Hollywood, MD – October 4, or 10/4, is a day of celebration in law enforcement radio communications and for fans of a long-forgotten (or never to be remembered) syndicated television show.

The code 10-4 means “understood.” It is the most popular of all the “ten codes.” The Ten Code System was developed back in 1937, implemented then revised and expanded in 1974 by the Association of Public Safety Communications.

Due to a lack of standardization, in 2006 the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommended the ten codes be discontinued and radio communicators should use “common language” instead. A half-dozen years later, the Maryland State Police (MSP) finally opted to drop its use of ten codes in favor of common language.

So, instead of saying “10-10,” troopers declare “there’s a fight in progress.” Instead of reporting a “10-54” a trooper will state “there’s a cow running loose in the road.”

So how did 10-4 become so popular? Radio communications historians credit the 1950s show “Highway Patrol” with the code’s popularity. An Academy Award-winning actor—Broderick Crawford (pictured, left)—played a plainclothes cop who communicated by radio and wore “10-4” out every single episode. It was a fairly low budget show with uncomplicated plots.

Among the budding stars who acted in episodes of Highway Patrol were Clint Eastwood and Leonard Nimoy.

As a catchphrase, “10/4” enjoyed a resurgence during the mid-1970s with the citizens band (CB) radio craze. It, and other codes, became part of CB lingo. In the late 1970s, then-President Jimmy Carter declared October 4 as National CB Radio Day.

While there do not appear to be any intentionally planned celebrations of 10/4 Day this year, in 2010 the occasion was commemorated with a classic police car parade in Hollywood (the other Hollywood, in California).

While it’s not part of the Ten Code System, see how many of these “CB Lingo” terms you know.
1. Bubble gum machine
2. Miss Piggy
3. Bear in the Air
4. Grizzly Bear
5. City Kitty
6. Flying Doughnut
7. Bulldog
8. Buster Brown
9. Meat Wagon
10. Pregnant Rollerskate

Keep in between the ditches and we’ll catch ya later!

Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com