A police radio code is a brevity code, usually numerical or alphanumerical, used to transmit information between law enforcement over police radio systems in the United States. Examples of police codes include "10 codes" (such as 10-4 for "okay" or "acknowledged"—sometimes written X4 or X-4), signals, incident codes, response codes, or other status codes. These code types may be used in the same sentence to describe specific aspects of a situation.
Codes vary by country, administrative subdivision, and agency. It is rare to find two agencies with the same ten codes, signals, incident codes, or other status codes. While agencies with adjacent or overlapping jurisdictions often have similar codes, it is not uncommon to find differences even within one county or city. Different agencies can have codes dissimilar enough to make communication difficult. There are similarities among popular sets of 10-codes.
The topic of standardized codes has been discussed in US law enforcement circles, but there is no consensus on the issue. Some law enforcement agencies use “plain talk” or “plain codes” which replace codes with standard speech and terminology, albeit in a structured manner or format. Arguments against plain language include its lack of brevity, variability, and lack of secrecy which is often tactically advantageous or a safety issue when officer communications can be overheard by the civilian public.
Examples Code Description 2 No lights or sirens 3 Lights and sirens 4 Disregard 121 Priority on the air 122 Priority on silence 123 Sick or injured person 124 Operation completed 125 Operation continue 126 Intercept suspects 127 Proceed with caution 128 No siren, no flashing 129 Request back up 130 Emergency 131 Shooting 132 Armed robbery 133 Possibly dangerous person 134 Kidnapping 135 Escape 136 Hold of hostages 137 Riot 138 Bomb alert 139 Air disaster 140 Murder 141 Accident 142 Unlawful assembly 143 Hit and run 144 Impaired 145 Prisoner transport 146 Breaking and entering (vehicle or residence) 147 Suspect armed 148 Brawl or family feuding 149 Ascertainment 150 Theft
California The Hundred Code is a three-digit police code system. This code is usually pronounced digit-by-digit, using a radio alphabet for any letters, such as 207A "two zero seven Adam". The following codes are used in California. They are from the California Penal Code, except where noted below.
In the 1970s, the television show Adam-12 was considered so authentic in its portrayal of Los Angeles PD officers and their procedures that excerpts from the shows were used as police training films nationwide. This led to the widespread use of California Penal Codes as radio codes.
Code Description187 Murder207 Kidnapping207A Kidnapping attempt211 Robbery211A Robbery alarm211S Robbery alarm, silent212 Illegal use of drugs213 Use of illegal explosives214 Kidnapping and murder215 Carjacking216 Child abuse217 Assault with intent to murder218 Sexual activity with a minor219 Cutting or stabbing240 Assault241 Impaling242 Battery243 Battery with dangerous weapons244 Throwing acid with intent to disfigure or burn245 Assault with a deadly weapon246 Shooting at inhabited dwelling261 Rape261A Attempted rape273A Child neglect273D Domestic violence – felony288 Lewd conduct with a minor311 Possession of obscene material314 Indecent exposure374B Illegal dumping390 Drunk390D Drunk, unconscious415 Disturbance417 Person with a gun417K Person with a knife417B Person with bomb419 Dead human body428 Child molest444 Officer-involved shooting459 Burglary459A Burglar alarm459S Burglar alarm, silent470 Forgery480 Hit and run – felony (great bodily injury or death)481 Hit and run – misdemeanor486 Major theft (value > $10,000)487 Grand theft (value > $950, or certain livestock)488 Petty theft (value < $950)501 Drunk driving – felony (great bodily injury or death)502 Drunk driving503 Auto theft504 Tampering with a vehicle505A Reckless driving507 Public nuisance510 Speeding or racing vehicles586 Illegal parking594 Malicious mischief604 Throwing object647 Lewd conduct (various subsections)653M Threatening phone calls998 Officer involved shooting
500 codes and similar "500" codes are only radio codes that substitute for other code sections. For example, a "503" is not Penal Code section 503 (embezzlement). All of the "500" codes, generally, involve vehicles and are thus grouped together (except 594, which is an actual Penal Code section). Additionally, "390" and variants are also radio codes only (CPC 647(f) is the legally enforced section "public intoxication").
In California, some radio codes in the 400–599 range that refer to vehicle violations are left over from the California Vehicle Code (CVC) which was revised in 1971. Some agencies, such as the California Highway Patrol (CHP) use the vehicle code numbers while municipal and county police agencies, especially the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) still use the 500 series.
Old New Description480 20001 Felony hit and run481 20002 Misdemeanor hit and run501 23151 Felony drunk driving502 23152 Misdemeanor drunk drivingA drunk driver is often referred to as a "deuce". This comes from the "2" at the end of the original code, "502", which subsequent codes have retained.503 10851 Stolen vehicle (also a penal code section, 487A)504 10854 Tampering with a motor vehicle505 23103 Reckless driving510 23109 Speed contest / racing586 22500 Illegal parking
See also Emergency service response codes APCO phonetic alphabet NATO phonetic alphabet Ten-code 5150
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