Georgia 10 Codes for Law Enforcement: The Ultimate Guide

Introduction to Georgia 10 Codes

Georgia 10 CODES & LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES STANDARD COMMUNICATIONS CODES. 10-Codes – Georgia 10 codes are a set of brevity codes developed in 1930 by the American National Standards Institute, originally for communicating with radiotelephones in the field over commercial radio. "10-codes" are telegraphic codes used to represent common phrases in voice communication, generally by two-way radio. The use of 10 code began in 1935 when the (American) Federal Bureau of Investigation adapted ten to save airtime on teleprinter circuits.
Later standardized by law enforcement organizations , the 10-codes have become common in some areas among police and at least one fire department in the United States & Canada, but are far from universal. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) (as of ISO 20471:2013), define a subset of the 10 codes in ANSI/ISA 12.27.01 Coding Principles for Industrial Events. Police forces in North America commonly used 10 codes in place of plain English, extending its use to represent additional phrases like "all units." It is unclear if 10 codes have roots elsewhere, but similar codes appear to have been used by the US Navy in a message in 1909.

Key Georgia 10 Codes

10-1 Unable to copy, change location to a back up
10-2 Signal good, receiving satisfactorily
10-3 Stop transmitting
10-4 Acknowledgement
10-5 Relay (to)
10-6 Busy
10-7 Out of service
10-8 Unable to copy, change location
10-9 Repeat
10-10 Negative
10-11 Absent without leave (AWOL)
10-12 Standby (Stop all activity)
10-13 Weather and road report
10-14 Invite to 10-20 (Location)
10-15 Prisoner in custody
10-16 Pick up subject
10-17 Urgent
10-18 Urgent use lights and siren
10-19 Return to station
10-20 Location
10-21 Phone report
10-22 Disregard
10-23 Standby until I can place a phone call
10-24 May be acknowledging at (Location), but may not be able to receive messages at this time
10-26 OK
10-27 Drivers license information
10-28 Vehicle registration information
10-29 Check for wants & warrants
10-30 Unnecessary call
10-31 Crime in progress
10-32 Man with a gun
10-33 Emergency traffic only
10-34 Traffic stop in progress
10-35 Major crime alert
10-36 Your message no traffic or at the present time
10-37 Suspicious person
10-38 Stopping suspicious vehicle
10-39 Chase in progress
10-41 In a funeral home
10-42 At a business
10-43 At a residence
10-44 In conduit
10-45 Animal carcass
10-46 Clear for emergency traffic
10-47 Urgent fire run
10-48 URGENT, bad situation
10-49 Urgent, request undercover
10-50 See the officer in charge on arrival
10-51 No comp unit
10-52 Send your fire department
10-53 Road blocked
10-54 Livestock on roadway
10-55 Intoxicated driver
10-58 Direct traffic
10-59 Speed trap location
10-60 Intoxicated pedestrian
10-61 Breach traffic
10-62 No radio
10-63 Radio problem
10-64 Radio check required
10-65 Closure of radio due to static
10-66 Radio transmission completed
10-67 No paper work for this unit
10-68 Dispatching a radio unit
10-70 Gun call
10-71 Gun call
10-74 Negative contact
10-75 Caution
10-76 En route
10-77 Unable to locate
10-78 Officer in trouble with suspects
10-79 Negative arrival
10-80 Lack of administrative reports
10-81 Breathing normally
10-82 Barefoot
10-83 Emergency noise API responding
10-84 Urgent assistance
10-85 Traveling to location
10-86 In contact with
10-87 In contact with operations
10-88 Urgent assistance to operations
10-90 Change frequency
10-91 Request silence
10-92 Lunch
10-93 Bruin
10-94 Mourning
10-95 Tactics
10-96 Disturbance
10-99 Emergency, unable to copy

