Code 61 - Donald Harstad [173]
SOME USEFUL TEN CODES
The so-called Ten Codes were developed in the very early days of police radio communications. Range was very short, and most of the vehicles that carried the expensive equipment for two-way communication were owned by states or large cities. The codes, as used in Iowa, were meant to cover the situations commonly encountered by the Iowa Highway Patrol. The IHP in those days was very likely the only outfit that operated in rural Iowa which could afford radios. Many times, the early equipment was so unreliable that the first part of a transmission would be lost due to equipment vagaries. Long transmissions merely meant that the chances of a message becoming garbled were just that much better. The Ten Codes enabled the reduction of the length of the transmissions, and their clarity was improved by assigning simple numbers to the most common messages. Therefore, the “10” was used to alert the listener that a message number was to follow. This system has remained in use, and seems likely to do so for the foreseeable future.
10–2
Good signal, now usually used to mean simply “good.”
10–4
Acknowledged, frequently used to indicate agreement.
10–5
Relay.
10–6
Busy (as in doing cop work), often used as a “do not disturb” sign on the radio.
10–7
Temporarily out of service (as in lunch).
10–8
Back in service (as in done with lunch).
10–9
Repeat.
10–10
Fight.
10–13
Weather and road conditions.
10–16
Domestic case.
10–20
Location.
10–21
Telephone, as in “Ten-twenty-one the office.”
10–22
Disregard.
10–23
Arrived at scene.
10–24
Assignment completed.
10–25
Report in person to meet, usually used simply as “meet.”
10–27
Operator's license information.
10–28
Vehicle registration information.
10–29
Check records for stolen; modern usage also means “warrant” or “wanted.”
10–32
Suspect with gun, also used in reference to knives and other devices.
10–33
Emergency.
10–46
Disabled vehicle.
10–50
Motor vehicle crash.
10–51
Wrecker.
10–52
Ambulance.
10–55
DWI.
10–56
Intoxicated pedestrian.
10–61
Personnel in area, frequently used to indicate that a civilian can hear the radio.
10–70
Fire.
10–76
En route.
10–78
Need assistance.
10–79
Notify medical examiner, also used to indicate a deceased subject.
10–80
High-speed pursuit.
10–96
Mentally disturbed subject.
As an example, if you as an officer were to suddenly encounter an armed suspect, shots were ffred, you needed help, and thought somebody had been injured, you might transmit: “Ten-thirty-three, ten-thirty-two, need ten-seventy-eight, and get me a ten-fifty-two—this is ten-thirty-three!” (Note the use of 10-33 twice, which officers tend to do when emphasizing dire straits.) An excellent dispatcher will get the whole picture, and may merely try to discover your position by saying, “Tenfour, ten-twenty?” As with any system, the clarity and usefulness depend entirely on the quality of the personnel involved. An excited officer may be merely garbled, and the transmissions result in a “Ten-nine?” An inattentive dispatcher may “tune in” halfway through the message and receive incomplete data. This, too, can lead to additional risk and hazard.
This is, by the way, one example of why the retention of your top-notch people is so important.
Donald Harstad is the author of Eleven Days, Known Dead, and The Big Thaw. A former deputy sheriff and twenty-six-year veteran of the Clayton County Sheriff's Department, he lives in Elkader, Iowa.
If you enjoyed Donald Harstad's Code 61, you won't want to miss any of his exciting police thrillers starring Carl Houseman.
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