![]() If you're ever unsure of what to say on the radio, "10-4" is one good and appropriate option. This makes sense since Cadell released his hand signals at a time when most people didn't know what ASL ( American Sign Language) was. Interestingly enough, none of the sign language that he listed had any real meaning behind them they were simply common ways to acknowledge or dismiss another conversation. You be interested in reading: What are the CB Radio codes In 1939, Charles Cadell put out a list of "Radio Telephony Hand Signals with Codes" and included this term as an example of how to respond to an incoming transmission. ![]() Instead, they’ll opt to use plain English, especially when speaking with other departments who may not share their language.Any of these are possible origins for 10-4, but there is one thing that's known for certain: It was first documented in the early 20th century. In the spirit of interagency cooperation, police departments have begun phasing out 10-codes over the past decade. During these incidents, police must be able to communicate clearly with dispatch, fire and EMS while eliminating as much confusion and radio chatter as possible. The problem with having a nonstandard radio code system is that responding to large-scale events like natural disasters or mass-shootings requires teamwork between several agencies. Depending on where you’re from, a 10-33 police code could either mean spotting a traffic backup, or seeing a downed officer – which obviously aren’t two things you want to confuse. Though popular codes like “10-4” (“Affirmative”) are recognized everywhere, police radio codes can vary quite a bit between different areas. But the other form of police communications, 10-codes, are a different beast altogether. ![]() Those minor differences don’t really impede communication between departments. There’s also Tom versus Thomas, and Young versus Yellow. LAPD will say “Lincoln ” NYPD will say “Larry.” LAPD will say “Edward ” NYPD will say “Eddie.” Of course, there are some differences between departments. Police codes are meant to be similar enough that officers who transfer positions across the country will be able to understand them. Is the police alphabet the same everywhere? Police departments use a mixture of plain English, 10 codes and the phonetic alphabet in order to keep radio communication as brief as possible. ![]() However, since only person is able to speak at a time, it’s important that the channel is kept clear in case something urgent happens.Įven though spelling things out using the police alphabet may take slightly longer than using regular letters, it’s still more likely to reduce radio chatter by eliminating the need to repeat messages. Some areas share scanner traffic between agencies, which means that multiple units are listening in at any given time. Using the police alphabet makes what you’re trying to say more obvious, and minimizes error by clarifying the letters. Similar letters like D’s and B’s may sound the same over fuzzy radio traffic. Today, departments as far away as Houston and New York have adopted a form of the APCO alphabet, albeit with a few minor variations between them. In fact, the police alphabet may be even shorter and punchier than its military counterpart.įor example, officers save some extra syllables when they say: ![]() The police alphabet comes from an April 1940 newsletter released by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International, or APCO.Įven after the NATO alphabet came into use, local and state police departments continued to use the APCO police alphabet to transmit information such as license plate numbers over the radio. The police alphabet that used by officers is similar to the 1956 ICAO phonetic alphabet used by NATO-affiliated military organizations. plain language: The history and ongoing debate ![]()
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