Posted: 8/4/2002 3:23:04 PM EDT
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This is a serious question... why the proliferation of 10 codes (or whatever type code your department uses) in radio communications? Why not just say what you mean? If you need someone to call you, say call me instead of give me a 10-21.. it's less syllables. Reviewing the 10 codes for my county (115 of em)and about 50% seem useless..... its easier to just say what you mean, and the message gets out quicker. Not to mention the potential for confusion since they are not standard all over the country.... one local agency uses 10-82 for stranded/disabled motorist around here, and the rest use 10-82 for man with a gun..... it has made for some interesting calls when assitance is requested for a 10-82 on the side of I-40. Saying what you mean would eliminate that. So whats the reason for using them? I know ham radio operators use q-codes simply out of tradition, as when morse code was used a 3 letter code was much easier to send, but they are not much more than tradition anymore when voice communication is used. Is it just "the way things are done" out of tradition form the days of less clear radios, an attempt to keep joe scanner user from knowing whats going on, or something else? |
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The standard answer is Brevity. That is, it cuts down on the amount of radio time used. In the case of my department, until the MCT's came online, you would have a difficult time getting on the air with so many deputy's and so much radio chatter during peak times. The 10 signals and coding of calls to dispatch really help. When we clear a call, we code the dispisition. Example, an alarm at a residence is a 2-0, if it is false E, backup used 3, and officer assaulted code a 0. So you would call in 10-98 copy code. Dispatch would acknowledge 10-98 go ahead with code. You would reply 2-0-E Edward-3-0. I can then go back into the MCT call history and see how you have cleared each call. It seems kinda cumbersom, but it really makes a difference if your radio is at about max as ours is. |
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Tradition is a large part of it. It is like the story of the Royal Army going over their crew drills in the 1920s. They had to call in some really old decrepit veterans to tell them what some parts of the drill meant. In one rather telling case, during an artillery drill, two soldiers were posted on either side of the field piece during the drill, and just stood there the whole time, doing nothing. When one of the old vets was queried, he told the assembled staff officers that the two soldiers were there to "hold the horses." Large organizations often have wierd rituals that no-one can effectively trace or explain. Anthropologists could have a lot of fun in a medium to large-sized police agency, figuring some things out. The halmark of a good organization is the ability to analyze this kind of stuff and easily discard it. Our agency, at least, has gotten rid of many 10-codes and uses more and more plain text. Some codes are still used, however, for brevity and clarity, and we also have several non-standard codes, which change periodically, for sensitive information and officer safety issues. Bad guys know the "standard" 10-codes, too, and I have seen a few situations go south when the radio suddenly blares "your subject is 10-99 (wanted)," and the bad guy knows exactly what that means. |
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10 codes as well as Signal codes are "supposed" to make radio traffic shorter, eliminate any gray areas in language, and also to keep any suspects near your radio to know what you or dispatch is saying. Us city guys use only 10 codes but our county guys use both 10 codes as well as Signals. I personally don't see the point in the redundancy. We have 100 10-codes ranging from 10-0 to 10-99. There's only a handful, maybe 10 at the most that we use on a normal basis. |
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Quoted: Our agency, at least, has gotten rid of many 10-codes and uses more and more plain text. Some codes are still used, however, for brevity and clarity, and we also have several non-standard codes, which change periodically, for sensitive information and officer safety issues. Bad guys know the "standard" 10-codes, too, and I have seen a few situations go south when the radio suddenly blares "your subject is 10-99 (wanted)," and the bad guy knows exactly what that means. Yeah, in my county if something of that nature is going to be sent out the tellecommunicaor will ask "are you clear for radio traffic" or "are you secure for traffic" to let the officer secure the radio so only he can hear it. I kinda figured tradition had something to do with it... kinda like ham radio operators calling the wife the xyl.... 3 digits is shorter in morse, but it takes longer to say with voice... but tradition pushes on! |
