What are Police 10 Codes?
Police 10 Codes are signals police officers, law enforcement officials, and government agencies use to talk in two-way radio communications. The codes are numbers that correspond to words, phrases, and messages frequently used in law enforcement work. Also, private citizens use certain code variations in Citizen’s Band (CB) radio transmissions.
Police officers constantly communicate with dispatch, other officers, support departments, the local jail, county correctional facilities, etc. The codes help streamline communication and add an element of secrecy. They also help shield communications from the general public.
How did Police 10 Codes Originate?
Initially, police 10 codes were used in the United States law enforcement community before the Second�?World War. In 1940, the Association of Public Safety Communication Officials (APC) published the first official set of police 10 codes. These radio signals were invented to help reduce the use of speech on the police radio. In addition, the codes enable a certain amount of privacy to radio transmissions, which means that someone must know the meaning of the signals to understand the discussion.
In 1974, the Association of Public Safety Communication Officials expanded the use of police radio codes to make them briefer and to standardize message traffic.
Official Set of Police 10 Codes
There is no genuinely universal or official set of police 10 codes. Therefore, the meaning of a particular scanner code or signal can vary between one police jurisdiction and another. For example, police departments in California will likely use different codes and signals than the states of Florida, New York, or Texas.
At first, law enforcement’s ten signals were intended to be a concise, standardized system to help officers and officials talk on the radio. However, the proliferation of different meanings has rendered them somewhat useless, most commonly in situations where people from other agencies and jurisdictions need to communicate with one another.
In 2005, the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) began discouraging law enforcement from using ten-codes and other radio signals. This was due to their high variability in meaning between departments and agencies. Hence, the Department of Homeland Security may discontinue using the signals.
Variations
Some organizations and municipalities also use other types of police radio codes. For example, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) uses “eleven-codes,” and the Port Authority Police use “eight codes.” They established these to have a new and unique set of signals.
Many police departments nationwide use regular English during radio conversations to clarify communication. This makes things easier for the officer and dispatch. As a result, they don’t have to mentally refer back to the list of ten codes to decipher a transmission. However, this approach eliminates any secrecy or privacy from radio transmission.
In addition, the meaning of the unique codes may vary between police officers and other public service units, such as Emergency Medical Services (EMS), fire departments, and other law enforcement units.
Reference: Master Lists of Law Enforcement Codes
The following tables provide a comprehensive reference for standard police codes, signals, phonetic alphabets, and acronyms. Note that the meanings of 10-codes and other signals can vary significantly by location. These lists represent the most common uses.
Table 1: Common Police 10-Codes and Their Meanings
| Police 10 Code | Common Meaning(s) | Notes |
| 10-1 | Receiving Poorly / Signal Weak | Universal |
| 10-2 | Receiving Well / Signal Good | Universal |
| 10-3 | Stop Transmitting | Universal |
| 10-4 | Acknowledged / OK / Message Received | The most common and widely understood code. |
| 10-5 | Relay Message | |
| 10-6 | Busy, Stand By | |
| 10-7 | Out of Service / Unavailable | |
| 10-8 | In Service / Available for Call | |
| 10-9 | Repeat Last Transmission | Universal |
| 10-10 | Fight in Progress / Out of Service, Subject to Call / Negative | Meaning varies widely. |
| 10-12 | Stand By / Visitors Present | Be discreet with sensitive information. |
| 10-13 | Advise Weather and Road Conditions | |
| 10-15 | Prisoner in Custody | |
| 10-17 | En route / Conduct Investigation | |
| 10-18 | Urgent / Complete Assignment Quickly | |
