The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003):

code police
 n.

    [by analogy with George Orwell's ?thought police?] 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 that goto or the code police
    will get you!? The ironic usage is perhaps more common.


The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (30 December 2018):

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]

   (1994-12-08)