Jump to content

Ten-code

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Digitect (talk | contribs) at 13:42, 29 January 2018 (→Lists of APCO Ten Signals: add punctuation). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Ten-codes, officially known as ten signals, are brevity codes used to represent common phrases in voice communication, particularly by law enforcement and in Citizens Band (CB) radio transmissions.

The codes, developed in 1937 and expanded in 1974 by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International (APCO), allow brevity and standardization of message traffic. They have historically been widely used by law enforcement officers in North America, but, due to the lack of standardization, in 2006 the U.S. federal government recommended they be discontinued in favor of everyday language.[1]

History

APCO first proposed Morse code brevity codes in the June 1935 issue of The APCO Bulletin, which were adapted from the procedure symbols of the U.S. Navy.[2]

The development of the APCO Ten Signals began in 1937 to reduce use of speech on the radio at a time when police radio channels were limited. Credit for inventing the codes goes to Charles "Charlie" Hopper, communications director for the Illinois State Police, District 10 in Pesotum, Illinois. Hopper had been involved in radio for years and realized there was a need to abbreviate transmissions on State Police bands.[3] Experienced radio operators knew the first syllable of a transmission was frequently not understood because of quirks in early electronics technology. Radios in the 1930s were based on vacuum tubes powered by a small motor-generator called a dynamotor. The dynamotor took from 1/10 to 1/4 of a second to "spin up" to full power. Police officers were trained to push the microphone button, then pause briefly before speaking; however, sometimes they would forget to wait. Preceding each code with "ten-" gave the radio transmitter time to reach full power. An APCO Bulletin of January 1940 lists codes assigned as part of standardization;[4]

The Ten Signals were included in APCO Project Two (1967), "Public Safety Standard Operating Procedures Manual", published as study cards in APCO Project 4 (1973), "Ten Signal Cards", and then revised in APCO Project 14 (1974).[5][6][7][8]

Ten-codes, especially "10-4" (meaning "understood") first reached public recognition in the mid- to late-1950s through the popular television series Highway Patrol, with Broderick Crawford. Crawford would reach into his patrol car to use the microphone to answer a call and precede his response with "10-4".

Ten-codes were adapted for use by CB radio enthusiasts. C. W. McCall's hit song "Convoy" (1975), depicting conversation among CB-communicating truckers, put phrases like 10-4 and what's your twenty? (10-20 for "where are you?") into common use in American English.

The movie Convoy (1978), loosely based on McCall's song, further entrenched ten-codes in casual conversation.

The ten-codes used by the New York Police Department[9] have returned to public attention thanks to the popularity of the television series Blue Bloods. However, it must be noted that the ten-codes used by the NYPD are not the same as those used in the APCO system (see below). For example, in the NYPD system, Code 10-13 means "Officer needs help," whereas in the APCO system "Officer needs help" is Code 10-33.

The New Zealand Reality Television show Police Ten 7 takes its name from the New Zealand Police ten-code 10-7, which means "Unit has arrived at job".

In the last episode of the anime "Kekkai Sensen & Beyond", Leonardo uses the code 10-33 in a message to signal that he is in a situation beyond his control.

Replacement with plain language

While ten-codes were intended to be a terse, concise, and standardized system, the proliferation of different meanings can render them useless in situations when officers from different agencies and jurisdictions need to communicate.

In the fall of 2005, responding to inter-organizational communication problems during the rescue operations after Hurricane Katrina, the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) discouraged the use of ten-codes and other codes due to their wide variation in meaning.[10][11] The Department of Homeland Security's SAFECOM program, established in response to communication problems experienced during the September 11 attacks also advises local agencies on how and why to transition to plain language,[12] and their use is expressly forbidden in the nationally standardized Incident Command System, as is the use of other codes.[13]

APCO International's current position states that plain speech communications over public safety radio systems is preferred over the traditional 10-Codes and dispatch signals,[14] As of 2011, ten-codes remain in common use in many areas, but are increasingly being phased out in favor of plain language,[1] with nineteen states planning to change to plain English as of the end of 2009.[15]

Examples of U.S ten-codes

Some examples of the codes are:[16]

  • 10-1 Bad reception
  • 10-4 I acknowledge/Affirmative/Copy
  • 10-7 Unit out of service
  • 10-9 Say again
  • 10-20 Advise to location
  • 10-21 Call
  • 10-33 Emergency: all units stand by
  • 10-36 Correct time

Many additional codes have been added by individual local or regional first-response agencies; these are not standard across jurisdictions and may be problematic if multiple organizations must respond to the same incident.

