Police use the 10 codes to simplify an event into a number. It’s much easier and more clear on a police radio to say 10-7 rather than ‘out of service’, especially when radio transmissions can be garbled or hard to understand.
I’m not sure if all police departments still use these codes, due in part to digital radio transmissions making conversations far more clear. In any case, if you’re listening to a police scanner in an area where the police still use the 10 codes, the universal list is shown below:
Police Ten Codes
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10-0 Caution 10-1 Reception poor 10-2 Reception good 10-3 Stop transmitting 10-4 Message received, understood 10-5 Repay message 10-6 Change channel 10-7 Out of service 10-7A Out of service, home 10-7B Out of service, personal 10-8 In service 10-9 Repeat message 10-10 Off duty 10-10A Off duty, home 10-11 Identify frequency 10-12 Visitor(s) present 10-13 Weather and road advice 10-14 Citizen w/suspect 10-15 Prisoner in custody 10-16 Pick up prisoner 10-17 Request for gasoline 10-18 Equipment exchange 10-19 Return(ing) to station 10-20 What’s Your Location 10-21 Telephone 10-21A Advise home I will return at: 10-22 Disregard last assignment 10-23 Stand by 10-24 Request car-to-car transmit 10-25 Do you have contact with: 10-26 Clear 10-27 D.D.L. report 10-28 Registration request 10-29 Check for wants 10-29F Subject wanted, felony 10-29H Hazard potential from subject 10-29M Subject wanted, Misdemeanor 10-29V Vehicle wanted 10-30 Doesn’t conform to regulations 10-32 Drowning 10-33 Alarm sounding, audible 10-34 Assist at office 10-35 Confidential Info. 10-36 Correct Time 10-37 Operator On Duty 10-38 Block Road (s) At 10-39 Message Delivered 10-40 Out For Meal 10-41 In Possession Of 10-42 Out Of Service-Home 10-43 Any Traffic For 10-44 Pick Up Papers At |
10-45 Call 10-46 Urgent 10-47 Blood Run 10-48 End/Did You Receive 10-49 Serving Warrant Capais 10-50 Stop Vehicle (tag 10-20) 10-51 En route 10-52 Estimated Time Of Arrival (ETA) 10-53 Coming By Office 10-54 Negative 10-55 Car Calling To Car 10-56 Meet me/us at … 10-57 At Pistol Range 10-58 At Road patrol Office 10-59 Send Teletype/Comp. mag. 10-60 Assist To Motorist 10-61 Miscellaneous public service 10-62 Meet a citizen 10-62A Take a report from a citizen 10-62B Civilian standby 10-63 Prepare to copy 10-64 Found property 10-66 Suspicious person 10-67 Person calling for help 10-68 Telephone for police 10-70 Prowler 10-71 Shooting 10-72 Gun involved 10-73 How do you receive? 10-74 Recall 10-75 Are you OK? 10-79 Bomb threat 10-80 Explosion 10-81 Breathalyzer 10-82 Reserve lodging 10-83 Work school xing at … 10-84 If meeting … advise ETA 10-85 Vacation Watch 10-86 Medical Hazard 10-88 Phone # 10-89 On Pager 10-90 Scramble (code ABCD) 10-91 Animal 10-91A Animal, stray 10-91B Animal, noisy 10-91C Animal, injured 10-91D Animal, dead 10-91E Animal, bite 10-91G Animal, pickup 10-91J Animal, pickup collect 10-91L Animal, leash law violation 10-91V Animal, vicious 10-92 Info. Freq. 10-93 Detective Needed 10-94 Send Back-Up Car 10-95 Computer Check 10-96 Radio-Telephone Patch 10-97 Arrived At Scene 10-98 Completed Assignment, Available 10-99 NCIC / FCIC Hit |