| 10-19 | Return to Station | |
| 10-20 | Location | Used to ask for or state a location (“What’s your 20?”). |
| 10-21 | Call by Telephone | |
| 10-22 | Disregard / Cancel Last Assignment | |
| 10-23 | Arrived at Scene / Stand By | |
| 10-24 | Assignment Completed | |
| 10-25 | Report in Person / Meet With… | |
| 10-27 | Driver’s License Check | |
| 10-28 | Vehicle Registration Check | |
| 10-29 | Check for Wanted/Stolen (Person or Vehicle) | |
| 10-31 | Crime in Progress / Pick Up | |
| 10-32 | En route / Conduct Investigation | High priority call. |
| 10-33 | Emergency / Officer Needs Assistance | One of the highest priority calls. |
| 10-34 | Riot / Trouble at Station | |
| 10-35 | Major Crime Alert | |
| 10-36 | Correct Time | |
| 10-39 | Urgent Response (Lights and Siren) | Also known as “Code 3.” |
| 10-41 | Beginning Tour of Duty | |
| 10-42 | Ending Tour of Duty | |
| 10-43 | Information | |
| 10-45 | Animal Carcass / Condition of Patient | |
| 10-46 | Assist Motorist | |
| 10-50 | Traffic Accident | Often specified with PD (Property Damage), PI (Personal Injury), or F (Fatal). |
| 10-51 | Wrecker Needed | |
| 10-52 | Ambulance Needed | High-priority call. |
| 10-54 | Hit and Run Accident | |
| 10-55 | Intoxicated Driver (DUI) | |
| 10-57 | Hit and Run | |
| 10-62 | Breaking and Entering / Meet a Citizen | |
| 10-64 | Crime in Progress | |
| 10-65 | Armed Robbery | |
| 10-70 | Fire Alarm / Prowler | |
| 10-79 | Bomb Threat / Notify Coroner | |
| 10-80 | Pursuit in Progress | |
| 10-89 | Bomb Threat | |
| 10-90 | Bank Alarm | |
| 10-91 | Prowler / Animal | |
| 10-95 | Subject in Custody | |
| 10-96 | Mental Subject | |
| 10-97 | Arrived at Scene | |
| 10-98 | Assignment Completed | |
| 10-99 | Wanted/Stolen Indicated (Positive Hit) | |
| 10-100 | Alert / Remain in Contact |
Table 2: Police Scanner Codes, Signals, and Other Numeric Codes
| Code Type | Code | Common Meaning | Notes |
| 11-Codes | 11-41 | Ambulance Needed | Used primarily by the California Highway Patrol. |
| 11-54 | Suspicious Vehicle | ||
| 11-80 | Traffic Collision – Major Injury | ||
| 11-99 | Officer Needs Help – Urgent | CHP equivalent of a high-priority distress call. | |
| Signal Codes | Signal 4 | Accident | Signal codes vary greatly by agency. |
| Signal 13 | Suspicious Person / Officer in Trouble | A “Signal 13” for an officer in trouble is a common exception kept by agencies moving to plain language. | |
| Signal 18 | Felony in Progress | ||
| Penal Codes | 187 | Murder | Used primarily by the California Highway Patrol. |
| 211 | Robbery | ||
| 245 | Assault with a Deadly Weapon | ||
| 415 | Disturbance | ||
| 487 | Grand Theft | ||
| 502 / 23152 | Driving Under the Influence (DUI) | 502 is the old vehicle code, 23152 is the current one, but both may be heard. | |
| 503 / 10851 | Stolen Vehicle |
Table 3: The Military & ICAO Phonetic Alphabet (Current Standard)
| Letter | Word | Letter | Word |
| A | Alpha | N | November |
| B | Bravo | O | Oscar |
| C | Charlie | P | Papa |
| D | Delta | Q | Quebec |
| E | Echo | R | Romeo |
| F | Foxtrot | S | Sierra |
| G | Golf | T | Tango |
| H | Hotel | U | Uniform |
| I | India | V | Victor |
| J | Juliet | W | Whiskey |
| K | Kilo | X | X-ray |
| L | Lima | Y | Yankee |
| M | Mike | Z | Zulu |
Table 4: The APCO & Civilian Phonetic Alphabet (Legacy System)
| Letter | Word | Letter | Word |
| A | Adam | N | Nora |
| B | Boy | O | Ocean |
| C | Charles | P | Paul |
| D | David | Q | Queen |
| E | Edward | R | Robert |
| F | Frank | S | Sam |
| G | George | T | Tom |
| H | Henry | U | Union |
| I | Ida | V | Victor |
| J | John | W | William |
| K | King | X | X-ray |
| L | Lincoln | Y | Young |
| M | Mary | Z | Zebra |
Table 5: Common Law Enforcement Acronyms and Abbreviations
| Acronym | Meaning |
| ADW | Assault with a Deadly Weapon |
| APB | All-Points Bulletin |
| BOLO | Be On The Lookout |
| DMV | Department of Motor Vehicles |
| DOA | Dead On Arrival |
| ETA | Estimated Time of Arrival |
| FBI | Federal Bureau of Investigation |
| GTA | Grand Theft Auto |
| SWAT | Special Weapons and Tactics |
| VIN | Vehicle Identification Number |
Other Types of Codes and Signals
Occasionally, departments may use coded names and terms to specify a unit that covers a particular geographic area, such as Patrol 1, Patrol 2, etc. For example, the code “Patrol 1” may refer to a specific beat or section of a city, town, etc.
