11350 Police Code
“11350” is one of the numbers you’ll hear on a California scanner that isn’t about violence or theft — it’s about drugs. It refers to possession of a controlled substance, and it’s one of the more misunderstood codes out there, partly because the law behind it changed dramatically in recent years. Many code lists online […]
242 Police Code
“242” is one of the codes California officers reach for on a violent call, and it’s the one that specifically means someone was actually struck or touched unlawfully. It’s the code for battery, and understanding it means understanding the fine but important line between it and assault — two words people use interchangeably that the […]
240 Police Code
“240” is the California code for assault, and it names one of the most misunderstood crimes in the whole penal code. Most people think of “assault” as hitting someone — but in California law, an assault can happen without a single touch. This article explains what the 240 police code means, the legal definition that […]
245 Police Code
“245” is one of the more serious calls an officer can respond to, and one of the more commonly heard on a California scanner. It’s the code for assault with a deadly weapon, and it signals a violent situation where someone has been attacked, or nearly attacked, with something capable of causing serious harm. This […]
207 Police Code
Among the California penal codes officers speak over the radio, 207 is one of the most serious. It’s the code for kidnapping, and when it goes out over a channel it signals a crime that puts a person’s freedom and safety directly at risk. This article explains what the 207 police code means, the legal […]
925 Police Code
If you’ve heard “925” on a California scanner, you’ve heard one of the codes that describes the everyday, low-grade suspicion that makes up a lot of police work — someone who looks out of place, a person loitering where they shouldn’t be, an unexplained figure in a parking lot at night. But 925 is also […]
459 Police Code
“459 in progress” is a call that gets officers moving fast. It’s the California code for burglary, and it covers one of the most common serious property crimes there is. This article explains what the 459 police code means, the legal definition that makes burglary different from what most people assume, how officers use the […]
415 Police Code
“We’ve got a 415” is one of the most common calls on a California police channel. It covers everything from a loud party to a shouting match to a brewing fight, and it’s a code officers use many times a shift. This article explains what the 415 police code means, the range of situations it […]
211 Police Code
If you’ve watched a crime drama set in California or listened to an LAPD scanner, you’ve heard it: “211 in progress.” It’s the code for a robbery, and it’s one of the most recognisable numbers in American police radio. This article explains what the 211 police code means, how officers use it, the difference between […]
5150 Meaning: What the California Hold Code Means
“5150” is another of those numbers that escaped its origins. You may have heard it on a police scanner, seen it as an album title, or heard someone use it loosely to describe erratic behaviour. But it began as a very specific piece of California law, and its real meaning is narrower, more procedural, and […]