Is it a 10-7 for 10-codes?

Anyone old enough to remember TV shows such as Dragnet or Adam-12 knows that in police-speak the phrase "10-4" means "OK." The use of the 10-codes dates back in the 1920's the police radio band consisted of only one channel. In order to communicate effectively the 10-code system was developed to describe most police actions.

Each law enforcement agency began to adopt their own version of the codes. For example, a 10-32 in Whitfield County, GA means "subject with firearm" while in Volusia County, FL it refers to "breathalyser available." A 10-34 in Whitfield means "open alcohol" while in Volusia it means "jail break."

In the aftermath of Sept 11th, the Department of Homeland Security began to "encourage" local authorities to drop 10-codes in favor of plain language in an effort to facilitate communications between law enforcement agencies.

Soon, people that hear someone say "10-4" will have no idea what it stands for. That is unless CB radios make a comeback. Sphere: Related Content