Texas Police Codes, Penal Code References, and Meanings

Texas police codes are a critical part of law enforcement communication, enabling officers, dispatchers, and emergency responders to convey information quickly and effectively. In Texas, like in many states, these codes come in various forms, including ten codes, eleven codes, and a comprehensive set of penal codes that govern law enforcement procedures and legal standards.

The blending of these different police codes forms a specialized language that ensures law enforcement operations run smoothly.

Texas police codes are shorthand communication tools used by law enforcement officers across the state to maintain efficiency, confidentiality, and clarity during operations. These codes fall into several categories: ten codes, eleven codes, penal codes, and other specialized report codes that are unique to the state.

These codes cover a wide range of activities, from routine patrol updates to critical emergencies.

For the full index, start with the Police Codes Guide.

For quick comparisons, see the common status and response pages for 10-4, 10-20, 10-7, 10-8, and 10-33.

What Are Texas Police Codes?

These codes cover a wide range of activities, from routine patrol updates to critical emergencies.

Ten Codes: The ten codes are perhaps the most well-known and used type of police codes. These are numeric shorthand phrases beginning with the number 10, designed to facilitate quick, standardized communication between officers and dispatchers. For example, “10-4” means acknowledgment (message received), while “10-20” asks for an officer’s location. These codes are commonly used throughout the country, and while they are largely standardized, there can be slight regional variations.
Eleven Codes: In Texas, eleven codes are also part of law enforcement communication, although they are less universally known compared to ten codes. Eleven codes are usually used to add additional specificity to police communication, particularly for traffic situations and emergency needs. These codes can be more region-specific and may not be used in every jurisdiction across the state, but they remain an important aspect of police radio language where they are employed.
Texas Penal Codes: The penal codes in Texas are part of the state’s legal system and encompass a broad array of statutes that cover all criminal offenses, from misdemeanors to felonies. Penal codes are not used in the same way as ten or eleven codes over police radios. Instead, they are legal classifications that help officers identify and report specific offenses in a standardized way. For instance, “Penal Code 30.02” refers to burglary, while “Penal Code 49.04” pertains to driving while intoxicated (DWI). These penal codes provide a legal backbone that supports law enforcement actions and is crucial for proper documentation, reporting, and prosecution.
Police Report Codes: Report codes are specific to administrative and procedural tasks. These codes may indicate the nature of an incident or the final outcome of a situation, helping officers compile accurate reports for their supervisors or for court proceedings. Report codes ensure that incidents are recorded in a consistent manner, which is important for legal clarity and future reference.

Texas Police 10 Codes

Police 10-codes and 11-codes are not standardized across all jurisdictions, leading to variations in their meanings between states such as California and Texas. These codes, designed to facilitate concise communication among law enforcement, are often customized to meet the specific needs of local agencies.

For example, in Texas, the code “10-36” signifies “Assist Police Unit,” whereas in California police code, it means “Correct Time” request. This lack of uniformity underscores the importance of local training and familiarity with the specific code system in use within a given region.