| I really do not know, someone in authority had too much time on there hands and it became standard, I cannot say it was for brevity as here is an example- sixty three (vs) traffic stop, they are both the same in Ohio, and both mean the same thing. And sometimes it is even longer as proper radio terminology is signal-63 five syllables vs the three for traffic stop. Then there are the codes i.e., code 10 (means send back up) when you could just say send back up . I think as someone has made a point, some places are getting away from the numerical codes and going with plain english, it helps on cross radio traffic as a 31-A for Ohio Sheriffs means disabled motor vehicle, but for the Ohio State Patrol it means accident with injuries. Say "what you mean" does have its valid points. Secret transmissions, not a good point as any bad guy knows when your having problems and you use the radio, that your calling for the calvary. There is a code that meant , don't let the person your with hear the following from dispatch, this was the only code I felt that had any real use. |
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We still use our ten codes. We shorten most of them. as in; 279 PD, 98 or 279 to 280; give me a 21. or, let's 49 at shipley's. the radio opperators still use the tens. Some times, it's needed. I'd rather have a BG hear "are you 10-12?" than "do you have a secure radio?" all of our "sensitive" traffic is scrambled. anything that is not a commonly used code is plain english. we use maybe about 30 of the hundred. some of the calls that require a little professional descreetness get the codes too. What sounds better on the radio 10-69 or dead person? 10-60 or mental subject? I think we still need the codes we use, but the rest stick around for tradition's sake. Hope this helps.... |
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Quoted: Why not just say what you mean? If you need someone to call you, say call me instead of give me a 10-21.. Combining plain english and radio codes is a problem for every agency. If you need a 960 dont say "I'll take a 960" just say "960". Only when radio codes are improperly combined with plain english, do they become more wordy than plain english. There is the secretive factor too. When I'm standing next to a 3-striker I would rather have dispatch say "10-32F" than "Hey barney, that guy you got there is a 3 time loser with a felony arrest warrant, maybe you should hook him". |
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"120- Signal 6" "130-120, go to Common Channel" "Hey Vern, where you going for dinner" "I dunno, wanna join me? "Sure, I just need to pick up my dry cleaning" "No problem. Where you wanna go?" "I don't care. Grandy's gives discounts..." "Sounds good. I'll stop by the house. I think my wife has some coupons in the coupon book my kid sells at school" And so on and so on. This is why I hate 10 codes, signal whatevers, and code whatchacalls. We think it's important to keep "brevity" and professional on dispatch, field operations, etc. But when you switch to a common (ie. bullshit) channel no one cares. These can be just as easily monitored by dispatch, supervisors, and the public. I hate 10 codes. I wish they would just go to 10-code heaven. |
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Well, I would rather get this while standing in front of the violator while he can hear it as well as I can: 1C**, copy 10-38F 10-51, 10-27 Sam, the vehicle is 10-40, advise when 10-15. Than this: Officer *********, copy a felony warrant on your subject, he is dangerous, use caution, also, he has a suspended license. The vehicle is stolen, advise when your subject has been placed into custody. That guy would be running halfway through the radio transmission, with me in a foot pursuit. If I can get any edge on his before he bolts, it is going to be in my favor. Enough police departments use different radio codes. That way no career turd is going to be able to memorize all the codes for every department. Get the point? |
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The " 10 codes " as we know them originally came out of California. Everyone has already gone into the details of the why. I would venture that every organization has its reasons and some specific codes for dealing with radio traffic. Many were for the purpose of giving the communication some confidentiality prior to trunked 800 systems and scrambling capability. Criminals use scanners too ya know, as well as the nosey neighbors who always gotta know everyone else's business. Our agency uses standard Buckeye State sheriff's codes even though there is really no longer a need. It has simply become ingrained in the agency culture. In my previous agency we did away with all but a few codes those were only used when we were not disposed to receive somewhat confidential information. |