From Pine View Farm

10-7 for 10-4? 1

The Commonwealth of Virginia does a thumbs-down the State Police’s use of 10-codes; they have concluded that, rather than clarity, they make for confusion:

But the potential for trouble is clear. A few years ago, an agent with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives called in a “10-50” while working in Maryland, police said. To Montgomery police, that means “officer down.” Squad cars rushed to the scene — to discover that, in the agent’s code, “10-50” meant traffic accident.

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1 comment

  1. Opie

    November 13, 2006 at 9:36 pm

    It’s about time. 10-codes were for the early days of radio when one had to strain their ears to distinguish a voice out of a sea of static. A well-designed two-way FM radio system these days can deliver voice quality comparable to having the person right in front of you.

    I still think there needs to be clarity in emergency communications. It’s not a time for slang or idioms. But I don’t think it’s a time for 10-codes anymore either.

    Odd, the topics I can have staunch opinions on…