The police code for no further assistance is commonly Code 4. Phoenix and San Jose list the no-further-assistance meaning; CHP describes a stable situation with the emergency no longer present. It is an update about help or control at a scene, not a complete account of the outcome.
What the Message Changes
If extra units are heading to a call, an update that assistance is no longer needed can change what support is required. The exact action taken by dispatch and other units follows local procedure. The code alone should not be used to infer that every responding officer leaves.
CHP's published wording emphasizes the condition of the situation. Other lists emphasize the request for assistance. Those are compatible ideas, but preserving the named agency avoids inventing one exact procedure for all of them.
| Scene-status code | Meaning in the named source | Listed this way by |
|---|---|---|
| Code 4 | Situation stable, emergency situation no longer exists | CHP |
The Code 4 page shows the broader table of agency definitions. This guide focuses on what the no-further-assistance message communicates and how it differs from other status updates.
Code 4 Does Not Mean an Arrest Was Made
A scene can stabilize with or without an arrest. It could involve a report, a welfare-related concern, a resolved misunderstanding or an ongoing investigation. The no-further-help definition does not specify which outcome occurred.
A scanner listener should therefore avoid turning a Code 4 transmission into a claim about guilt or the final disposition of a case. Confirmation of those details requires a reliable subsequent record, rather than a translation of the status code alone.
No More Help Is Different from Back in Service
10-8 concerns in-service status in many lists. Code 4 commonly concerns assistance or control at the scene. Officers may still be occupied taking a report after the need for extra help has ended.
Likewise, 10-4 acknowledges a message and 10-20 concerns location. They should not be treated as alternate spellings of Code 4. Each piece of information has a separate purpose in the exchange.
LAPD's Code Four Adam Variant
LAPD Manual Volume 4 describes Code Four when additional assistance is not needed at the scene of an all-units call. It also defines Code Four Adam for a situation where no additional assistance is needed but the suspect remains nearby.
That local variant is a good reason to listen to the complete phrase. Dropping the extra word can discard information. It is also not a basis for assigning the LAPD variant to an agency whose manual does not publish it.
Keep Houston's Priority Numbers Separate
Houston General Order 600-01 uses response priorities, including a priority-four category for delayed reports of serious incidents and certain non-emergency calls. That category is not evidence that Houston is broadcasting the same no-further-help message as a California Code 4.
Use the Texas guide for that priority chart and the scanner guide for response terms. The main hub separates status codes, call types and legal references.
FAQ
Does Code 4 mean the call is finished?
It commonly means help is no longer needed or the situation is stable. The unit can still have work to complete.
Does Code 4 mean someone was arrested?
No. The definition itself does not establish an arrest or a final case outcome.
Is Code Four Adam used everywhere?
The variant is documented in the LAPD manual. It should not be assumed for another department without its own supporting material.
Is no further assistance the same as in service?
No. A unit can remain occupied at a stable scene after the need for additional help has ended.
Sources
- CHP 254 – Aural Brevity Card (01-2021 v2), California Highway Patrol. Official Checked October 2026
- Phoenix Police Department – Radio Codes – Numerical Order, Phoenix Police Department. Updated 3/17/26. Official Checked October 2026
- SJPD 10-Codes (study guide), San Jose Police Department. Updated 10/15/18. Official Checked October 2026
- LAPD Manual, Volume 4: Radio Codes, Los Angeles Police Department. Official Checked October 2026
- General Order 600-01 Response Management, Houston Police Department. Updated June 19, 2020. Official Checked October 2026