Plain Text vs. "10" codes

[bluegrassbabe32]

I have often wondered if my department is the only one still out there using 10 codes? I have spoken with other departments who have advised that they are converting to plain text as mandated by recent changes. My Sheriff refuses to use this! My Sheriff feels that the use of 10 codes protects the public from going into a state of fear before responding deputies arrive to confirm the complaint.

I for one feel that the 10 code approach is more professional and it saves us one hell of a headache from the media. The TV stations around my department are like leeches....they will hound you to death if they hear a call given out in plain text such as a shooting, robbery or rape. They will call every 5 minutes and request administrative pages to be sent.

Anyone having any input on dealing with this situation? :mad:

[Drummadude]

I never thought about it that way. My department still uses ten codes and signals. They're a just over 100 officer force in central Indiana. As I've been memorizing the department codes for police explorers, I've wondered the same thing you have: Is my department the only one still using ten codes?

I started thinking that ten codes could simply be confusing. I haven't even taken my codes test, and after 5 months of studying about 60 codes, I still have trouble with one or two of them. I mix 10-7 and 10-8 up.

But I had never thought of the media. I've noticed my department has, for the most part, very unique codes, differing from many other departments. With the media, that can be a great thing; keeping it all secret is good.

[Darin]

Don't believe that the media doesn't know your 10 codes. The bad guys know it so there's no reson the media can't get a copy of a cheat sheet. My dept. went to plain talk. It took a while to get used to it. I also think the 10 codes are more professional than plain talk.

[Valor55]

We are about to transition to plain talk. Our radio traffic is already jammed up with radio traffic, we're going to be screwed trying to get air time when we go plain talk...

[cntryboy0531]

We use 10 codes and are not changing

[Drummadude]

Do police officers that are forced to use plainspeak like it worse or better than 10-Codes?

I think they only have one solid reason: They shorten up radio transmissions.

One could either say: "I need an ambulance at 5566 Grant Avenue, there's 1 male with a knife wound to the arm" or TWO ten codes and on the code meaning 'information' for the specific department just say: 5566 Grant Ave, 1 male, Knife Wound.

[mcsap]

21 to dispatch. I have a 10-95 for 10-55 who was in the 10-57 and had a 10-32. Run a 29 and also I need a zone 1 10-51 for the car which is 10-45.

21 to dispatch , I have a prisoner in custody for DUI who was in the hit and run and also had a firearm. Run this guy for warrants all ways and I need a zone 1 tow truck for the car which was in a crash.


I understand the reason behind getting away from the 10 codes ( interoperability) but am not terribly thrilled with the plain english way of doing things. BUT , I am just a small part of a large sytem and I have adjusted before and shall do so again.

[MDEMT280]

Fire side uses plain English, except for 10-50 (for motor vehicle crashes). Every now and then, you hear an old-timer use some old codes/signals, but they're technically phased out to be NIMS/ICS-compliant.

Police side uses a mix. I'd say it's about 50/50 split. Most calls are dispatched in plain English, "shooting," "domestic," etc. Codes are used for things like en route, arrived, DL/registration checks, and things that officers may not want suspects/bystanders hearing.

[DigitalFuzi0n]

We've been up in the air about this for awhile now. Supposedly our county was going to mandate plain text. Then they came back and switched back to 10 codes. Now we're supposedly using 10 codes unless it becomes a multi-agency event which involves departments from outside jurisdictions, then we're supposed to use plain speech for inter-operability reasons. For the most part we're all just using plain text with a few of the more common 10 codes still being used. What part of the state are you from?

[CelicaGuy]

The department I am at uses a mix of both as well they will say they are en route and will say the ten code when they arrive on scene. Also, are we talking about dispatch as well because I know here dispatch uses 10 codes no matter what, expecailly on a wanted 10-99 person. I wouldn't want the criminal to know that he was wanted at the same time I found out.

[Joeyd6]

Tell your boss to wake-up and smell the coffee!

The use of plain text language during police communications is here, and is going to be the national standard during large incidents. It is part of the National Incident Management System, designed through DHS and FEMA, and compliance is "required.".

