a century earlier, in Pickwick Papers Charles Dickens referred to “the strong arm of the law”. And then in The Mystery of Edwin Drood in 1870 Dickens got even closer to the modern expression when he wrote that “The arm of the law is a strong arm, and a long arm.” Quotations expert Nigel Rees thinks all of these expressions ultimately derive from an old English proverb (recorded from 1539) which says: “Kings have long arms, many ears, and many eyes.” Since in feudal times the king was the law it seems Rees is right – and the expression the long arm of the law grew from the proverbial “long arm of the king”.
3- A poem A teacher of mine showed me this poem on the topic and asked to read so I will know what it really means. Its worth to read than trying with own guesses. (http://www.poemhunter.com/song/long-arm-of-the-law/)
Long Arm of The Law
In cumberland kentucky
On a cool hot evening
Billy lay in love with marrianne
She was a rich judge’s daughter
He was a son of a miner
But that night their love was more than they could stand
The judge said to his daughter
That son of that coal miner
Is someone you’ll go hell to leave alone
She knew his dad so well
She knew she couldn’t tell
But the truth was bound in show before too long
Their love had started growing on it’s own
You can’t out run the long arm of the law
No, you can’t out run the long arm of the law
Billy placed his hand on mary
And he felt the baby’s moving
Kissed her and said I’ll see you when I can
The judge had made a promise
When he caught up with billy
He’d sent him far away from marianne
The whole town knew he’d do it
Too many times he’d proved it
To at least a hundred men behind the wall
He’d smiled behind that frown
And when he brought that gavel down
He called himself the long arm of the law
And he’d set his mind on seeing billy fall
In a hot humid mine shack
A mid-white pulled the sheet back
And placed cool damp towel on marianne
Billy’s eyes were wide with wonder
From the spell he was under
When she placed the new born baby in his hands
He didn’t hear the siren
Just a baby’s crying
That miracle of love was all he saw
When the door came crashing down
And billy turned around
He felt the heart and soul inside him fall
He stood face to face
With the long arm of the law
You can’t out run the long arm of the law
No, you can’t out run the long arm of the law
You can hide out for a while
He says with a smile
But you can’t out run the long arm of the law
Seemed like everybody down in cumberland kentucky
Came out that day to see poor billy’s trial
The court was called to order
There sat the judge’s daughter
She looked so proud
Holding billy’s child
When they brought billy to him
The judge just look right thru him
As he held that holy Bible in his hand
And he smiled at his grandson
Then his eyes cut back to billy
And said I think this time
The law will understand
Son, I sentence you to live with marianne
You can’t out run the long arm of the law
No, you can’t out run the long arm of the law
He said to billy with a smile
I know you hide out for a while
Ah but you can’t out run the long arm of the law
No you can’t out run the long arm of the law
The dictionary meaning
( http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/long+arm+of+the+law,+the )
1- The far-reaching power of the authorities. For example, You'll never get away with leaving work early; the long arm of the law is bound to catch you. This expression began as Kings have long arms (or hands) and was listed as a proverb in 1539. The current version, now often used lightly, was first recorded in 1908.
An explanation of its origin by the ABC news. (http://www.abc.net.au/newsradio/txt/s1531144.htm)
2- A News Radio listener asks for the origin of the expression the long arm of the law – meaning (of course) that you can’t escape the reach of the law.
Quotations expert Nigel Rees thinks all of these expressions ultimately derive from an old English proverb
It’s first recorded as the title of movie in 1956. But a century earlier, in Pickwick Papers Charles Dickens referred to “the strong arm of the law”. And then in The Mystery of Edwin Drood in 1870 Dickens got even closer to the modern expression when he wrote that “The arm of the law is a strong arm, and a long arm.” Quotations expert Nigel Rees thinks all of these expressions ultimately derive from an old English proverb (recorded from 1539) which says: “Kings have long arms, many ears, and many eyes.” Since in feudal times the king was the law it seems Rees is right – and the expression the long arm of the law grew from the proverbial “long arm of the king”.
3- A poem A teacher of mine showed me this poem on the topic and asked to read so I will know what it really means. Its worth to read than trying with own guesses. (http://www.poemhunter.com/song/long-arm-of-the-law/)
Long Arm of The Law
In cumberland kentucky
On a cool hot evening
Billy lay in love with marrianne
She was a rich judge’s daughter
He was a son of a miner
But that night their love was more than they could stand
The judge said to his daughter
That son of that coal miner
Is someone you’ll go hell to leave alone
She knew his dad so well
She knew she couldn’t tell
But the truth was bound in show before too long
Their love had started growing on it’s own
You can’t out run the long arm of the law
No, you can’t out run the long arm of the law
Billy placed his hand on mary
And he felt the baby’s moving
Kissed her and said I’ll see you when I can
The judge had made a promise
When he caught up with billy
He’d sent him far away from marianne
The whole town knew he’d do it
Too many times he’d proved it
To at least a hundred men behind the wall
He’d smiled behind that frown
And when he brought that gavel down
He called himself the long arm of the law
And he’d set his mind on seeing billy fall
In a hot humid mine shack
A mid-white pulled the sheet back
And placed cool damp towel on marianne
Billy’s eyes were wide with wonder
From the spell he was under
When she placed the new born baby in his hands
He didn’t hear the siren
Just a baby’s crying
That miracle of love was all he saw
When the door came crashing down
And billy turned around
He felt the heart and soul inside him fall
He stood face to face
With the long arm of the law
You can’t out run the long arm of the law
No, you can’t out run the long arm of the law
You can hide out for a while
He says with a smile
But you can’t out run the long arm of the law
Seemed like everybody down in cumberland kentucky
Came out that day to see poor billy’s trial
The court was called to order
There sat the judge’s daughter
She looked so proud
Holding billy’s child
When they brought billy to him
The judge just look right thru him
As he held that holy Bible in his hand
And he smiled at his grandson
Then his eyes cut back to billy
And said I think this time
The law will understand
Son, I sentence you to live with marianne
You can’t out run the long arm of the law
No, you can’t out run the long arm of the law
He said to billy with a smile
I know you hide out for a while
Ah but you can’t out run the long arm of the law
No you can’t out run the long arm of the law