Lists of APCO Ten Signals

Signal APCO Meaning
1937 APCO 1939 First Published Set (17 signals)[17] 1940 (APCO Standards Committee)[18] 1955 (National Operating Procedure Committee)[19] APCO Project 2 (1967)[20] APCO Project 4 (1973) APCO Project 14 (1974)[21][22] Clear Speech

(c. 1971)

(plain language to replace Ten Codes)[23]

Phrase Word Brevity Code (c. 1979)[24]
Procedure and Officer Details
Go Ahead
Under Control
In Pursuit
Traffic Stop
10-0 — — — — Use caution
10-1 Receiving poorly. Receiving poorly Unable to copy - change location Signal Weak Unable to copy - change location Unreadable
10-2 Receiving well. Receiving well Signals good Signal Good —
10-3 Stop transmitting. Disregard last information Stop transmitting Stop Transmitting Stop transmitting
10-4 Acknowledgement. Message received Acknowledgement Affirmative (Ok) Roger Roger/Affirmative
10-5 Relay. Relay Relay Relay (To) Relay
10-6 Busy. Busy, stand by Busy -Stand by unless urgent Busy Busy
10-7 Out of service. Out of service Out of service (Give location and/or telephone number) Out of Service Out at ... Out of Service
10-7 A — Not Available
10-7 B — Off Radio
10-8 In service. In service In service In Service Clear In Service
10-9 Repeat, conditions bad. Repeat Repeat Say Again Say again Say Again
10-10 Out of service--subject to call. On minor detail, subject to call Fight in progress Negative —
10-11 Dispatching too rapidly. Stay in service Dog Case ... On Duty — On Radio
10-12 Officials or visitors present. Visitors or officials present Stand by (stop) Stand By (Stop) Stand by Stand By
10-13 Advise weather and road conditions. Weather and road conditions Weather and road report Existing Conditions Weather report/road report
10-14 Convoy or escort. Convoy or escort Report of prowler Message/Information — Prepare to Copy
10-15 We have prisoner in custody. We have prisoner in custody Civil disturbance Message Delivered Disturbance
10-16 Pick up prisoner at ... Pick up prisoner at Domestic trouble Reply to Message —
10-17 Pick up papers at ... Pick up papers at Meet complainant Enroute — Responding
10-17 A — — — — Theft
10-17 B — — — — Vandalism
10-17 C — — — — Shoplifting
10-18 Complete present assignment as quickly as possible. Anything for us? Complete assignment quickly Urgent Urgent Priority
10-19 Return to your station. Nothing for you Return to ... (In) Contact Return to ...
10-20 What is your location? Location Location Location Location
10-21 Call this station by telephone. Call ... by phone Call ... by telephone Call (...) by Phone Call ... Telephone
10-22 Take no further action last information. Report in person to ... Disregard Disregard Disregard Disregard
10-23 Stand by until no interference. Arrived at scene Arrived at scene Arrived at Scene On scene
10-24 Trouble at station--unwelcome visitors--all units vicinity report at once. Finished with last assignment Assignment completed Assignment Completed — Available
10-25 Do you have contact with...? Operator or officer on duty? Report in person to (meet) ... Report to (Meet) ... Meet ... or contact ...
10-26 Can you obtain automobile registration information? Holding subject, rush reply Detaining subject, expedite Estimated Arrival Time Detaining subject, expedite
10-27 Any answer our number...? Request driver's license information Drivers license information License/Permit Information Drivers license information on ...
10-28 Check full registration information. Request full registration information Vehicle registration information Ownership Information Registration information on ...
10-29 Check for wanted. Check record for wanted Check records for wanted. Records Check Check for wanted on ...
Emergency or Unusual
10-30 Does not conform to rules and regulations. Does not conform to rules and regulations Illegal use of radio Danger/Caution — Use Caution
10-31 Is lie detector available? Emergency basis, all squads, 10-11 Crime in progress Pick Up —
10-31 A — — — — Burglary
10-31 B — — — — Robbery
10-31 C — — — — Homicide
10-31 D — — — — Kidnapping
10-31 E — — — — Shooting
10-32 Is drunkometer available? Chase, all squads stand by Man with gun ... Units Needed (Specify) —
10-33 Emergency traffic at this station--clear? Emergency traffic this station EMERGENCY Help Me Quick — Help Officer
10-34 Clear for local dispatch? Trouble at station, assistance needed Riot Time —
10-35 Confidential information. Major crime, blocade Major crime alert —Reserved— —
10-36 Correct time? — Correct time —Reserved— —
10-37 Operator on duty? No rush Investigate suspicious vehicle —Reserved— —
10-38 Station report--satisfactory. Hurry, but do not use red light or siren Stopping suspicious vehicle (Give station complete description before stopping). —Reserved— Traffic stop on ...
10-39 Your Nr...delivered to addressee. Use red light and siren Urgent-Use light and siren —Reserved— —
General Use Private Use
10-40 Advise if Officer...available for radio call. Notification Silent run - No light or siren —
10-41 Tune to ... kcs. for test with mobile unit or emergency service. Car change at ... Beginning tour of duty —
10-42 — Crew change at ... Ending tour of duty Off duty
10-43 — Take school crossing Information —
10-44 — — Request permission to leave patrol ... for ... Request for ...
10-45 — — Animal carcass in ... lane at ... —
10-46 — — Assist motorist Assist motorist
10-47 — — Emergency road repairs needed —
10-48 — — Traffic standard needs repairs —
10-49 — Hourly report mark Traffic light out East bound green light out (etc.)
Accident and Vehicle Handling
10-50 — Auto accident, property damage only Accident -- F, PI, PD Traffic (F, PD)