10 Code	Meaning	Usage Context	Severity Level
10-0	Use caution	High-risk situations	High
10-1	Weak signal	Communication issues	Low
10-2	Signal clear	Communication quality	Low
10-3	Stop transmitting	Cease communication temporarily	Medium
10-4	Acknowledged (OK)	Confirmation of received message	Low
10-5	Relay this message	Pass on information	Low
10-6	Busy	Currently occupied	Low
10-7	Out of service	Unavailable for response	Medium
10-8	In service	Available for duty	Low
10-9	Repeat message	Request for message repeat	Low
10-10	Negative	Denial or refusal	Low
10-11	On duty	Reporting active duty	Low
10-12	Stand by	Await further instruction	Low
10-13	Weather or road conditions	Inform on environment updates	Low
10-14	Message or information	General info-sharing	Low
10-15	Prisoner in Custody	Someone has been detained	Medium
10-16	Reply to message	Respond to previous communication	Low
10-17	En route to location	Heading to scene	Medium
10-18	Urgent	Immediate attention needed	High
10-19	In contact	Currently communicating	Low
10-20	Location	Requesting/responding with location	Medium
10-21	Call by phone	Request phone communication	Low
10-22	Disregard last message	Cancel previous instruction	Low
10-23	Arrived at scene	Confirmation of arrival	Medium
10-24	Task complete	Assignment finished	Low
10-25	Report to or meet at	Arrange meeting point	Low
10-26	Estimated arrival time	Provide expected arrival	Medium
10-27	License or permit check	Run driver or permit check	Medium
10-28	Vehicle registration check	Run vehicle registration check	Medium
10-29	Records check	Check for outstanding records	Medium
10-30	Danger or caution	Warning of a hazard	High
10-31	Pick up someone or something	Retrieval request	Low
10-32	Additional units needed	Request backup	High
10-33	Emergency	Immediate assistance required	High
10-34	Riot	Crowd control situation	High
10-35	Major crime alert	Large-scale criminal event	High
10-36 (Vary between states)	Correct time / Assist Police Unit	Request for time / Assistance request	Low
10-37	Suspicious vehicle	Observe suspicious vehicle	Medium
10-38	Stopping suspicious vehicle	Intent to stop and check vehicle	High
10-39	Urgent: use lights and siren	Emergency response	High
10-40	Silent approach (no lights)	Covert approach	High
10-41	Starting shift	Begin tour of duty	Low
10-42	Ending shift	End tour of duty	Low
10-43	Information	General information request	Low
10-44	Permission to leave	Approval to exit area	Low
10-45	Animal carcass on road	Road obstruction	Low
10-46	Assist motorist	Aid stranded driver	Medium
10-47	Emergency road repair	Road hazard requiring repair	Medium
10-48	Traffic control	Manage traffic flow	Medium
10-49	Traffic light out	Signal malfunction	Medium
10-50	Accident	Report of a collision	Medium
10-51	Wrecker needed	Request tow truck	Medium
10-52	Ambulance needed	Request medical assistance	High
10-53	Road blocked	Obstruction in roadway	Medium
10-54	Livestock on highway	Hazard from animals on road	Low
10-55	Drunk driver	Impaired driver report	High
10-56	Suicide	Suicide Attempt	High
10-57	Hit and run	Collision with fleeing suspect	High
10-58	Direct traffic	Control traffic direction	Medium
10-59	Escort	Escort a person or vehicle	Medium
10-60	Suspicious person	Observe person acting suspiciously	Medium
10-61	Stopping suspicious person	Detain individual for questioning	High
10-62	Breaking and entering	Burglary report	High
10-63	Prepare to copy information	Ready for detailed info	Low
10-64	Crime in progress	Active criminal incident	High
10-65	Armed robbery	Report of armed theft	High
10-66	Notify medical examiner	Call coroner for death	High
10-67	Report of death	Notify of a deceased individual	High
10-68	Livestock in roadway	Hazard from animals on road	Low
10-69	Provide phone number	Give contact details	Low
10-70	Fire alarm	Fire incident report	High
10-71	Shooting	Active gunfire	High
10-72	Gun involved	Report involving firearm	High
10-73	Smoke report	Possible fire sighted	High
10-74	No contact	Attempted contact unsuccessful	Low
10-75	In contact	Communication established	Low
10-76	En route	Heading to location	Medium
10-77	Estimated time of arrival	Inform arrival estimate	Low
10-78	Need assistance	Request additional help	High
10-79	Notify coroner	Inform coroner of death	High
10-80	Pursuit in progress	Active pursuit	High
10-81	Breathalyzer report	Results of sobriety test	Medium
10-82	Reserve lodging	Arrange overnight accommodations	Low
10-83	School crossing patrol	Guard school crossing	Low
10-84	If meeting, advise arrival	Provide ETA for meeting	Low
10-85	Delayed due to…	Reason for delay	Low
10-86	Officer on duty	Officer on active duty	Low
10-87	Pick up or distribute checks	Handle check delivery	Low
10-88	Provide phone number	Share contact info	Low
10-89	Bomb threat	Suspected explosive report	High
10-90	Bank alarm	Bank security alarm activated	High
10-91	Pick up prisoner	Retrieve detained person	Medium
10-92	Improperly parked vehicle	Vehicle blocking or unsafe	Low
10-93	Blockade	Intentional road block	High
10-94	Drag racing	Illegal street racing	Medium
10-95	Subject in custody	Individual under arrest	Medium
10-96	Mental health subject	Person needing mental health aid	High
10-97	Check signal	Test radio signal	Low
10-98	Task complete	Assignment finished	Low
10-99	Wanted or stolen item found	Suspected stolen item or person	High

