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 […]
What Does 187 Mean? The Murder Code, Explained
You’ve probably encountered “187” without knowing where it came from — in a rap lyric, a film title, a video game, or a threat in a movie. It’s shorthand for murder, and almost everyone recognises it that way. But the number has a precise origin most people never learn, and there’s a real gap between […]
187 Police Code: What It Means and How It’s Used
When an officer says “187” over the radio in California, they’re naming the most serious crime there is. It’s the number police use for a homicide, and it comes straight from the law itself. This article explains what the 187 police code means, how officers actually use it on the air, why California names crimes […]
Full List of Police 10-Codes (Printable PDF)
This is the complete ten-code reference: 10-1 through 10-99, with the standard APCO meanings and the notable places where real agencies diverge. It’s built to be printed and kept beside a scanner, so the list comes first, and the explanation comes after. If you want the short version of what actually matters, the variation notes […]