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FEMA: 10-four no more

Federal agency wants to end use of 10-code police dispatch jargon.

Date published: 8/24/2005

By CHELYEN DAVIS and BILL FREEHLING

In Virginia police-speak, a 10-50 means a motor vehicle accident. But in Montgomery County, Md., 10-50 means "officer in trouble."

In a disaster that required law enforcement from both places to work together, there would be confusion.

So the Federal Emergency Management Agency is encouraging police and other emergency organizations nationwide to give up the numerical codes known as the "10-codes" that they use to communicate with each other and with dispatchers.

In May, FEMA issued a directive known as the National Incident Management System. It involves an array of new training and procedures with which police departments across the country will have comply. But part of NIMS involves the eventual phasing out of the 10-codes.

Instead of saying 10-50 for an accident, FEMA wants law enforcement officers to simply say they're at an accident scene.

"It comes down to common terminology, plain language, plain English that everyone can understand," said Don Jacks, FEMA spokesman. "It's the language that we use. If there's a bank robbery, we want the police to say, 'There's a bank robbery at First and Main' instead of, 'There's a 10-50'."

The idea is to create a system under which all police and emergency personnel can understand each other, and reduce confusion in emergency situations that involve numerous jurisdictions.

Fredericksburg-area police and sheriff departments say they use plain English when possible, but say 10-codes help keep officers safe and sensitive information confidential.

Fredericksburg police spokesman Jim Shelhorse points out that many people use police scanners to monitor emergency communication. Some information doesn't need to go public, Shelhorse said.

"Why would you say on the radio 'There's a drunk on Caroline'?" Shelhorse said. "People don't need to know that."

Jacks, however, said public safety depends on emergency personnel being able to work together.

"We have to look at the safety of all of the individuals who are working as first responders and who are working with the public safety in mind, so everyone can understand what we are responding to and how we are going to respond," Jacks said.

Spotsylvania County Sheriff Howard Smith said the vast majority of people who listen to scanners are law-abiding, but police worry about the criminal element who listens for the wrong reason.

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Date published: 8/24/2005