Alpha, Bravo, Charile. Military Alphabet Code and LEO Code

[Utah.44]

codes

I think Sip's code list is the American standard Police phonetics. In 1975 we used the standard phonetics and the 10 codes in order to keep the single channel radio air as free as possible for when it was needed. These days most agencies rely somewhat less on voice traffic and more on data terminals to run license, registration, wanted etc- back in the day everything was by voice. Also these days normal speak is doing away with 10-codes. I became a ham late in life and the different phonetics prove difficult. You tend to revert to what you used first and for a longer period of time.

 

[Goldstar225]

I was active Air Force for 20 years and during the last 6 or 7 was also a Reserve Police Officer. Having to use two different sets of phonetic alphabets meant "reprograming" myself for the environment I was in at the time.

It really doesn't matter what set of phonetics your agency uses. The whole purpose, as in all communication, is to be understood by others.

 

[J. W.]

Military alphabet here, although a few people tend to make it up as they go...we also use a combination of a few 10-codes and clearance codes. (a.k.a signals)


Sent from my iPhone 4s using Tapatalk

 

[CW Spook]

At least there are only two serious contenders for the phonetic alphabet. 10-codes are a whole 'nuther issue. Back in the 60s when I was dispatching for the Iowa State Patrol (IHP back then), we used a 10-code that was unique to the patrol. They later switched to the much more common APCO version, although I think they, like many departments, are trying to make the change to plain language to meet the NIMS standard. I notice on some of the TV cop 'reality' shows like Alaska State Troopers that some jurisdictions are apparently still using 10-codes of their own making.

 

[Checkman]

Twenty-two years in the Air Force, I can do the military phonetic alphabet in my sleep. When I got into civilian LE they use an LE phonetic alphabet based on first names, Adam, Boy, Charles, David, Edward, etc. When I first signed on I about drove the Dispatchers crazy, except for one who had some military time. I still have to be careful and double check my civilian cheat sheet on occassion and I still relaps to the Military version if I get in a hurry or........ get excited.......I'm old now so I don't get excited very often any more.

I spent fourteen years in the Army. My ETS was 02/14/2000 and I joined my department on 10/12/2000. When I was still in FTO I used to get low grades for radio procedure for using the military phonetic alphabet instead of the LEO phonetic alphabet. Damn near killed me having to learn an entire new alphabet after all those years. Even now I still sometimes slip and revert to the military. Fortunately most of our dispatchers are pretty sharp and understand what I'm saying.

 

[rwsmith]

Computer service

I have to resort to an alphabet code when talking to computer help desks. I'm everybody has had the experience of not understanding a word they were saying.

 

[Muley Gil]

My first LE job was in a small East Alabama sheriff's department. We used the military alphabet. My next department was larger and in the B'ham, Alabama area. We used the police alphabet.

The SO used the same 10 code as the state troopers. The PD had it's own 10 code, which was different from B'ham PD's and Jefferson County SO's as well. Plus, the bigger PD had a different radio than the rest of Jefferson County and B'ham PD.

Communication was not easy back then.

 

[4Js]

Communication was not easy back then.

You got that right. My car had a state low band radio, a state 800mhz radio, county and local high band, and county and local vhf. Our cars looked like porcupines.

Most of the 10 codes were the same from agency to agency, at least close enough for the important ones. Everyone used the police phonetic alphabet, but it's always smart to know the military version in case you had to play with the feds.