Police Scanner Codes with meanings

The police scanner codes are basically a kind of radio scanner which also is a receiver that receives wireless radio signals.

This scanner identifies these wireless radio waves. It’s the function of the scanner that can identify a number of radio signals and bands that concurrently makes it easy to keep track of many channels at the same time.

This is derived from the fact that the majority of the scanner users take the pride to listen to what the police radio is broadcasting and it’s really important.

The police scanner code is independent and differs from department to department. Most of the codes are reasonable to standard and few codes are specific to the police department where the user is listening.

The police scanner codes are used by law enforcement for keeping communication succinct or similar. As per research, In 2016, the US government recommended the use of everyday languages for avoiding confusion due to lack of standardization.

What are the police scanner codes 

There are police 10 codes also known as ten codes or the police scanner codes. These were invented just before the Second World War by the association of public safety communications officials. These are designed to reduce speech on police radio transmission using the shortcodes that represent common phrases and terms.

 

Police Scanner Codes

Now why these codes and how they are helpful, looking forward to the police scanner codes, these are going to inform you of what is going on at the scene of a crime or when you are on the street.

You can now know when the riot is about to break or where there could be a shooting in progress that can be avoided. For more practical uses, you can know where there can be an accident on the highway that may cause traffic.

Learning   police scanner  codes

Learning these police scanner codes are quite important to understand for a common speech on a radio transmission. These are like

  • 10-0 Caution
  • 10-1 Reception poor
  • 10-2 Reception good
  • 10-3 Stop transmitting
  • 10-4 Message received, understood
  • 10-5 Relay message
  • 10-6 Change channel
  • 10-7 Out of service
  • 10-7A Out of service, home
  • 10-7B Out of service, personal
  • 10-8 In-service
  • 10-9 Repeat message
  • 10-10 Off duty
  • 10-10A Off duty, home
  • 10-11 Identify frequency
  • 10-12 Visitor(s) present
  • 10-13 Weather and road advice
  • 10-14 Citizen w/suspect
  • 10-15 Prisoner in custody
  • 10-16 Pick up prisoner
  • 10-17 Request for gasoline
  • 10-18 Equipment exchange
  • 10-19 Return(ing) to station
  • 10-20 Location
  • 10-21 Telephone
  • 10-21A Advise home I will return at:
  • 10-22 Disregard last assignment
  • 10-23 Stand-by
  • 10-24 Request car-to-car transmit
  • 10-25 Do you have contact with:
  • 10-26 Clear
  • 10-27 D.D.L. report
  • 10-28 Registration request
  • 10-29 Check for wants
  • 10-29F Subject wanted, felony
  • The 10-29H Hazard potential from subject
  • 10-29M Subject wanted, Misdemeanor
  • 10-29V Vehicle wanted
  • 10-30 Doesn’t conform to regulations
  • 10-32 Drowning
  • 10-33 Alarm sounding, audible
  • 10-34 Assist at office
  • 10-35 Time check
  • 10-36 Confidential information
  • 10-37 Identify operator
  • 10-39 Can () come to the radio?
  • 10-40 Is () available for a phone call?
  • 10-42 Check the welfare of/at:
  • 10-43 Call a doctor
  • 10-45 Condition of a patient?
  • 10-45A Good
  • 10-45B Serious
  • 10-45C Critical
  • 10-45D Dead
  • 10-49 Proceed to:
  • 10-50 Under influence of drugs
  • 10-51 Drunk
  • 10-52 Resuscitator
  • 10-53 Man down
  • 10-54 Possible dead body
  • 10-55 Coroner case
  • 10-56 Suicide
  • 10-56A Suicide attempt
  • 10-57 Missing person
  • 10-59 Security check
  • 10-60 Lock-out
  • 10-61 Miscellaneous public service
  • 10-62 Meet a citizen
  • 10-62A Take a report from a citizen
  • 10-62B Civilian standby
  • 10-63 Prepare to copy
  • 10-64 Found property
  • 10-66 Suspicious person
  • 10-67 Person calling for help
  • 10-68 Telephone for police
  • 10-70 Prowler
  • 10-71 Shooting
  • 10-72 Gun involved
  • 10-73 How do you receive?
  • 10-79 Bomb Threat
  • 10-80 Explosion
  • 10-86 Any radio traffic?
  • 10-88 Assume post
  • 10-91 Animal
  • 10-91A Animal, stray
  • 10-91B Animal, noisy
  • 10-91C Animal, injured
  • 10-91D Animal, dead
  • 10-91E Animal, bite
  • 10-91G Animal, pickup
  • 10-91J Animal, pickup collect
  • 10-91L Animal, leash law violation
  • 10-91V Animal, vicious
  • 10-95 Need ID tech unit
  • 10-97 Arrived at the scene
  • 10-98 Available to assign

