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Ten-codes, also known as 10-codes or ten signals, are code words used by many police officers to aid with voice communication. The codes were originally developed in 1937 to allow for brevity, clarity, and standardization of messages transmitted over radio channels.
In the coded language developed by law enforcement and truckers, “10-20” means “location.” It’s similar to how civilians might say, “Where are you?” or “What’s your whereabouts?” It’s All About Communication Efficiency. The beauty of using codes like “10-20” is the efficiency they bring to conversations.
Police 10 codes are a common form of communication for LEOs. And while some departments are beginning to favor plain English over 10 codes, it’s still an important language to learn. Here is a fully comprehensive list of the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) 10 codes.
There are numerous variations of 10 codes (abbreviations used by public safety officials to describe various conditions) used throughout the country. They can and do vary even from one county to the next.
The phrase ‘What’s Your 20?’ comes from a system of radio codes called the 10 codes . They were developed in the 1930s when police started using 2-way radio and were designed for brevity and clarity. It’s a similar idea to Q-codes developed around 1909 that were used in British shipping and later adopted my radio hams around the globe.
10-codes were created to ensure clear and concise communication over the radio. They help officers quickly convey detailed information without lengthy explanations.
What are Police 10 Codes? Police 10 Codes are signals police officers, law enforcement officials, and government agencies use to talk in two-way radio communications. The codes are numbers that correspond to words, phrases, and messages frequently used in law enforcement work.
The word ten (10) indicates the next number, or numbers, is a code message. The codes are used extensively by police, fire, medical (ground, air, and hospitals), public services, businesses (taxi's etc) and individuals (Citizen Band or CB radio, walkie-talkies).
10-20: Location. 10-20 is one of the oldest known 10 codes, originating back in the very first APCO system. When responding to calls, dispatchers will frequently ask officers "10-20?" to request their current location. Officers reply with a specific address or nearby landmark.
Ten-codes (sometimes called ten-signals) are numeric codes that represent common phrases used on the CB radio. Ten-codes allow the radio transmission to be concise and standarized. The codes below are the most common CB ten-codes, which are not necessarily the same ten-codes that police use.