Police radio code


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", 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

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.
CodeDescription
187Murder
207Kidnapping
207AKidnapping attempt
211 Robbery
211ARobbery alarm
211SRobbery alarm, silent
212Illegal use of drugs
213Use of illegal explosives
214Kidnapping and murder
215Carjacking
216Child abuse
217Assault with intent to murder
218Sexual activity with a minor
219Cutting or stabbing
240Assault
241Impaling
242Battery
243Battery with dangerous weapons
244Throwing acid with intent to disfigure or burn
245Assault with a deadly weapon
246Shooting at inhabited dwelling
261Rape
261AAttempted rape
273AChild neglect
273DDomestic violence – felony
288Lewd conduct with a minor
311Possession of obscene material
314Indecent exposure
374BIllegal dumping
390Drunk
390DDrunk, unconscious
415Disturbance
417Person with a gun
417KPerson with a knife
417BPerson with bomb
419Dead human body
428Child molest
444Officer-involved shooting
459Burglary
459ABurglar alarm
459SBurglar alarm, silent
470Forgery
480Hit and run – felony
481Hit and run – misdemeanor
486Major theft
487Grand theft
488Petty theft
501Drunk driving – felony
502Drunk driving
503Auto theft
504Tampering with a vehicle
505AReckless driving
507Public nuisance
510Speeding or racing vehicles
586Illegal parking
594Malicious mischief
604Throwing object
647Lewd conduct
653MThreatening phone calls
998Officer 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. All of the "500" codes, generally, involve vehicles and are thus grouped together. Additionally, "390" and variants are also radio codes only.
In California, some radio codes in the 400–599 range that refer to vehicle violations are left over from the California Vehicle Code which was revised in 1971. Some agencies, such as the California Highway Patrol use the vehicle code numbers while municipal and county police agencies, especially the Los Angeles Police Department still use the 500 series.
OldNewDescription
48020001Felony hit and run
48120002Misdemeanor hit and run
50123151Felony drunk driving
50223152Misdemeanor drunk driving
50310851Stolen vehicle
50410854Tampering with a motor vehicle
50523103Reckless driving
51023109Speed contest / racing
58622500Illegal parking