Otherwise, supervisors, motorcycle units, swat teams, or marine units may have a special designation.
Departments may also use coded names to represent different segments, such as Squad 1, Unit 1, Team 3, etc. These may indicate the particular group responding to a call or the squad on the crime scene.
Amateur Radio Operators
Amateur radio Ham operators do not use ten codes. Instead, they use something called Q codes, which are derived from Morse code. Using ten codes is highly discouraged in amateur Ham radio, especially among seasoned professionals. However, they are sometimes used by novice operators.
Questions, Comments, and Suggestions
If you have any questions about police ten codes or are looking for the meaning of something in particular, please leave a comment below. Also, if you’d like to take this information with you in a PDF eBook, please visit the books section.
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What is 1 Charlie 11?
You can use two-way radios to listen in on police conversations. In the United States, it is technically permissible to do so, despite the fact that regulations differ from nation to nation. To listen to police walkie talkies, use a standalone scanner.
I heard a woman officer say fish out of water 3 Times Across the scanner and I was wondering what this meant.
could mean their cover is blown
What does it mean when they say in a report they were assigned to the community response team, utilizing the identifier Romeo 26-xray??? please and thank you
what does hold the air mean when said by law enforcement dispatcher in San Antonio TX
It may be a request for temporary radio silence.
its a message to let others know not to transmit because they have a situation where they will need to not be transmitted over. Like a potential use of force
The following might be considered for the acronym section: RP
Some agencies/jurisdictions will use this to refer to the ‘Reporting Party’.
Got a question I ve herd officers in st paul pd and metro pd and minniapolis pd all have relay channels and there’s a 4 code system for severity code 1 capital call code 2 sws ,or in persurt with just lights ,code 3 low sirens (they control the sound of sirens code 4: al clear
The use of ten codes is discouraged read again .also in GB we have RC1 RC2 RC3 race codes black white brown oriental etc etc
do you mean x5 which means times five. which means no front or back plates no license and no insurance and no registration
another common acronym now, is POI…person of interest. Either as a witness or suspect.
Under Q-codes, you said their use is discouraged? I’ve been a ham radio operator for almost 40 years now, callsign is N4LP, and that is the first time I’ve ever heard such a comment. We use Q-codes all the time, especially in Morse code transmissions, but they also drifted into voice communications long before I even became a ham. I don’t know where you got that information, but I do believe it is in error.
Their use in law enforcement is discouraged, not in other types of communications.
Emory,
I have been a Ham for 32 years & for the majority of that time I’ve been very involved In ARES, RACES, SKYWARN, & MARS, I’ve been an EC, DEC, & SEC in 1 or more of these organizations. From the time that I first joined ARES & RACES in the late 80s to present day. We have been trained & encouraged to use Q codes [& Z Codes in MARS] to both expedite & simplify communications. I totally agree with you, “I don’t know where they got their information that ‘The use of the signals is highly discouraged in amateur radio use, especially among seasoned professionals. However, they are sometimes used by novice operators. They are most definitely, in error.”.