Texas Police 11 Codes

Texas police doesn’t use 11 codes as frequent as other states.

11 Code	Meaning	State-Dependent Interpretations
11-6	Illegal discharge of firearms	Firearm discharge in prohibited area
11-7	Prowler	Suspicious person near premises
11-8	Person down	Unconscious person
11-10	Take a report	Documentation requested
11-12	Dead animal	Road hazard (dead animal)
11-14	Dog bite	Animal control needed
11-15	Ball game in street	Reckless behavior in roadway
11-17	Lockout	Locked vehicle or premises
11-24	Abandoned vehicle	Illegally parked vehicle
11-25	Traffic hazard	Obstacle or issue affecting traffic flow
11-26	Abandoned bicycle	Found unattended bicycle
11-27	Felony warrant check	Wanted suspect check
11-28	Misdemeanor warrant check	Minor warrant verification
11-29	No want	No outstanding warrants
11-30	Incomplete phone call	Disconnection or possible distress
11-31	Calling for help	Assistance requested immediately
11-41	Ambulance requested	Medical emergency dispatch
11-42	No ambulance needed	False alarm on medical call
11-44	Deceased person	Possible Fatality on scene
11-45	Attempted suicide	Self-harm report
11-46	Suicide	Confirmed self-inflicted death
11-47	Injured person	Non-life-threatening injury
11-48	Furnish transportation	Provide ride or transport assistance
11-51	Escort	Vehicle or person accompaniment
11-52	Funeral detail	Escort for funeral processions
11-54	Suspicious vehicle	Vehicle behaving unusually
11-55	Suspicious vehicle (occupants)	Vehicle with unknown occupants
11-56	Misuse of car	Unauthorized or reckless vehicle use
11-57	Unidentified vehicle	Vehicle with unclear origin or purpose
11-58	Radio station request	Request for communication via radio
11-59	High hazard area	Location with increased risk
11-60	Attack in progress	Active assault or physical conflict
11-65	Signal light out	Non-functioning traffic signal
11-66	Defective signal	Broken or intermittent traffic light
11-67	Signal repair needed	Maintenance required on signal
11-71	Fire reported	Fire emergency reported on scene
11-78	Aircraft accident	Airplane crash or forced landing
11-79	Accident with ambulance needed	Medical response for crash
11-80	Fatal accident	Collision resulting in death
11-81	Accident with minor injuries	Non-fatal collision
11-82	Property damage accident	Collision with only property damage
11-83	Accident with no details	Unclear or unverified accident report
11-84	Direct traffic	Manage traffic flow or direction
11-85	Tow truck required	Vehicle tow needed on scene
11-86	Bomb threat	Reported threat of explosives (most common) / VIP escort / Special Security detail
11-87	Assisting other department	Support for another agency
11-88	Citizen assist	Help or aid for a civilian
11-89	Road repair	Maintenance or fix needed on road
11-90	Bank alarm	Alarm activation at financial institution
11-91	Animal noise complaint	Noise disturbance involving animal
11-92	Animal bite complaint	Animal-related injury
11-93	Animal cruelty complaint	Suspected animal abuse
11-94	Illegal parking	Parking violation
11-95	Traffic stop	Officer-initiated vehicle stop
11-96	Out on vehicle stop	In progress traffic stop for investigation
11-97	Security check	Routine patrol or area check
11-98	Meet with citizen	Scheduled interaction with public
11-99	Officer needs emergency help	Immediate assistance for officer in distress

Texas Penal Police Codes

The Texas Penal Code is organized into titles and chapters, each addressing specific areas of criminal law. Below is an overview of its structure:

Tip: On mobile, scroll the table sideways to see all columns.