Advantages of Implementing 10 Codes

Police and other law enforcement personnel have long used a series of codes, referred to as "ten codes," for years to communicate with one another and in any other situation where one or both parties needed to mask their messages for any reason. If and when civilians are engaged by law enforcement officers, such officers can refer to these codes to ensure that any background conversation that may be taking place between officers does not fall into the hands of those parties they seek to "protect and serve."
The benefits of a ten code protocol are numerous and include the following:
Clarity
By using these designations instead of plain language, law enforcement officers don’t need to clarify between whom the communication is intended or for what action this must be taken to all involved parties. Any officers simply hearing a "code 10" know the personnel involved are speaking in code, and they are not privy to information of any kind. There is no ambiguity about what officers mean or why they must take action once ten codes are employed.
Speed
Ten codes increase the speed with which text is communicated between one officer, or even an entire police force, to another. Plain language, on the other hand, often requires more time to speak and listen in a way that is comprehensive and easy to understand. It takes time and effort to dig through many words to get the same clarity and brevity that is achieved through employing 10 codes. For this reason, police prefer 10 codes when communicating with one another. The less time spent on the radio, the better, especially when a situation is critical and requires immediate action.
Confidentiality
When you utilize clear and concise 10 codes, you are also responsible for not letting any civilians in on the action and why, which is required for the overall benefit of public safety and the common good. If certain jargon is developed to promote better communication in a particular police department, for instance, that department may have a better outcome in dangerous situations because they are better prepared with prior knowledge of how their fellow officers will react, rather than relying on generally understood terminology and expectations only.

Disadvantages and Criticisms of 10 Codes

Like any other system of communication, 10 codes aren’t foolproof. And while they have worked well for the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), that’s not the case in every jurisdiction, which has led to a number of challenges and criticisms. First, there are the regional variations to consider. Not every state has adopted the NHTSA’s standards, opening the door to confusion. The reason for these variations is that some states are simply slow to adopt new technology on the overall infrastructure level. In Georgia, for example, the law enforcement community has long expressed a desire to use 10 codes, but not every agency was onboard with the new technology. Furthermore, not all of the law enforcement agencies in Georgia are able to communicate with one another. Some agencies are completely unable to communicate with neighboring counties , and if they use different codes, that can create serious problems when every second counts. Then there’s the issue of interpretation. In order for 10 codes to work, everyone in your department or agency needs to understand what they mean. Many codes have different meanings in different states. In fact, some codes are sub-coded (such as the code for domestic violence, which includes additional sub-codes for instances in which the parties involved are spouses, parents, or siblings) and these sub-codes further complicate matters by creating inconsistencies between jurisdictions. It’s not just the general public who can be confused by 10 codes, either. Officers on a local police or sheriff’s department dispatched to another jurisdiction may suddenly find themselves at a loss for what their radio dispatches mean. Even if they understand the general code, these sub-codes can make things tricky.

The Future of 10 Codes

Modernization efforts are underway in law enforcement agencies nationwide, and this is impacting the way officers communicate during their daily shifts. Technology has advanced immensely in recent decades and it is becoming more commonplace for these technologies to be integrated by law enforcement agencies. One of the most significant technologies currently being utilized by law enforcement agencies is computer-aided dispatching (CAD). This software system provides a whole host of benefits for law enforcement dispatchers and ultimately helps to improve the overall level of service provided by police forces. While CAD serves as a useful tool, it may also act as a precursor to a law enforcement agency’s complete technological overhaul, moving away from 10 codes as a primary means of communication. Jurisdictions such as the City of Riverside and Region of Halton have recently enhanced or completely overhauled their dispatch and radio communication systems in order to better utilize technology. The Region of Halton has completely changed the way its officers communicate, moving away from 10 codes and towards plain language communication. All field communication takes place via CAD, and any communication not directly related to CAD is communicated verbally through the radio. Meanwhile, City of Riverside authorities have only tweaked their system, making small changes to their communication protocol but maintaining use of 10 codes. Their officers are required to use all radios to communicate all non-CAD-related information and CAD must be utilized at all times in any situation. Riverside’s changes may not be as drastic as those made by Halton, but they do reflect a noticeable trend towards CAD usage in the Southwestern United States. Communications within the field of law enforcement are evolving at a quick pace in order to keep up with the technologies available to agencies and municipalities. In our modern world, no one can ignore the impacts that technology have on daily life. The question, therefore, is why should law enforcement officials be any different?

Conclusion

In conclusion, Georgia’s 10 codes play a critical role in facilitating efficient and effective communication for law enforcement professionals throughout the state. While not every county or agency employs the same codes, their widespread use is undeniably valuable in ensuring clear and concise interactions between officers and dispatchers. The potential for future developments in these codes remains a topic of discussion among law enforcement professionals , as does the necessity for potential updates to better accommodate advances in technology and evolving societal needs. Regardless of what the future holds, however, the importance of 10 codes in Georgia cannot be overstated.