Heard a number on a scanner or found one in a police log? Search the full code below, then check the agency behind the meaning. 10-20, Code 20 and a Dallas signal 20 are three different labels, even though the number looks familiar.
Find a Police Code
Search common police codes, scanner codes, response codes, and California code references by number or meaning.
Message received or OK
Message received or OK in APCO’s lists and most agency lists.
Location
Location in every official list we checked.
Out of service
Out of service in nearly every official list we checked.
In service
In service in nearly every official list we checked.
Emergency traffic or help needed
An emergency code in most lists; the exact meaning varies by agency.
Emergency response
Emergency response with lights and siren in most lists.
No further assistance needed
No further help needed in most lists.
Officer needs help
CHP’s code for an officer who needs emergency help.
Murder
California Penal Code section 187 defines murder.
Robbery
California Penal Code section 211 defines robbery.
Disturbance
A disturbance call; Penal Code 415 covers disturbing the peace.
Burglary
California Penal Code section 459 defines burglary.
Mental health hold
California law allowing a mental health hold of up to 72 hours.
Prisoner in custody
Prisoner in custody in most lists; APCO’s 1974 list says message delivered.
Suicide or intoxicated pedestrian
Suicide in some California lists, intoxicated pedestrian in others.
Fatality or coroner’s case
Fatality in CHP’s list; a coroner’s case in other California lists.
Not in official code lists
No official code list we checked defines 11-45.
Bomb threat or traffic stop
Bomb threat in CHP’s list; traffic stop in some city lists.
Not in official code lists
No official code list we checked defines 11-92.
Varies by agency
Accident, shooting or sick person, depending on the agency.
Officer needs help urgently
Officer needs help urgently in Phoenix, Mesa and Coolidge, Arizona.
Commonly associated with 10-20
What a location request asks for, and how it differs from unit status.
Commonly associated with 11-99
Compare CHP 11-99, Phoenix 999 and San Antonio assistance signals.
Commonly associated with Code 3
Separate an emergency response from dispatch and radio priorities.
Commonly associated with Code 4
Why no further help does not establish an arrest or a cleared call.
Commonly associated with 211
California 211, Texas 29.02 and the distinction between robbery and theft.
Commonly associated with 415
Separate a disturbance call from the conditions of California section 415.
Commonly associated with 459
Entry, intent and the difference between a burglary and an alarm call.
California scanner, 10-code, response-code, and penal-code context
CHP examples, city differences and legal numbers heard alongside radio codes.
Texas scanner and local radio code context
Keep San Antonio codes, Dallas signals and Houston priorities separate.
Whether police still use 10 codes
Why some agencies retain 10 codes and others use plain language.
Why police code meanings differ
How agency policies, jurisdictions and document dates affect a meaning.
Difference between scanner codes and penal codes
Recognize a radio term, a dispatch label and a legal section.
No matching code found. Try searching by another code, meaning, or keyword.
Code meanings can vary by department, region, and policy. These are common public meanings, not official agency definitions.
Start with the Police Codes Guide if you are unsure which system you have. Our accuracy policy explains how source documents and local variations are handled.
What Are Police Codes?
Police radio codes shorten a message, identify a call or describe a response. A legal section number can also be borrowed as dispatch shorthand. A short definition is useful only when it retains the department or jurisdiction that uses it.
For example, NYPD documents a 10-11 alarm condition in a school-facility procedure; Phoenix lists 10-11 as on duty; San Antonio uses it for requesting cover. The 10-11 comparison shows the sources side by side.
