The federal government is ordering police and other public safety departments around the country to get rid of a time-honored tradition in the interest of safety.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is ordering them to stop talking using "10" codes in their radio transmissions-- and departments stand to lose millions of dollars in funding if they don't comply.
The federal government says its time to adopt a common language -- plain english.
"10-4" and other radio codes are a second language in public safety circles, but the FEMA says there's no room for misunderstanding in a national emergency. So it's ordering police and other departments to phase out their code-speak and start talking in plain english by next September.
"We're saying that in order to continue federal funding from any of the departments and federal agencies, they need to meet those requirements by the end of fiscal year '06," says FEMA representative Gil Jamieson.
Officials say there's been some resistance from police saying changing the language officers speak is easier said than done. But the ability to communicate is more important.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is ordering them to stop talking using "10" codes in their radio transmissions-- and departments stand to lose millions of dollars in funding if they don't comply.
The federal government says its time to adopt a common language -- plain english.
"10-4" and other radio codes are a second language in public safety circles, but the FEMA says there's no room for misunderstanding in a national emergency. So it's ordering police and other departments to phase out their code-speak and start talking in plain english by next September.
"We're saying that in order to continue federal funding from any of the departments and federal agencies, they need to meet those requirements by the end of fiscal year '06," says FEMA representative Gil Jamieson.
Officials say there's been some resistance from police saying changing the language officers speak is easier said than done. But the ability to communicate is more important.
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