Trafic

  • Hit and run
  • Injury
  • No injury reported
  • Unknown
  • Private property, location
10-51 — Auto accident, wrecker sent Wrecker needed —
10-52 — Auto accident, personal injuries, ambulance sent Ambulance needed —
10-53 — Auto accident, fatal Road blocked —
10-54 — — Livestock on highway —
10-55 — Drunken driver Intoxicated driver —
10-56 — — Intoxicated pedestrian Drunk pedestrian
10-57 — — Hit and run -- F, PI, PD —
10-58 — Is wrecker on the way? Direct traffic —
10-59 — Is ambulance on the way? Convoy or escort —
Net Message Handling
10-60 What is next item (message) number? What is your next message number? Squad in vicinity —
10-61 Stand by for CW traffic on ... kcs. CW traffic Personnel in area. —
10-62 Unable to copy phone--use CW. Any answer our Nr. ... Reply to message —
10-63 Net directed. Time Prepare to make written copy Prepare to copy
10-64 Net free. — Message for local delivery —
10-65 Clear for item (message) assignment? Clear for message assignment Net message assignment —
10-66 Clear for cancellation? Clear for cancellation Message cancellation —
10-67 Stations...carry this item (message). Clear for net message Clear to read net message —
10-68 Repeat dispatch. — Dispatch information —
10-69 Have you dispatched...? — Message received —
Fire
10-70 Net message (State net traffic). Fire, phone alarm Fire alarm Fire
10-71 Proceed with traffic in sequence (busy here). Box alarm Advise nature of fire (size, type, and contents of building) —
10-72 — Second alarm Report progress on fire —
10-73 — Third alarm Smoke report —
10-74 — Fourth alarm Negative Negative
10-75 — Fifth alarm In contact with —
10-76 — Fire equipment needed En Route En route ...
10-77 — Fire, grass ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) ETA (Estimated time of arrival)
10-78 — Set up command post Need assistance Request Assistance
10-79 — Report progress on fire Notify coroner Notify coroner (to be done by phone whenever possible)
The 80 series is reserved for assignment by nets for local use. Personal Favors —
10-80 ... tower lights at this station burned out. — — Chase
10-81 Officer Nr. ... will be at your station ... — — —
10-82 Reserve room with bath at hotel for officer Nr. ... Reserve hotel room Reserve lodging —
10-83 Have officer Nr. ... call this station by telephone. — — —
10-84 Advise telephone Nr. ... your city that officer Nr. ... will not return this date. — If meeting ... advise ETA —
10-85 Officer ... left this station for ... (Jefferson City) (Des Moines) at ... — Will be late —
10-86 Officer ... left this station for ... at ... — — —
10-87 Officer Nr. ... will be in ... if officer Nr. ... will be in. — Pick up checks for distribution —
10-88 What phone number shall we call to make station to station call to officer Nr. ...? Advise phone number for station to station call Advise present telephone number of ... —
10-89 Request radio service man be sent to this station... Radio transmission — Bomb threat
Technical
10-90 Radio service man will be at your station .... Transmit on alternate frequency Bank alarm Alarm (type of alarm)
10-91 Prepare for inspection (date) ... (time) ... — Unnecessary use of radio Pick up prisoner
10-92 Your quality poor--transmitter apparently out of adjustment. — — Parking complaint
10-93 Frequencies to be checked this date. Frequency check Blockade —
10-94 Test--no modulation--for frequency check. Give me a test Drag racing —
10-95 Test intermittently with normal modulation for ... — — Prisoner in custody
10-96 Test continuously with tone modulation for ... — Mental subject —
10-97 — — — Check traffic signal
10-98 — — Prison or jail break Prison/jail break
10-99 — — Records indicate wanted or stolen Wanted/stolen