A Quick Guide to Common Police Codes
On smaller screens: each row keeps its code, meaning and source together.
| Code or section | Meaning in the cited agency or law | Listed this way by |
|---|---|---|
| 10-4 | Affirmative (OK) | Phoenix PD (AZ) |
| 10-7 | Going off duty/out of service | Phoenix PD (AZ) |
| 10-8 | In service | Phoenix PD (AZ) |
| 10-11 | Alarm condition | NYPD |
| 10-20 | Location requested | CHP |
| 10-33 | Help me quick | Phoenix PD (AZ) |
| 11-99 | Officer requires help, emergency | CHP |
| Code 3 | Emergency warning devices and headlights on (State Transportation Code; General Order 301.05) | Dallas PD (TX) |
| Code 4 | Situation stable, emergency situation no longer exists | CHP |
| Code 11 | Traffic Stop, Normal | Yuba City PD (CA) |
| Code 20 | Notify press | CHP |
| Code 33 | Clear radio channels for emergency traffic | CHP |
| 187 | Murder (California Penal Code) | Cal. Penal Code § 187 |
| 211 | Robbery (California Penal Code) | Cal. Penal Code § 211 |
| 415 | Specified peace-disturbance offenses (California Penal Code) | Cal. Penal Code § 415 |
| 459 | Burglary (California Penal Code) | Cal. Penal Code § 459 |
| 5150 | Mental health assessment/detention reference (California Welfare and Institutions Code) | Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code § 5150 |
These are sourced examples with a named scope, not a single list every department follows. Select a code for its agency comparison and a practical explanation.
Find a Code by What It Means
- Location: 10-20, requests for position and status differences.
- Officer needs help: CHP 11-99, Phoenix 999 and San Antonio 10-15.
- Emergency response: Code 3 versus separate dispatch priorities.
- No further assistance: Code 4, scene control and availability.
- Robbery: California 211, Texas 29.02 and Dallas signals.
- Disturbing the peace: 415 and the difference between calls and findings.
- Burglary: 459, entry and intent, and alarm-call distinctions.
Radio Codes and Legal Sections
A response code can say that units are responding to an emergency, while a call signal describes the reported problem. A Penal Code section describes a subject in law. Those labels can occur together without being interchangeable.
The California reference separates Penal Code sections from Welfare and Institutions Code 5150 and Vehicle Code entries. The Texas reference separates city-specific signals and priorities from Texas statutes. Scanner codes versus penal codes explains the distinction.
New Agency Comparisons
Code 11 ranges from a normal traffic stop in Yuba City to an explosion in Cotati and a substation in Tucson. Code 20 can concern assistance, the press or a facility. Code 33 concerns emergency radio traffic in the cited CHP and California city sources.
For regional context, use the California scanner guide or Texas scanner guide. Preserve the agency name and any letters or prefixes when you copy a number.
FAQ
How do I look up a police code?
Search the complete code or its suspected meaning, then read the agency and jurisdiction beside the result.
Why do code lists disagree?
Departments publish different local meanings, and legal sections use their own numbering. An older recording can also require an older codebook.
Does a scanner code confirm what happened?
No. A call or status label can describe incomplete reported information. It does not establish the investigation's final outcome.
Where are the sources?
The source lists on the reference pages name the agency documents and statutes behind the examples.
Sources
- Phoenix Police Department – Radio Codes – Numerical Order, Phoenix Police Department. Updated 3/17/26. Official Checked October 2026
- NYPD Patrol Guide (public edition), part 2, New York City Police Department. Official Checked October 2026
- CHP 254 – Aural Brevity Card (01-2021 v2), California Highway Patrol. Official Checked October 2026
- General Order 301.00: Emergency Vehicle Operation, Dallas Police Department. Updated 07/20/2021. Official Checked October 2026
- Communications Division Training Manual (radio codes, pp. 20-21), Yuba City Police Department. Updated November 2023. Official Checked October 2026
- California Penal Code § 187, California Legislative Counsel. Official Checked October 2026
- California Penal Code § 211, California Legislative Counsel. Official Checked October 2026
- California Penal Code § 415, California Legislative Counsel. Official Checked October 2026
- California Penal Code § 459, California Legislative Counsel. Official Checked October 2026
- California Welfare and Institutions Code § 5150, California Legislative Counsel. Official Checked October 2026
- General Manual 403: Communications, San Antonio Police Department. Updated December 21, 2016. Official Checked October 2026
- Communications and Records Training Manual, Cotati Police Department. Official Checked October 2026
- Tucson Police Department Radio Codes, Tucson Police Department. Official Checked October 2026