LAPD Code "Sam" and "Tom"

[wiredwrx]

Recently, I was listening to a following, which led to a pursuit. It terminated after a crash, and the driver took off into an apartment building. The air unit got sight of the offender on a balcony, and put out over the radio for "Code Sam and Code Tom." I then heard a couple of officers excitedly requesting "Code Tom to the rear," at which point the dispatcher began calling for "Code Sam and Code Tom to the Rear."

I can not figure out what Code Tom and Code Sam are. A guess would be a Code Tom is a request for a Taser like device, but that is just a guess. Can't figure out code Sam though. Anyone know what they are, other than the phonetic for the letters S and T. I have been monitoring for months, and never heard those "codes" before.

 

[kearthfan101]

T=Taser.
S=beanbag shotgun.

As far as i know.

 

[wiredwrx]

Works for me. Thanks.

 

[W9THR]

or could be OC spray..

 

[Radio_Lady]

I can not figure out what Code Tom and Code Sam are. A guess would be a Code Tom is a request for a Taser like device, but that is just a guess. Can't figure out code Sam though. Anyone know what they are, other than the phonetic for the letters S and T. I have been monitoring for months, and never heard those "codes" before.

Code Tom is a request for a field unit with a Taser to respond to an occurrence involving a violent suspect.

Code Sam is a request for a unit with a Bean Bag Shotgun to respond to an occurrence.
http://www.lapdonline.org/lapd_equipment/pdf_view/49255 - a pdf file

Another even more seldom-heard request is "All Units, Code Robert-UPR at [location]," which is for an Urban Police Rifle (I don't know what models they use now, but scroll down http://www.lapdonline.org/lapd_equipment to see some of the things they have acquired). On this request the RTO immediately assigns a UPR-equipped unit and an Area supervisor.

All these requests are to be broadcast on the appropriate Area Group frequencies and noted in the CAD comments along with the specific units responding.

 

[wiredwrx]

Radio Lady,

Thank you for the very detailed explanation.