Police Scanner 11 Codes

  • 11-10 Take report
  • 11-24 Abandoned vehicle
  • 11-25 Traffic hazard
  • 11-26 Abandoned bicycle
  • 11-27 10-27 W/driver held
  • 11-28 10-28 W/driver held
  • 11-40 Advise if an ambulance needed
  • 11-41 Ambulance needed
  • 11-42 No ambulance needed
  • 11-44 Deceased person (Coroner Req’d)
  • 11-48 Furnish transportation
  • 11-51 Escort
  • 11-52 Funeral detail
  • 11-54 Suspicious vehicle
  • 11-55 Officer being followed by auto
  • 11-56 11-55 W/dangerous persons
  • 11-57 Unidentified auto at assignments
  • 11-58 Radio monitored, use phone
  • 11-59 Intensive attention: high hazard, business areas
  • 11-60 Attack in a high hazard area
  • 11-65 Signal light out
  • 11-66 Defective signal light
  • 11-78 Aircraft accident
  • 11-79 Accident – Ambulance sent
  • 11-80 Accident – Major injuries
  • 11-81 Accident – Minor injuries
  • 11-82 Accident – No injuries
  • 11-83 Accident – No detail
  • 11-84 Direct traffic
  • 11-85 Tow truck required
  • 11-94 Pedestrian stop
  • 11-95 Routine traffic stop
  • 11-96 Checking suspicious vehicle
  • 11-97 Time/security check on patrol
  • 11-98 Meet:
  • 11-99 Officer needs help!

Medical / Fire Status Codes

  • Code 10 Critical Trauma case
  • Code 20 Acute Trauma case
  • Code 30 Trauma case
  • Code 40 Serious case (IV started)
  • Code 50 Basic transport (not serious)
  • Code N Newsworthy event

Police Scanner Codes 1-37

  • Code 2 Urgent – no light or siren
  • Code 3 Use lights and siren
  • Code 4 No further assistance needed
  • Code 5 Stakeout
  • Code 6 Stay out of the area
  • Code 7 Meal break
  • Code 8 Restroom break
  • Code 9 Summer uniform
  • Code 10 SWAT pre-call up
  • Code 11 SWAT Call up
  • Code 37 Subject/Property wanted

Other Codes

  • 5150 Mental case
  • 10851 Auto theft
  • 10852 Tampering with vehicle
  • 20001 Hit and run – Felony
  • 20002 Hit and run – Misdemeanor
  • 20007 Hit and run – Unattended
  • 21958 Drunk pedestrian on the roadway
  • 22350 Speeding
  • 22500 Illegal parking
  • 23101 Drunk driving – injuries
  • 23102 Drunk driving
  • 23103 Reckless driver
  • 23104 Reckless driver
  • 23105 Driver under narcotics
  • 23109 Racing
  • 23110 Person throwing objects at vehicles
  • 23151 Drunk driving – injuries
  • 23152 Drunk driver

Understanding the use of it

It’s not all the police jurisdiction and agencies have the same meaning for every code. But are most times similar if not the same? When you are trying to listen to the radio transmissions for the FBI, ATF or DEA.

This might be different than any of the local police department. This also knows that listening to a federal agency is more difficult to do and maybe quite illegal.

Necessary factors

It is very important to listen to the police scanner codes for better judgement. When studying these 10 codes of police you must write them down which would help you remember them and it must also be beneficial to have a written reference on you. One can obtain their own police scanner radio on their smartphone by doing a search for police scanner on their app stores.

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