It is a inter-agency operability issue. To continue getting federal grants, the NYPD and many other departments had to train all officers on such. NIMS is basically the same as the old Incident Command System, but is only implemented at a incident that requires multiple agencies. That may mean in your jurisdiction where FD and you respond or only where there is a large scale incident. All depends.

But the NYPD was threatened with a loss of all grant money if all officers were not trained within 365 days. They did such, training 34,000 folks in a 8 hour course within that time frame. For that to happen, it was obviously a big deal Bottom line is during such incidents, each agency will have a command structure and if you need something from another agency, follow your command structure and all the heads will be together, make a decision and reply promptly. It also eliminates the codes so there can be operability between agencies. But during daily operations, NYPD uses 10 codes.

Suggest he/she check out: http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nims/index.shtm

[StationM]

NIMS mandates are for mutual-aid communication, there is no "requirement" that 10 and 11 codes be discontinued when used within your own agency.

As for "keeping it secret?" I think all the news channels/reporters have scanners, and they know what all our codes mean. If it's sensitive, we use a tac frequency, or the phone.

We have 10, 11, and "Code" codes....we also use penal codes both as type codes for calls, and in the text of calls for broadcast. While many of the agencies use similar codes, we always use plain speak when talking with each other.

[Joeyd6]

NIMS mandates are for mutual-aid communication, there is no "requirement" that 10 and 11 codes be discontinued when used within your own agency.

Exactly what I stated. But depending on your location, you typically end up with almost every call being mutual aid. Fire department from town A, ambulance from company B and police from C. You just entered a NIMS situation. How many calls today are strictly a police only? Not many. FD gets PD at most calls and EMS responds to most calls of both. WIth radio monitoring going on, it is what NIMS was designed for. The idea is of doing it everyday will make sure it is done on the big day.

NIMS does not require the dropping of codes for daily agency use. But when an incident occurs that requires mutual aid, it is supposed to be used. And any police brass that refuse to acknowledged such are not only foolish, but setting up their department and officers to look untrained when that big even occurs and lose federal funding.

The NIMS policy states:

....all departments and agencies must adopt the NIMS and use it in their individual domestic incident management and emergency prevention, preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation programs and activities....

.....and all Local jurisdictions will be required to meet the FY 2007 NIMS implementation requirements as a condition of receiving federal preparedness funding assistance in FY 2008.......

And the NIMS Integration Center has stated this to the Q&A sheets sent to all localities:
Our 911 center, which recieves and dispatches all emergency and non-emergency calls has told us that we may not use 10-codes at all. I gather we must use plain language when using NIMS ICS. Is that correct?

According to the NIMS: "Incident communications are facilitated through the development and use of a common communications plan and interoperable communications processes and architectures. This integrated approach links the operational and support units of the various agencies involved and is necessary to maintain communications connectivity and discipline and enable common situational awareness and interaction."

The ability to communicate within ICS is absolutely critical and using standard or common terminology is essential to ensuring efficient, clear communication. ICS requires the use of common terminology; that is, the use of plain English. Common terminology in communications is necessary to support mutual aid and the infusion of new responders coming to an event so they will be able to communicate with one another. All exercises that responders participate in should feature plain English commands so they can function in a multi-jurisdiction environment. Field manuals and training should also be revised to reflect the plain English standard. That said, it is the intention of the NIMS Integration Center to take a practical common sense approach to this, and not cut off funding to a city because we hear of first responder who happens use ten codes.

Also see:
http://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/ni...es02-08-06.pdf

[StationM]

I wasn't really arguing with you Joey....I happen to agree that plain speak surves a purpose.

I my agency works "mutual-aid" every day. We have a Regional Communitions Center with hailing frequencies for LE/FD/Fed/County agencies. It's very easy to maintain professional communitcation using "real" words. The trick is to still keep traffic brief and to the point, and resist using "chit-chat" language.

[Group9]

I don't know if it confuses the media or other people listening in when different departments all use different ten codes, but I can tell you from lots of experience that when several officers from different departments on a task force try and use it, much havoc ensues.

We constantly remind our task force officers not to use their departmental ten codes on our radio net, usually by telling them that we had no idea what they just said.