Copper maybe making a name with the police (5)
I believe the answer is:
metal
'copper maybe' is the definition.
(I know that copper is a type of metal)
'a name with the police' is the wordplay.
'a name' becomes 'al' ().
'with' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'the police' becomes 'met' (London Metropolitan Police).
'al' after 'met' is 'METAL'.
'making' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for metal that I've seen before include "tin, perhaps" , "Tungsten, for example" , "Solid material, a good conductor of heat and electricity" , "Copper possibly" , "Eg, titanium" .)