Police Officer In Trouble Calls

[Black Caesar]

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.

No, It's different everywhere. My campus police department doesn't use Code Signals at all, only 10 Codes, but the University of North Texas Police and the SMU Police Do (don't know what their codes are). With the City PD, Code 4 means "Disregard".

Here:
~~~~~~~~~~
DALLAS POLICE CODES:
CODE 1 Routine Assignment--Normal Response
CODE 2 Urgent Assignment--No Longer Authorized
CODE 3 Emergency Assignment--Use Red Lights & Siren
CODE 4 Disregard Previous Instructions Or Assignment
CODE 5 En Route
CODE 6 Arrived
CODE 10 Known offender
CODE 10C Known dangerous offender
CODE 10W Felony warrant
CODE 10X Stolen vehicle
~~~~~

El Paso PD
CODES:
Code 1 Normal speed, no emergency equipment
Code 2 Increase speed, no emergency equipment
Code 3 Fast, all emergency equipment (lights & siren)
Code 10 Use caution!
~~~~~

LUBBOCK POLICE DEPARTMENT SIGNALS & CODES:

Code One = Immediate Assistance Needed
Code Four = No Further Assistance Needed

[LPGuy]

With the City PD, Code 4 means "Disregard".

CODE 4 Disregard Previous Instructions Or Assignment

I apologize if I'm being ignorant here, but isn't that essentially the same thing?

"Do you need assistance?" "No, I'm code 4. Disregard."

[LPGuy]

And, in essence, you kind of proved my point--you do know what Code 4 is generally used for, even if it isn't widely used by your department, right?

[Black Caesar]

And, in essence, you kind of proved my point--you do know what Code 4 is generally used for, even if it isn't widely used by your department, right?

With the town I live in, Code 4 means lights and sirens, Code 6 is no assistance needed. Next town over, they have no code 4 (Code 3 is lights and sirens). Dallas PD's Code 4 does mean disregard, after an instruction was given. If you didn't give any instructions, code 4 is meaningless. The Dallas Sheriff's office (where I worked as a jail guard) doesn't used signal codes at all.

I've been a cop for 10 years (this December) with 2 agencies (a small town and a college), and a civilian employee for 2 more before that (a sheriff and a hospital PD) and I've never ever seen anyone use a hand signal like you describe. Maybe it's a thing where you are.

[Valor Eastbay]

we have a reserved mall police officer (local PD) who we work with. he would call us if he needed our help, usually when their are two or more people involved. the local PD will go on our channel and notify us if anything serious is going on to alert us within our work area. sometimes they will ask for assistance to direct traffic, block off roads, etc. we have had shooting threats, bomb threats, pursuits that ended up on mall parking lots, and they always notified us on radio and we helped (not hands on of course)
if i ever happen to see a police officer getting a beat down by 2 guys (unarmed), i will surely call it out and put one of them in a headlock to restrain him/her. if i werent working and in cilvilian clothing, i might do the same. if they were packing heat, ill be staying far away and (notify dispatch to) call 911 letting PD know every detail possible.
but their is a particular fellow SO that scans the local PD channel and would try to respond to that call too because its on "our property"

we use "code 4" as in no further assistance needed. meaning everything is fine, calmed down, ok, etc

[BadBoynMD]

The whole code 4 thing is a California west coast thing. Most people would recoqnize code 4 from police tv shows like CHiP's.

Here in Maryland it's pretty interesting that just about every county has their own radio codes. Some use 10 AND signal codes. For There are only a small handfull of police departments that use the same codes as State Police, most of the other counties use totally different radio codes.

This is one of the biggest reasons more and more police departments are resorting to plain English communications. Virgina State Police and a few other agencies in Virginia use plain English over the air. Only a small number of Maryland department use plain English.

[LPGuy]

With the town I live in, Code 4 means lights and sirens, Code 6 is no assistance needed. Next town over, they have no code 4 (Code 3 is lights and sirens). Dallas PD's Code 4 does mean disregard, after an instruction was given. If you didn't give any instructions, code 4 is meaningless. The Dallas Sheriff's office (where I worked as a jail guard) doesn't used signal codes at all.

I've been a cop for 10 years (this December) with 2 agencies (a small town and a college), and a civilian employee for 2 more before that (a sheriff and a hospital PD) and I've never ever seen anyone use a hand signal like you describe. Maybe it's a thing where you are.

Ah, I stand corrected then. Thank you. I guess it isn't as widely used as I thought.

[Bill Warnock]

There are duress codes, sign and counter-sign that may be used in some agencies. These are agency driven and careful in their use.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[Guest]

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...

Thats a bad idea. Just stay out of the Cop's way. If he looks like he is in trouble then help him

[SecTrainer]

I've never seen hand signals used in LE except in SWAT-type operations, but I've heard there are some signals that are used by the staff in certain special venues like mental hospitals.

[LPGuy]

Thats a bad idea. Just stay out of the Cop's way. If he looks like he is in trouble then help him

Ehm... that the whole point of the original poster's question. We're talking about assisting police officers who are radioing for assistance if they are in trouble. Multiple subjects at gunpoint, fighting with a subject(s), wounded, etc.

The big question is, how do they react to us (as security officers) assisting?

There are many examples of concerned citizens assisting police officers in trouble. As long as you go about it with common sense, I think few police officers would have trouble with you helping them if they really need it.

[DMS 525]

Ehm... that the whole point of the original poster's question. We're talking about assisting police officers who are radioing for assistance if they are in trouble. Multiple subjects at gunpoint, fighting with a subject(s), wounded, etc.

The big question is, how do they react to us (as security officers) assisting?

There are many examples of concerned citizens assisting police officers in trouble. As long as you go about it with common sense, I think few police officers would have trouble with you helping them if they really need it.

I'll have to admit, they were quite prompt in responding to some hairy situations I've had to handle. It's when we have someone detained when they seem to take forever to show up.

[LPGuy]

I'll have to admit, they were quite prompt in responding to some hairy situations I've had to handle. It's when we have someone detained when they seem to take forever to show up.

It's all about call priority. When I worked in LP, and would call the police after a shoplifting apprehension, if they were busy, the dispatcher might ask, "Are they in custody? Are they causing any problems?" If the suspect was in custody and cooperative, the call would be given a lower priority and we might have to wait a bit.

Unless it was a Friday or Saturday, though, the police would often be there in no more than 15 minutes.

[Arff312]

My patrol company has an awesome relation ship with the local PD. We get called by them all the time to handle Domestics ,Physical fights Etc... On our properties. Most of the officers know when they see our units we are highly trained and very professional. We do stop to help the police when needed . They have on more then one occasion been very thankful of this. I am not saying that we have a scanner in the cars that we respond to there calls , But we will stop if they are outnumbered and standby or help in fights etc. My company is all about public safety and we don't drive our car with the company name past an incident. That is bad publicity when someone says yea i was getting my Butt kicked and XYZ security saw and kept going.

[Hank1]

Many times....Per the LEO's request often times. The LEO would ask that their Dispatch center call ours and ask us to 10-56 (meet me at....) and discuss criminal activtiy in the area, problem residents (nuisance calls). We even exchange our personal phone numbers. Depending on the squad, "A" shift or "B" shift, we will assist them on traffic stops of a vehicle with numerous occupants (just as a overwatch officer) until they get their back up on scene or until they clear the stop altogether. I would say 90 percent of Police Officers/Deputies know who we are and what we contribute to society. Many LEOs search us out for assistance. You better know what your doing when they request assistance!!!!! Under any and all circumstances.

Be safe,

Hank