Codes used in police traffic

[MichMar]

Is there a master list anywhere of the different codes that dispatchers/officers use when talking on their radios? Sometimes they'll state a "code" number instead of saying in plain English what they're responding to, and sometimes I can make an educated guess due to the context, but sometimes I have no idea what they're talking about.

i.e. I've heard a lot of "3500" on the scanner lately, and from what the context of their conversations are, that seems to be either general drugs, or maybe specifically marijuana? One time the dispatcher called in a report of someone "sitting in their car for a while, possible 3500".

Is there a list somewhere of the codes that the sheriff, etc. use?

[wjf]

http://www.bearcat1.com/radiomi.htm

[bigbluemsp]

WJF is right thats the state code list. Its a very very basic list. There are a lot more then that.

I'm working on a complete list.

[wjf]

Originally Posted by bigbluemsp

I'm working on a complete list.

Make sure you share. All I really listen to is Macomb.

[bigbluemsp]

Yep I'll share no prob.

Macomb? Just Macomb?

Soo closed off to the real world

[MetalManMI]

Originally Posted by MichMar

Is there a master list anywhere of the different codes that dispatchers/officers use when talking on their radios? Sometimes they'll state a "code" number instead of saying in plain English what they're responding to, and sometimes I can make an educated guess due to the context, but sometimes I have no idea what they're talking about.

i.e. I've heard a lot of "3500" on the scanner lately, and from what the context of their conversations are, that seems to be either general drugs, or maybe specifically marijuana? One time the dispatcher called in a report of someone "sitting in their car for a while, possible 3500".

Is there a list somewhere of the codes that the sheriff, etc. use?

The codes that you speak of take up 27 pages in my manual (I'm a LEO). Trust me...none of us know them all by heart. There are only a select few (commonly used in everyday incident reports) that we use in the way you are referencing. They're just report codes...but every LEO in Michigan use the same ones, so they are universal from department to department.

[Jeremy429]

Originally Posted by MetalManMI

The codes that you speak of take up 27 pages in my manual (I'm a LEO). Trust me...none of us know them all by heart. There are only a select few (commonly used in everyday incident reports) that we use in the way you are referencing. They're just report codes...but every LEO in Michigan use the same ones, so they are universal from department to department.

I don't know where you work as (LEO), but that's not true that all codes are used the same in Michigan for each department. A 10-15 in my county is "subject in custody" and in the county next to me that means "P.I. Accident".

[wjf]

Originally Posted by bigbluemsp

Yep I'll share no prob.

Macomb? Just Macomb?

Soo closed off to the real world

I hear what you're saying, but it's pretty much all I intently listen to. When I go outside the county it's only listening in the car and just catching the meat and potatoes.

Detroit is so congested, I just zero in on the words "gunshot", "fire", "car-jacking", etc. That, and the streets my parents grew up on. Anything more is information overload. I will share with you a story about driving through Motown, hearing a call come through about a guy in a red shirt on the corner of X and Y street selling drugs, and seeing the arrest happen while I was at the corner stoplight. That was fun.

And while I did some this year up north, I'm done traveling Michigan for at least eight months. I did put together some Up North stuff, which proved to work. Actually, got a few kicks out of it on the road. Mostly MSP.

[garryd451]

Originally Posted by Jeremy429

I don't know where you work as (LEO), but that's not true that all codes are used the same in Michigan for each department. A 10-15 in my county is "subject in custody" and in the county next to me that means "P.I. Accident".

Down here in Cass County a P.I. Accident is a 10-50.

[bigbluemsp]

Originally Posted by Jeremy429

I don't know where you work as (LEO), but that's not true that all codes are used the same in Michigan for each department. A 10-15 in my county is "subject in custody" and in the county next to me that means "P.I. Accident".

He didn't say radio codes he meant report codes. All reports get labeled a File Class number which is the code he is talking about.

The FC (File Class) numbers are reported to the state and thats how the state knows what crimes or types of complaints have been generated.

Radio codes are just that radio codes and the FCC is regulating they be done away with well actually they are forcing the issue and eventually there will be no more 10, 11 or 12 codes in the country.

An accident may be a 10-50 there but when it's sent to the state and a report is written at the top of the report 9300-1 which is used in a crash (not accidents in Michigan anymore they are Crashes) when either its one car or two cars and both cars are on location. NOW on a hit and run accident a File Class of 5400-1 is given because it's a different crime.

[Jeremy429]

Got ya. Sorry for my confusion, I admit my mistake Report codes, like you stated, yes they are the same I understand what you're talking about now.

[bigbluemsp]

No prob :P

[MichMar]

Thank you!

