How Many Departments Still Use 10 codes? Can You Talk to Police on Your Radios?

We were taught not to use 10 codes. Are dispatch still uses them to talk to PD so alot of our pages they use them. I know a few 1070 1050PI or 1050PD stuff like that. But it throws me for a loop at times. I feel like an idoit asking for the meaning on the radio but I do ask. I thought I should learn them But was told no by a chief officer on are department. He said they should not be using them anymore. We don't even have a up to date list anyway.

I did not think to be NIMS compliant they could be using them at dispatch?

I thought it was suppose to be Plain Language has something changed?

 

While on the radio subject we can not talk to any police dept. They did not want there talk groups on are radios. This is a sore spot with me. When paged we are all suppose to go to a tac channel. But the LEOs don't, They say they can't hear if another LEO calls for help somewhere else. We have to relay though central if there busy it takes time. I believe this will get someone hurt or killed someday praying I am wrong.

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"10" codes are not supposed to be used in our radio traffic. We went to Plain Text back when NIMS was adopted. But old habits die hard, and LE still uses them, so our dispatchers still use 10-codes too much. We still use a single 10 code, it's a 10-109D(common use is just a "109". It means a dead body. Guess the powers that be don't want to shock the scanner birds.

10 code use is one of my pet peeves...

TCSS

Reg
So an 11-544 would be a sewer clogged with a dead body?


Sorry, couldn't resist!!

TCSS

Reg
My pet peeve is the format we use when we make a call on the radio, " Engine 10 to Central" or something similar.

Having spent 20+ years in the Army, I firmly believe the format, "Central this is Engine 10" is a better format because all too often I hear "Last calling unit, go ahead" or even worse "last calling unit 10-9 your traffic," because the first thing the dispatcher heard was "central [or "Dispatch" or whatever you call it in your jurisdiction]" and had no idea who was calling her. Same with traffic between responding units, "Engine 10 to Engine 4" means everyone has to stop to hear who Engine 10 is calling, but "Engine 4 this is Engine 10" means only Engine 4 needs to focus on what Engine 10 is sending, although everyone on the net can still hear it peripherally. Same with "Command to Interior" vs. "Interior this is Command." Get their attention, identify yourself, then tell them what you have to say.

By saying the receivers callsign first you get their attention, then identify yourself and there's less need to repeat your traffic.

But 10-codes and "signal codes" are quaint with modern radio systems and now are just confusing. There's no time to pull out a "cheat sheet" when responding, or while working at a scene.

One that still gets a lot of use here is 10-44 (suicide), but it gets modified so much it doesn't hide what it is, for example: "respond to a 10-44G [ "G" stands for gun] attempted" or "Patient attempted 10-44 by taking a bottle of sleeping pills" etc.

Greenman
We don't use ten codes, being nims compliant, the only code you may here from us is a (code 4) stating that the scene is clear or wrapped up. we are able to talk to PD on any of our radios, but we rarely need to.

TCSS
I totally understand the 5X5 being a ham radio operator myself. However, the individual is not helping matters when the rest of the agency is trying to get away from using 10 codes and other abbreviations from days gone by.
We always have taught you put who you are wanting first. "Central Dispatch Rescue 20. (wait for aknowlagement) Rescue 20 inroute switching to TAC 2".
We use a little radio traffic as is needed to avoid walking on more important traffic. Also try to keep it simple and to the point.
Instead of 10-4 we use "Clear" lets everyone know you heard the traffic and your clear of the radio channel. So if they have traffic they can go with it. But I think thats the way most areas work.
Are dispatch is still bad about the 10 codes.
Well, there are several different systems of radio "lingo" out there, which is why the standard is "plain language" to get everyone back on the same sheet of music.

the big difference I notice is phonetic alphabets. I have spent most of my adult life using the military/aviation phonetics, "Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, Juliet, India, Kilo, Mike, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uniform, Victor, Whiskey, X-Ray, Yankee, Zulu" and now I have to get used to, "Adam, Brian, Charlie, David, Edward, etc... Personally I think it's too confusing to use names for phonetics when you're passing names in your traffic.

Just a pet peeve,nothing to do about it....


Greenman
We use "clear" here as well. Sometimes you hear a "Roger" since we have a lot of Military who are volunteers.

Greenman
Many moons ago, you would hear across our radio "Squad 4 from Chief 2, bring etc. etc". Our troopers still converse this way.
In a frontline battle, who is going to remember how to call using this format. Unless it was a laid back non-emergency detail like a parade then we'd have the time to stop and think about the radio etiquette. Nowdays you just plain out hear "Chief 2 to Squad 4 bring your crew around the backside and etc. etc."
Squad 4 would reply "Copy"
Sorry, I can't reply to this. I'm 10-97 to my previous 10-20 where I'll be 10-7 for a 10-100! You could 10-25, but I wouldn't recommend it. 10-4?
HUH? Did you say paitent with a sideways tur*?
Greenman, My wife ask me during a movie once. "How do they know it's name is will" When someone said fire at will.
See what Millitary talk could get you. If she was on the battlefield she would be looking for someone named will to shoot at. LOL

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