Title	Chapter(s)	Subject

Title 1

1–3

Introductory Provisions

Title 2

6–9

General Principles of Criminal Responsibility

Title 3

Punishments

Title 4

15–16

Inchoate Offenses

Title 5

19–22

Offenses Against the Person

Title 6

Offenses Against the Family

Title 7

28–35A

Offenses Against Property

Title 8

36–39

Offenses Against Public Administration

Title 9

42–43

Offenses Against Public Order and Decency

Title 10

46–50

Offenses Against Public Health, Safety, and Morals

Title 11

Organized Crime

Title 12

Terrorism

Each chapter contains specific sections detailing offenses, definitions, and penalties. For a comprehensive and up-to-date list of all sections within the Texas Penal Code, you can refer to the official Texas Constitution and Statutes website.

How Many Texas Police Codes Are There?

The number of Texas police codes is difficult to quantify precisely, as they fall into various categories and are used differently by different jurisdictions. The ten codes and eleven codes together encompass dozens of different codes, covering everything from basic status updates (like “10-7” for out of service) to specific incident types (such as “11-99” for officer needs emergency help).

When it comes to Texas penal codes, the number is significantly larger. The Texas Penal Code is a comprehensive legal document that contains hundreds of different sections covering all manner of offenses.

These penal codes are vital to law enforcement because they provide specific definitions and legal criteria for each type of crime, ensuring consistency in how laws are enforced and how criminal cases are prosecuted. For example, the penal codes cover everything from theft to homicide, with detailed classifications for different degrees of severity.

What Do Texas Police Codes Cover?

Texas police codes cover a broad range of communication needs and legal classifications. Below is a breakdown of what each type of code generally covers:

Ten Codes: These codes primarily address communication between officers and dispatch. They cover basic operational needs like “10-8” (in service) to indicate availability, “10-19” (return to station), and “10-33” (emergency). The use of ten codes helps keep radio communication concise, which is critical when radio traffic is heavy.
Eleven Codes: Eleven codes are mostly used to indicate specific types of incidents or operational needs. For example, an eleven code might specify a particular type of traffic stop or an officer requiring assistance. These codes tend to be more specific than ten codes, adding another layer of clarity for situations that require more detail.
Penal Codes: The Texas Penal Code covers legal definitions for all types of criminal offenses, both minor and major. Examples include “Penal Code 22.01” for assault and “Penal Code 42.062” for interfering with emergency requests for assistance. These codes are not used over the radio for real-time communication but instead serve as references for reporting crimes, issuing citations, and preparing court documentation.
Police Report Codes: These are often used to categorize the type of incident or provide further context for reports. For instance, a specific report code might indicate a domestic dispute, while another might classify a completed case where no further action is needed. These codes help ensure that police records are consistent, which is essential for both internal accountability and public transparency.

Why Are Texas Police Codes Used?

Police codes in Texas, like those in other states, serve several important purposes:

Efficiency: One of the main reasons for using police codes is to streamline communication. In a high-pressure environment, officers don’t have the luxury of time. Using codes ensures that communication is quick and precise, leaving little room for misinterpretation. This is especially important during emergencies, where seconds can make a critical difference.
Confidentiality: Another reason police codes are used is to maintain a level of confidentiality. Police communications are often broadcast over channels that can be intercepted by the public, and using coded language helps keep sensitive information discreet. This is particularly useful during operations where disclosing certain details could jeopardize officer safety or the success of an investigation.
Standardization: Codes provide a standardized form of communication that helps officers from different departments understand one another. This is particularly useful during multi-agency responses, such as natural disasters or large-scale emergencies. By having a common set of codes, officers from different jurisdictions can work together more effectively without the risk of confusion.
Legal Consistency: The use of penal codes ensures that there is legal consistency across law enforcement and judicial procedures. When an officer reports an incident under a specific penal code, everyone involved—from other officers to prosecutors and judges—understands exactly what type of offense occurred. This helps ensure that criminal cases are handled in a fair and uniform manner.