Clear Speech Procedure Words and Codes

Clear Speech (c. 1971) (plain language to replace Ten Codes)[23]
Procedure Word/Code Meaning
ROGER To be used as acknowledgement.
AFFIRMATIVE To be used when "yes" is needed.
HELP To be used when in danger and urgent assistance is needed.
CODE ONE Informs all units to STANDBY - STOP TRANSMITTING. Do not transmit, except for emergency messages, while Code 1 is in effect. Dispatch shall announce, "Clear Code 1," when the condition is secured.
CODE TWO Indicates an "urgent" call short of an "emergency" situation. A Code 2 call has priority over all other police activities except "emergencies".

Proceed directly to Code 2 calls as quickly as is consistent with safety. Agents may, in exceptional cases, use their emergency equipment (both visual and audible to comply with state law) to transverse an otherwise clear intersection against a red traffic control device. Once clear of the intersection - turn off the emergency equipment.

CODE THREE Indicates an EMERGENCY call. Red lights and siren are authorized. Proceed as quickly as possible with due regard for safety, and in compliance with the laws governing emergency vehicles.
CODE FOUR Used to indicate that sufficient units have responded to a location, or that assistance is not needed, or is no longer needed.
CODE FIVE Used when Wanted/Records checks are requested by an agent to alert the agent of a wanted felon, a person known to be dangerous or a person known to be mentally unstable.

A backup unit shall be dispatched Code 2 on all Code 5's.

Personnel will NOT proceed with Code 5 details until the receiving unit requests same. The unit receiving a Code 5 will request the details when he is in a safe position to do so, which might not be until his backup arrives.