[Ronaldski]

Here is my complete list of codes/acronyms from an 11 page list of frequencies at:
webpages.charter.net/radiosite/MidmichiganScanner.html

Codes: (Bay City mainly, some used elsewhere)

0 - Deceased
1 - Homicide
2 - Rape
3 - Enroute to intake
4 - Clear with no report
7 - Unable to locate
(10)7-Out of Service
(10)8-In service
9 - Disregard and Clear
(10)9-Misdemeanor warrant
(10)10-Felony warrant
11 - Prostitution
12 - Drugs
(10)19-Enroute to the station
48 - Uncooperative / Mentally unstable, etc.
49 - Suicide
70 - D.O.A.
90 - Bomb Threat?
339 - Intoxicated persons under a hold due to
blood alcohol level
2000 - Arson
Center 40 or 40-Sheriffs Department HQ.
(Law Enforcement Center)
Station1 - Bay City Police HQ.
(Law Enforcement Center)
Signal 1 - Situation under control
Signal 2 - I need another unit, but no rush
Signal 3 - State Police return to post
Signal 4 – Need Help NOW
Signal D - Personal Break for State Police
Code XXXX- Bank Robbery / Holdup
(XXXX = some numbers)


Acronyms: (Bay County mainly, most used elsewhere)

A.I. Accident Investigator
A.L.S. Advanced Life Support (ALPHA)
A.C.F.A. Attempt to Commit Felonious Assault
A.D.W. Assault with a Deadly Weapon
A.R.M. Alternate Report Method
(No written report)
A.R.T.C.C. Air Route Traffic Control Center
A.T.I.S. Automatic Terminal Information
Service (Airports)
A.T.L. Attempt To Locate
A.W.O.S. Automated Weather Observation
System
B.C.J. Bay County Jail
B.L.S. Basic Life Support (BRAVO)
B.M.C. Bay Regional Medical Center
B.O.L. Be On the Lookout
C.C.W. Carrying Concealed Weapon
C.H.F. Congestive Heart Failure
C.L.N.C. Clearance (Airports)
C.M.I.S. Criminal Management Information
System
C.S.C. Criminal Sexual Conduct
D.W.I. Driving While Intoxicated
D.W.L.S. Driving While License Suspended
E.T.O.H. Alcohol
F.A.C. Failed to Appear in Court
F.C.J. Failure to Comply with Judgment
F.T.A. Failure To Appear (in court)
F.T.C. Failure To Comply
(with court judgment)
G.O.A. Gone On Arrival
H & R Hit & Run
H.E.A.R.N Hospital Emergency Administrative
Radio Network
HEELO Helicopter
HIWAS Hazardous In-flight Weather
Advisory Service
HOOK Tow truck
ILS Instrument Landing System
K Killed
KEYHOLDER Has keys to get into the place
L.E.I.N. Law Enforcement Information Network
L.Z. Landing Zone (helicopters)
M.E. Medical Examiner
M.I.P. Minors In Possession of alcohol or
Tobacco
M.D.O.P. Malicious Destruction Of Property
M.D.T. Mobile Data Terminal
M.S.O. Marine Safety Officer (Coast Guard)
N.C.I.C. National Crime Information Center
O.D. Officer of the Day (Coast Guard)
O.T.L. Out To Lunch
O.U.I.L. Operating Under the Influence of
Liquor (or O.U.)
P & L Prostitution & Loitering
PAT.COMM. PATrol COMMander (Coast Guard)
P.B.T. Portable Breathalyzer Test
P.D.A. Property Damage Accident
P.I. Personal Injury accident
P.I.W. Person(s) In Water
P.O.B. Persons On Board
P.P.O. Personal Protection Order
R.A. Robbery Armed
R.T.D. Return To Department – Lunch/Dinner
RIG Ambulance
RUNNER Someone who is responsible at the
place
RVR Runway Visual Range
S.A.R. Search And Rescue
S.O.R. Sex Offender Registration
S.O.S. Secretary Of State
T.X. Telephone call
TRACON Air Traffic Control
U.C. Under Cover
U.D.A.A. Unlawfully Driving Away an
Automobile
U.T.L. Unable To Locate
V.C.S.A. Violation of Chemical Substance Act
V.F.R. Visual Flight Rules (Airplanes)
V.O.R. VHF Omni-directional Radio-range
(Airplanes)
V.P.H.C. Violation of Public Health Code

[Thunderbolt]

A while back the MSP list was updated, and the expanded Offense codes are used across the state.

73s

Ron

[bigbluemsp]

They need to be reformatted because OUIL is 5400-2 and a Accident is 9300-1 not 9301.


Just FYI.

[Ronaldski]

Actually here in Mid-Michigan for the 15+ years using the scanners, the only items from that list Thunderbolt & Wjf links mentioned is,
10-9: & 10-10
Signal codes 1 thru 4 is all. None of the others I've never heard mentioned.
The list I put up is valid for this area.
IMO many of those codes in the other two links are just a list for municipalities to use if they want as they see fit if they choose?




webpages.charter.net/radiosite/MidmichiganScanner.html

[RadioRon]

Originally Posted by bigbluemsp

Radio codes are just that radio codes and the FCC is regulating they be done away with well actually they are forcing the issue and eventually there will be no more 10, 11 or 12 codes in the country.

The FCC is not the ones forcing the issue, it's Homeland Security through FEMA. All public safety agencies are suppose to be trained in the National Incidnet Management Systems (NIMS) (at least to qualify for federal funding). This enhancement to the Incident Command System (ICS) says all radio traffic shall be in plain english so there is no confusion as to what a 10-15 is when multiple agencies are working together. But, this requirement only applies to situations where multiple agencies are working together at an incident. It has nothing to do with a department's day to day operations.

With that said, there is STRONG urging to go to plain english in day to day ops, since we all know under stress you are going to revert to what is familiar. If you use 10 codes every day at work, you would probably use them in a multi-agency incident and then other people can become confused.

[RadioRon]

And if anyone is interested here is link to the current list of File Classes and their associated Change Codes used in MICR for crime reporting to the State.

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/MI...6_163082_7.pdf

[bigbluemsp]

Ahhh that will do for now but there are a lot more then that listed.

Thanks