Differences Between Texas Ten Codes, Eleven Codes, and Penal Codes

The key differences between ten codes, eleven codes, and penal codes in Texas lie in their purpose and application:

Ten Codes: These codes are the most versatile and are primarily used for operational communication. They are effective for conveying general information quickly, making them a staple of daily law enforcement activities.
Eleven Codes: Eleven codes are more specialized and provide additional detail not covered by ten codes. They are used more frequently in Texas and a few other states where specific regional needs demand greater precision in certain scenarios.
Penal Codes: Unlike ten and eleven codes, penal codes are legal statutes. They are not used for immediate radio communication but instead provide the legal definitions for offenses. Penal codes are crucial during the reporting, charging, and prosecuting stages of law enforcement. They ensure that everyone in the judicial process is on the same page regarding the nature of the offenses being dealt with.

These differences are important for understanding how police work in Texas is organized. Ten and eleven codes ensure smooth communication in the field, while penal codes provide the legal framework for law enforcement actions and the judicial process.

The Role of Texas Penal Codes in Law Enforcement

Texas penal codes are at the core of law enforcement and criminal justice. They give officers the legal backing they need when making arrests, issuing citations, or documenting incidents. For instance, if an officer arrests someone for theft, they will cite the applicable penal code, such as “Penal Code 31.03” for theft, which helps provide clear legal grounds for the arrest.

Penal codes are also vital in court settings. Prosecutors use these codes to file charges, and defense attorneys reference them when advocating for their clients. By having a detailed and organized set of penal codes, the Texas legal system ensures that there is a common understanding of criminal offenses, leading to fairer trials and consistent sentencing.

Who Uses Texas Police Codes?

Law Enforcement Officers: Police officers and sheriff’s deputies use ten codes and eleven codes on a daily basis to communicate quickly and efficiently. Whether it’s during routine patrols or high-stress emergency responses, these codes help officers stay in touch with dispatchers and each other.
Dispatchers: Dispatchers are the central hub of communication for law enforcement. They use police codes to relay information to officers in the field, ensuring that everyone knows the nature of the incidents and what resources are needed.
Legal Professionals: Lawyers, judges, and paralegals often refer to penal codes when handling criminal cases. These codes provide the foundation for charges, court arguments, and legal decisions, making them indispensable to the legal system.
Scanner Enthusiasts: Many civilians enjoy listening to police scanners to stay informed about what’s happening in their communities. Understanding Texas police codes allows scanner enthusiasts to follow along with real-time police activities, from routine traffic stops to major incidents.
Media and Journalists: Reporters covering crime and emergency situations also rely on police codes to understand what is happening on the scene. By knowing these codes, they can report more accurately and promptly.

Conclusion

Texas police codes are an integral part of law enforcement communication, offering a streamlined and effective way for officers, dispatchers, and other personnel to communicate. From ten codes that provide quick, standard responses to eleven codes that add specificity, and penal codes that define the legal boundaries of police work, these codes are crucial for keeping Texas communities safe and ensuring that law enforcement actions are clear, consistent, and legally sound.

Understanding these different types of codes provides valuable insight into how Texas law enforcement operates. Whether you’re a law enforcement professional, a scanner enthusiast, or someone interested in the intricacies of criminal justice, having a good grasp of Texas police codes can significantly improve your understanding of the challenges faced by police officers in the field. At PoliceCodefor.com, we strive to make these codes accessible to everyone, helping bridge the gap between the general public and the world of law enforcement in Texas.

More Texas context

Texas references make the most sense when you pair the state page with a scanner-focused explanation of how local radio shorthand is actually used.