Scanner Radio Codes

There are several kinds of scanner radio codes or police scanner codes. The following is a list of some of these as used by law enforcement officers. These are used by authorities for instructions, incident or crime.

Police Scanner Codes

These include 187 for homicide and 207 for kidnapping. For kidnapping attempts the code is 207A and for robbery it is 211. 211A and 211S are used for robbery alarm and silent robbery alarm respectively. For assault with intent to kill, the code is 217. Code 240 is for assault, 242 for battery and 245 for assault with a deadly weapon.

For shooting at an inhabited dwelling, the code is 246 and for rape it is 261. The codes for attempted rape, child neglect and wife beating are 261A, 273A and 273D. The code for lewd conduct is 288 and for indecent exposure it is 311. The burglar alarm code is 459A; for forgery it is 470. For hit and run it is 480 (felony) and 481 (misdemeanor).

Here are other codes: 484 petty theft, 487 grand theft; 502 drunk driving, 504 tampering with a vehicle; 507 public nuisance, 510 for speeding or racing vehicles, 594 malicious mischief, 595 runaway car, and 653 for threatening phone calls. Code blue means a taxi or bus is in trouble. Code purple is gang activity and code red for alarm activated.

Police Ten Codes

Here are some scanner radio codes used in the police ten code system.

10-0 caution, 10-3 stop transmitting, 10-4 message received, 10-6 change channel, 10-7 out of service, 10-9 repeat message and 10-10 off duty. Code 10-11 is to make the frequency known. Other frequencies are the following:

10-13 weather and road advice, 10-15 for prisoner in custody, 10-17 is a request for gasoline, 10-23 stand by, 10-26 clear, 10-29V for vehicle wanted, and 10-32 drowning. 10-45C is for critical and 10-45D is for dead.

Scanner 11 Codes

These include the following: 11-99 for officer needs help, 11-96 checking suspicious vehicle, 11-85 tow truck required, 11-82 for accident – no injuries, 11-80 accident – major injuries, 11-81 accident – minor injuries and 11-78 aircraft accident. 11-60 is for attack in hazardous area and 11-55 for officers being followed by auto.

11-51 is for escort, 11-42 is for no ambulance needed and 11-25 for traffic hazard. 11-24 is for an abandoned vehicle.
These scanner radio codes are widely used in the United States. However, there are now suggestions by the US government to drop them in favor of plain language.