Law enforcement
officials use a system known as the 10-codes. Many of these coded vary a
little from area to area. Some of these codes are the same across the state.
The purpose of this is to be able to rapidly and accurately handle official dispatches,
messages and information between mobile units and their stations, between
stations and to and from other departments within the area. These abbreviated
codes are used to help avoid some of the miscommunication when talking on
the radio during an emergency scene.
| A |
Adam |
Alpha |
J |
John |
Juliette |
S |
Sam |
Sierra |
| B |
Boy |
Bravo |
K |
King |
Kilo |
T |
Tom |
Tange |
| C |
Charles |
Charlie |
L |
Lincoln |
Lima |
U |
Union |
Uniform |
| D |
David |
Delta |
M |
Mary |
Mike |
V |
Victor |
Victor |
| E |
Edward |
Echo |
N |
Nora |
November |
W |
William |
Whiskey |
| F |
Frank |
Foxtrot |
O |
Ocean |
Oscar |
X |
X-Ray |
X-Ray |
| G |
George |
Golf |
P |
Paul |
Papa |
Y |
Young |
Yankee |
| H |
Henry |
Hotel |
Q |
Queen |
Quebec |
Z |
Zebra |
Zulu |
| I |
Ida |
India |
R |
Robert |
Romeo |
|
|
|
10-1 Receiving
poorly
10-2 Receiving well
10-3 Stop Transmitting
10-4 Acknowledgments
10-5 Relay message
10-6 Busy
10-7 Out of service
10-8 In service
10-9 Repeat, conditions bad
10-10 Out of service - subject to call
10-11 Dispatching too rapidly
10-12 Officials or visitors present
10-13 Advise weather conditions
10-14 Convoy or escort
10-15 Have prisoner in custody
10-16 Pick up prisoner at----
10-17 Pick up papers at -----
10-18 Complete
present assignment ASAP
10-19 Return to your station
10-20 What is your location?
10-21 Call this station by telephone
10-22 Take no further action on last info
10-23 Stand by until no interference
10-24 Trouble at station, unwelcome visitors
10-25 Do you have contact with ----?
10-26 Disorderly person
10-27 D.L. Check
10-28 Check
full registration information
10-29 Check for wanted
10-30 Non Emergency Traffic
10-31 Cutting or stabbing
10-32 Is breathalyzer available?
10-33 Emergency traffic
10-34 Clear
for local dispatch
10-35 Confidential information
10-36 Correct time
10-37 Operator on duty
10-38 Shooting
10-39 Armed suspect
10-40 Officer in trouble, needs assistance
10-41 Civil defense test
10-42 Burglar
alarm
10-43 Want officer for investigation
10-44 Stolen vehicle
10-45 Auto wreck - without injuries
10-46 Auto wreck - with injuries
10-47 Send
ambulance
10-48 Send wrecker
10-49 Driving while drunk
10-50 No traffic here
THE
PHONETIC ALPHABET
This system of communication is used
to make the spelling of names and reading of license plates less confusing.
Many of the letters sound alike. In the event of a poor transmission, the
dispatcher might misunderstand one of the letters the officer is saying.
For example, the letters "B" and "E"
might be mixed up. To avoid this, instead of the officer saying "B",
the word "boy" would be used. A tag with the license plate
reading FCSO-876 would be read as follows: "Frank,
Charles, Sam, Oscar-876" All departments us some variation
of this system. Also, you might hear some of the military trained
officers use the military equivalent which is in bold and also use "niner"
for "nine" so it will not be confused with the
number "five."
Most of the departments across the
country us this form of alphabet for communication.
10-51 Driving
without a license
10-52 "A" Armed robbery
10-52 "B" Strong armed
10-53 Wanted charge
10-54 Arrest and hold for ----
10-55 "A" Kidnapping; "B" Rape
10-56 Prowler-person on premises
10-57 Overweight truck
10-58 Public drunk
10-59 Fight
10-60 Exposure of person
10-61 Child abuse-neglect
10-62 Corpse
10-63 Net directed
10-64 Net free
10-65 Clear for emergency traffic
10-66 Clear for cancellation
10-67 Dead animal in road
10-68 Repeated dispatch
10-69 False call or alarm
10-70 Out on foot pursuit
10-71 School traffic
10-72 Fire call
10-73 Road block
10-74 Blood run, proceed with caution
10-75 Plane crash
10-76 Drag racer
10-77
10-78 Unlock Vehicle
10-79
10-80 Tower lights out at this station
10-81 Checking vehicle
10-82 Requesting back-up
10-83 Breach of peace
10-84 Possibility of drugs present
10-85 Request coroner
10-86 Domestic
10-87 Disturbing the peace
10-88 Shoplifter
10-89 Request radio-man at this station
10-90 Radio-man will be at your station
10-91 Homicide
10-92 Disorderly house
10-93 Riot
10-94 Suicide
10-95 Bomb threat
10-96 Larceny
10-97 Arrived at the scene
10-98 Finished last assignment
