Police Signal Codes

What are police signal codes?

Police signal codes and 10 codes are a system of numbers used together that represent specific activities or conditions and are usually transmitted by voice over the radio or used in mobile computer systems. The codes are typically transmitted from a dispatching center or dispatch (a central communications center) to officers in the field. Likewise, police officers will transmit these coded messages back to dispatch or when communicating with fellow officers. These codes are meant to assist emergency personnel such as law enforcement, by providing uniformity and precision in communication. However, police radio codes differ greatly throughout various jurisdictions and regions. This lack of uniformity across jurisdictional boundaries has created confusion among police and other law enforcement agencies conducting joint operations. This is especially problematic when responding to large-scale emergencies involving numerous agencies. This jurisdictional incongruity is a major safety concern for the public as well as for responding law enforcement and other emergency personnel. For this reason many agencies have adopted plain talk radio communication. Using plain talk simply means suspending the use of localized police radio codes during interagency emergencies and adhering to more universally recognized, concise and descriptive plain language while using the radio. Some agencies have even adopted 100% plain talk policies for all of their internal radio communication.

What's the difference between police signal codes and radio 10 codes?

Police 10 codes are self-referential and tend to deal with officer disposition, scene disposition, time-and-place, and certain aspects of message transmission or characteristics of communication. Police signal codes tend to focus primarily on a specific activity or the type of emergency at hand. The best way to illustrate this is through examples. Again, these codes and radio protocol displayed here will differ based on the jurisdiction, agency, policies / procedures.

List of Police Radio Signal Codes
Agency specific list of police radio codes.

Signal 0	Armed Person / Incident
Signal 1	Drunk Driver
Signal 2	Drunk Person (M - Marchman Act)
Signal 3	Hit & Run Accident
Signal 4	Accident (I - Accident with Injuries)
Signal 5	Murder
Signal 6	Escaped Prisoner
Signal 7	Dead Person
Signal 8	Lost / Missing Person
Signal 9	Lost / Stolen License Tag
Signal 10	Stolen Vehicle (R - Recovered)
Signal 11	Abandoned Vehicle
Signal 12	Reckless Driver
Signal 13	Suspicious Vehicle (P - Suspicious Person)
Signal 15	Special Detail
Signal 16	Obstruction on Roadway
Signal 17	Contact Message
Signal 20	Possible Mental Problem
Signal 21	Burglary (A - Alarm, I - In Progress, V - Vehicle)
Signal 22	Disturbance (F - Fight, I - In Progress, N - Noise, P - Panhandler, R - Road Rage, T - Threats Disorderly)
Signal 23	Hitchhiker / Pedestrian
Signal 24	Robbery (0 - Armed, A - Alarm, H - Home Invasion, V - Car Jack)
Signal 25	Fire (A - Alarm, B - Brush Fire, R - Arson, V - Vehicle Fire)
Signal 26	Drowning Incident
Signal 27	Prowler
Signal 29	Wanted F - Fel / Wanted M - Misdemeanor

Signal 31	Rape / Sexual Assault
Signal 32	Kidnapping
Signal 33	Shoplifting
Signal 34	Criminal Mischief (V - Vehicle)
Signal 35	Narcotics
Signal 36	Bomb Threat
Signal 37	Suspicious Incident (P - Suspicious Mail)
Signal 38	Theft (G - Gas)
Signal 39	Suicide
Signal 40	Alarm
Signal 41	BOLO
Signal 42	Trespassing
Signal 43	Lewd / Lascivious Behavior
Signal 44	Overdose
Signal 45	Shots Fired
Signal 48	Animal Complaint (B - Dog Bite)
Signal 49	Obscene Telephone Call
Signal 52	Assault (A - Agg Assault, S - Agg Stalk)
Signal 54	Airplane Crash
Signal 55	Open Door
Signal 56	Forgery
Signal 57	Fraud
Signal 58	Ordinance Violation (C - Curfew Violation)
Signal 60	Hostage Barricade Incident
Signal 62	Gambling
Signal 66	Lost / Found Property
Signal 69	Prostitution
Signal 80	Community Control

Examples of police signal codes

"I have a Signal 4 on 10th Avenue and Burrows Street. One driver appears possibly Signal 2"
The officer has happened upon a traffic accident at the intersection of 10th Avenue and Burrows. One driver appears to be drunk (Signal 2).

"The complainant stated there is Signal 35 activity in the parking lot"
Someone is alleging there is narcotics activity (e.g., drug deal) taking place in a parking lot at a predetermined location.

"Can you respond to a possible Signal 7 at the Oakridge Apartments?"
Dispatch is asking an officer if they are free to investigate a possible dead person at the Oakridge Apartments.

Examples of a radio 10 codes used by police

"10-4, you can show me 10-51"
The officer affirms receiving the message (10-4) and is now enroute (10-51) to the predetermined location.

"I'm getting the complainant's 10-43"
The officer is getting the victim's information.

"10-1. Can you 10-9 your last transmission?"
The radio signal was weak or broken (10-1). The officer probably didn't understand the last message and to please repeat (10-9) the last transmission/message.

Signal code and 10 codes combined

"10-4, you can show me 10-51 to the Signal 40 audible"
The officer affirms receiving the message (10-4) and is now enroute (10-51) to the predetermined location where there the audible burglar alarm is being reported.

Related articles:

Police Signal Codes
A reference listing of police signal codes.

Police 10 Codes
A reference listing of police 10 codes.

Phonetic Alphabet
ALPHA through ZULU Phonetic Alphabet.

How to Use a Police Radio
Instructions how to use a police radio and how to transmit a message.

Navy Signal Flags
Navy Signal Flags with meanings and images of flags.

Morse Code SOS Distress
How to send a Morse Code SOS distress signal with example telegraph sound and flashing light SOS signal.

Morse Code
A reference listing of Morse Code.