73,
Jim/KBØCIR
The use of ten codes is discouraged in Ham radio use, not Q codes.
I’ve heard it too, frm a Sheriff.But he was talking about law enforcement.
In Colorado an acronym police use is ATL for Attempt To Locate
I know there are some agencies that use DLN instead of DL. All it means is Drivers License Number. Same thing but different terminology.
Officer pulled up behind me with no lights in use. Maybe a well being check? I heard dispatcher say my name with code 10-86. State of Indiana.
‘Where you actually an officer on duty though?.’ Just wondering since your context wasn’t exactly clear the way you described you situation.
What about 10-100 & 10-200 ?
The in field 10-100 is better than taking a 10-200
What code is used when an officer asks for all law enforcement help, local, state and Federal law?
Most States it’s 11-11 (Officer down / officer needs help)
Also, they only use a handful of them normally.
What does code 46 mean
It depends on the context in which it is being used, and on the department that is using it. The most common ten code associated with code 46 is 10-46, which means to “provide motorist with assistance.”
What is 10-89 when it definitely is NOT a bomb threat? Local police use this very frequently.
The most common use of the ten code 10-89 is bomb threat. However, some departments may assign a different meaning to it. For example, Norfolk, VA assigns the meaning “Request Additional Chief” to the 10-89 code.
In my town, it’s used to ask if the officer is secure while on a call.
What does 30 David mean,
Most likely the dispatch Callsign
When a police officer runs your name and it comes back clear but has 10-43 information what does that mean?
INTOXICATED PEDESTRIAN
It means they have information
What is 10-56? That is missing in the set up. Is there no 10-56?
10-56 is use for Intoxicated Pedestrian
Generally cops have “cheat sheets” so they don’t have to remember every last one of them
What are the police asking for when they read a plate(10-28) and say with z5?
They are looking for vehicle registration information for a particular vehicle. Not sure about the z5. It may be a special code used by a particular department that provides additional information on the purpose of the request.
What does it mean when they say “go south” and not meaning like directional
Although the meaning may vary between jurisdictions and departments, the phrase “go south” is a slang term that generally means to go downward or lower in value, or into a worse condition or position. Cops may use the term to describe a situation that is about to get out of control by saying, “things are about to go south”.
It means that the situation might get bad or is going bad. Thats what it meant for us anyway. I was a federal officer for Dept. Homeland Security.
Try remembering all the codes for Freeway Service Patrol in Cali. We have codes that start with 11 too.
I heard some police radio traffic where the codes 715 and 630 were used. I can’t find what these mean, does anyone know?
I watched the film Triple 9 and was wondering why that code isn’t on this list. Is 999 truly the universal code for Officer down? Can you let me know?
999 is there on the list it’s the last before police scanner
Where i live its 10-13 called 3 times for officer down or in distress
I heard be sure to clear this call and 10-19 on the 313. I get all of that except the 313
Depending on the context or location, 313 may have different meanings:
313 may refer to the area code for Detroit.
313 may refer to dispatch, as in “313, please repeat last message.”
313 may be a slang term used by a particular police department.
In most cases, it is likely referring to dispatch.
If you are stopped by an officer and they radio bag you have a pending 10 what does that mean
You wouldn’t happen to know the 10 codes for Ft Myers, FL? I read the list you have published here on the site, but I see codes that are listed but mean different things here.
I would say they are “codes” not meant to be mean known by all.. Like football or military, you don’t want the other team to know exactly what you are saying.
The other day i heard an officer run a background check on someone and I over heard dispatch say 32 red white but otherwise clear and the person was free to go. However, I have never heard this code before and cannot find it anywhere. It was a california University officer. Any idea on this code i cant locate anything like that.
That particular code does not sound familiar and we weren’t able to find anything on it. It may be part of a coding system that is proprietary to California universities, or more than likely, to that particular university.
10-32 means misdemeanor warrant for arrest of that person. 10-34 Generally means felony warrants. At least here in so cal that’s what it means.