CODE SIX When an agent is dispatched to a traffic accident, and the dispatcher states, "Code 6," the agent will advise the drivers involved to proceed to the situation to file their reports. This will only be done if there are no injuries, no unusual circumstance and the vehicles are safely operable. Driver Exchange Forms will be completed at the scene to include the C. R. number.
CODE SEVEN Indicates "out of service - personal."
CODE EIGHT Assist a fire department.
  • The California Highway Patrol uses ten-codes, along with an additional set of eleven- and higher codes.[25]
  • California Penal Code sections were in use by the Los Angeles Police Department as early as the 1940s, and these Hundred Code numbers are still used today instead of the corresponding ten-code. Generally these are given as two sets of numbers[citation needed]—"One Eighty-Seven" or "Fifty-One Fifty"—with a few exceptions such as "459"—Burglary, which is given as "Four-Five-Nine". The American public was made aware of these California Penal Code references as a result of the TV series Adam-12, which used them habitually in radio communications and in the main title of the show. The best-known include:
    • "187": Homicide
      Further information: 187 (slang)
    • "211": Robbery
    • "415": Disturbance
    • "417": Person with a weapon
    • "502": Intoxicated Driver
    • "5150": Mentally disturbed person (actually a reference to the California Welfare and Institutions Code)
  • The New York Fire Department uses its own ten-code system.[26]
  • The New Zealand Fire Service uses a system of "K-codes" to pass fire appliance availability statuses as well as operational messages. For example, "K1" means "proceeding to incident", while "K99" means "Structure fire, well involved".[27][28] The New Zealand Police also use some K-codes,[29] with completely unrelated meanings to those used by NZFS; Police code "K1" means "no further police action required".
  • Telegraph and teletype procedures
    • Q code and prosigns for Morse code are used in amateur radio, aviation, and marine radio. They provide specific abbreviations for concepts related to aviation, shipping, RTTY, radiotelegraph, and amateur radio.[30] In radiotelegraph operation, a Q code is often shorter,[31] and provides codes standardized by meaning in all languages – essential for international shortwave radio communications.
    • Z codes are used for military radio communications NATO countries, and like Q codes are standardized across languages.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Heard on Morning Edition (2009-10-13). "Plain Talk Eases Police Radio Codes Off The Air". NPR. Archived from the original on 2009-10-17. Retrieved 2010-01-23. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ "The APCO Bulletin (June 1935)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 15 March 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ James Careless (August 2006). "The End of 10-Codes?". Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 15 March 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ http://28011b0082f55a9e1ec0-aecfa82ae628504f4b1d229bd9030ae1.r13.cf1.rackcdn.com/1940-01-p008-200.pdf Archived 2017-08-10 at the Wayback Machine, p.8
  5. ^ "The Origin of The Ten Code". Archived from the original on 18 June 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ "APCO Projects". Archived from the original on 18 June 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ 9-Code, 10-Code. Archived 2015-03-20 at the Wayback Machine Dispatch Magazine online.
  8. ^ "Official Ten-Code List Association of Public Communications Officers (APCO)". Archived from the original on 2007-10-13. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/New_York_City_(NY)_Law_Enforcement. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
  10. ^ The End of the Ten-Code? Archived 2009-07-22 at the Wayback Machine. Tim Dees, Officer.com, 9 November 2005
  11. ^ 10-4 no more?. Megan Scott, asap (AP), 23 November 2005
  12. ^ "Plain Language Guide" (PDF). SAFECOM program. Department of Homeland Security. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-05-27. Retrieved 2010-01-23. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ Federal Emergency Management Agency. NIMS Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved on 2014-12-01 from "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-12-23. Retrieved 2014-12-02. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link).
  14. ^ APCO position statement on Plain Speech in Public Safety Communications Archived 2012-05-09 at the Wayback Machine
  15. ^ Mack, Sharon Kiley (January 1, 2010). "Maine police dropping 10-code, switching to plain language". Bangor Daily News. Archived from the original on January 18, 2012. Retrieved October 26, 2011. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ "Association of Public Communications(APCO) 10 Codes". Archived from the original on 2013-10-04. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ "Happy Birthday" (PDF).
  18. ^ "Page Twelve The APCO Bulletin April 1940" (PDF).
  19. ^ "Standard "Ten Signals"" (PDF).
  20. ^ "A NATIONAL TRAINING MANUAL AND PROCEDURAL GUIDE FOR POLICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY RADIO COMMUNICATIONS PERSONNEL".
  21. ^ "Public Safety Communication Aural Brevity Code" (PDF).
  22. ^ "OFFICIAL TEN SIGNAL LIST" (PDF). Associated Public-Safety Communications Officers, Inc.
  23. ^ a b "Ten Code Versus Clear Speech Communication" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-03-13. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  24. ^ "Phrase Word Brevity Code" (PDF).
  25. ^ "CHP Glossary". California Highway Patrol. Archived from the original on 2015-11-26. Retrieved 2015-11-25. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  26. ^ F.D.N.Y. Radio Codes Archived 2010-09-15 at the Wayback Machine The Unofficial Home Page of FDNY.
  27. ^ "K-Codes" Archived 2016-05-10 at the Wayback Machine
  28. ^ "Fire radio codes Archived 2016-04-19 at the Wayback Machine
  29. ^ "Police K code". Radio Wiki. 2012-06-07. Archived from the original on 2013-02-07. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  30. ^ "Q Codes" (PDF). CB Radio Source. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
  31. ^ Ten-codes require transmission of three prefix characters "10-" and two numbers, so five characters, on top of which digits and punctuation are all long sequences in Morse (5–6 dits or dahs). Letters are all short sequences in Morse (1–4 dits or dahs), so the prefix "Q" and two letters is fewer characters and shorter code sequences.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ten-code&oldid=822954490"