Police Officer In Trouble Calls

[BadBoynMD]

I've been known to respond to calls for police officers in trouble. I'm curious to know if any of you all respond to them also?

How does the police in your areas react to you showing up?

[Mr. Security]

Not over here.

You would be labeled as a wannabe if you did that here. Now, if you happen to be a passerby that sees a police officer in trouble, then it MIGHT be ok, depending on the situation.

[Lawson]

I think it would depend on the severity of the officer in trouble. When I was on vehicle patrol and an officer requested non-priority priority backup, naturally I wouldnt even touch it, but if I was in the area I would stick around just in case things escalated. After that it depended on the circumstance. If an officer called for priority backup and I was around the corner, or significantly closer, I would probably roll into the area to at least check things out. If he was in a bloody knuckle kick down drag out fight, I would announce my presence and assist, however, if there were units closeby and he had someone at gunpoint, I would probably remain in the area at least until the PD units arrived, without overtly stepping into the situation unless flagged over.

It's all about common sense. You don't want to be out chasing police calls, but I know if I was in trouble on the road, I wouldnt care if a bus driver responded to assist, I'd want somebody, but on the flipside, I wouldnt want to find a security guard rolling up on me everytime something was going on.

[LPGuy]

I've been known to respond to calls for police officers in trouble. I'm curious to know if any of you all respond to them also?

How does the police in your areas react to you showing up?

Our school district security patrol units actually sign onto the police department's radio frequency when they are on duty and have police unit call numbers. The patrol units scan the police frequency and the police will also come onto our security frequency to request school district security patrol if they are dealing with juveniles. The county sheriff's department also does the same.

I've rode with our patrol units and we've responded to officer assistance calls. We work great with the police; heck, our SRO works out of our district security office rather than the police department building.

[Guest]

I don't listen to scanners or anything like that...so I wouldn't really know if a cop needed help in my area. But if I saw one fighting for his life I would stop and help.

[LPGuy]

I'll also add: if you think your assistance may be needed, ask the police officer if he's code four. He'll let you know if he needs your help. You can also use the universal hand signal--just cruise by and hold up four fingers. If you get the same signal in response the officer is okay. Obviously you may not be able to do this if the officer is fighting with a subject...

[GCMC Security]

I remember being on patrol once and hearing GRPD dispatch repeatedly calling an officer who had called in a traffic stop. I knew he was right up the road from me while the closest unit sent by dispatch would be minutes a way. I pulled in behind his cruiser and flashed my take downs at him. He walked up and I told him dispatch was looking for him. He sheepishly looked down and realized his portable wasnt turned on.

[HotelSecurity]

I'll also add: if you think your assistance may be needed, ask the police officer if he's code four. He'll let you know if he needs your help. You can also use the universal hand signal--just cruise by and hold up four fingers. If you get the same signal in response the officer is okay. Obviously you may not be able to do this if the officer is fighting with a subject...

It is not universal. An Officer in trouble in Montreal is 10-07.

[davis002]

It is not universal. An Officer in trouble in Montreal is 10-07.

I think you are misunderstanding his definition of "Code 4"... Code 4 is actually a rather universal term for "no more assistance required" or "situation under control".

So when he mentions asking the officer if he is "code 4", he is basically asking the officer if everything is under control.

As far as the code for an officer in trouble... you are very correct. Many departments use their own codes for "officer in trouble. One departments code for "officer in trouble" might be anothers for "dead animal in the road"

[HotelSecurity]

I think you are misunderstanding his definition of "Code 4"... Code 4 is actually a rather universal term for "no more assistance required" or "situation under control".

So when he mentions asking the officer if he is "code 4", he is basically asking the officer if everything is under control.

As far as the code for an officer in trouble... you are very correct. Many departments use their own codes for "officer in trouble. One departments code for "officer in trouble" might be anothers for "dead animal in the road"

50/50 is the Montreal code for everything is ok. (used after a computer terminal or walkie-talkie turns in an automatic 10-07. They do not use Code 4 at all.

[N. A. Corbier]

Many states outlaw vehicles having scanners in them that can detect police frequencies...

If its not on your property, why are you responding? I ask this because you have your own job to do, that being either:

1. Going from site to site to do "mobile patrol" hits. (Not patrolling the public streets, but simply going from site to site... Never forget this...)

2. Remaining on your post and providing security services to it.

If there's a police officer in trouble on your post, that's one thing. Or, if while you are going from point A to point B in your mobile patrol route and happen upon a police officer in trouble, that's one thing as well.

But to deviate from your job leaves you open to problems from the police, as well as your company open to liability issues. Remember, you are moving from point A to point B repeatedly, not patrolling public property. Your company's insurance carrier remembers this, too.

[LPGuy]

Many states outlaw vehicles having scanners in them that can detect police frequencies...

If its not on your property, why are you responding? I ask this because you have your own job to do, that being either:

1. Going from site to site to do "mobile patrol" hits. (Not patrolling the public streets, but simply going from site to site... Never forget this...)

2. Remaining on your post and providing security services to it.

If there's a police officer in trouble on your post, that's one thing. Or, if while you are going from point A to point B in your mobile patrol route and happen upon a police officer in trouble, that's one thing as well.

But to deviate from your job leaves you open to problems from the police, as well as your company open to liability issues. Remember, you are moving from point A to point B repeatedly, not patrolling public property. Your company's insurance carrier remembers this, too.

Probably true for most contract private security patrol services out there. In my case, I work for school district--essentially, the state.

We don't have police scanners--we have the police radio frequency dialed into our radio sets. The police department will call for our patrol officers right on the police frequency because they know we monitor it. Our patrol officers sign into the police frequency and will talk on it if they are called.

Our patrol officers respond to any of the schools that call for assistance. But they spend a large majority of their time patrolling the city and the county. They have full jurisdiction within the city and county to handle any juvenile issues during school hours or when it is occuring on or near school grounds. They commonly stop juveniles in and around town and find out what they're up to, or make traffic stops on or near school property.

I'll also note that our vehicles are considered state emergency vehicles and we are permitted to drive "code" on public streets.

[Mr. Security]

50/50 is the Montreal code for everything is ok. (used after a computer terminal or walkie-talkie turns in an automatic 10-07. They do not use Code 4 at all.

Same here. Code 4 is not used.

[LPGuy]

It is not universal. An Officer in trouble in Montreal is 10-07.

I was speaking in terms of police agencies in the United States. I can pretty much guarantee that any officer anywhere in the country understands what "Code 4" means, even if it's not a formal code that the department uses.

The hand signal is also understood by officers. You may see an officer on a traffic stop and another officer will drive by and flash the hand signal. It's much more subtle than rolling the window down and yelling, "Hey, John, everything okay over there?"

[BadBoynMD]

I was speaking in terms of police agencies in the United States. I can pretty much guarantee that any officer anywhere in the country understands what "Code 4" means, even if it's not a formal code that the department uses.

The hand signal is also understood by officers. You may see an officer on a traffic stop and another officer will drive by and flash the hand signal. It's much more subtle than rolling the window down and yelling, "Hey, John, everything okay over there?"

I have to agree here. Specially if you're into watching cop shows, because most are based in California.

Officer in trouble codes in Maryland are mostly Signal 13, however there was one department that used 10-50, but you would hear the dispatcher change it to "signal 10-50" now they use signal 13. Also, they have done away with codes in all and now use plain English over the radio.