I'm not quite sure as to how I should phrase this question but I'll give it my best shot. You know how sometimes in crime shows, like CSI, when the officers report in a crime, they report in a code number. Like 0-18 means a Hit and Run while a 4-45 means explosives.

Well, my question is do they use this code numbers in the FBI too? And if they do, does anyone know where I can get a list of all those code numbers and their corresponding "situation"? Thanks!

And one more quickie, I know how some computer files can only be accessed by someone of really high clearance like GS-14 or something higher. Can anyone tell me what clearance do FBI agents have? :D

I know the FBI uses those kind of codes, so the answer would be yes. However, I don't know where to get a list of those codes. Sam 3-3 is usually pretty good with that kind of info.... :unsure:

I compiled this code list in June 2006 after needing to learn them for my job. These are codes used in Police, FBI, Homeland security and so on in radio communications. This particular group is based on the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Georgia State Patrol, our local FBI office, and various Police Departments throughout the state. Different states can have different codes or codes specialized for their area, but it gives you something to work from. As interoperability becomes more necessary (due in part to 9/11), you'll see more and more of the law enforcement codes being streamlined and consistent across the board.

Law Enforcement Communication Codes

Code 1 - Clear to receive confidential message (EDITED TO NOTE: These are called 'Response Codes')
Code 2 - Urgent response – No Light or Siren
Code 3 - Urgent response – Use Lights and Siren
Code 4 - No further assistance needed
Code 5 - Stakeout
Code 6 - Stay out of area
Code 7 - Out of service to eat/Meal break
Code 8 – Restroom break
Code 10 – SWAT Pre-Call Up
Code 11 – SWAT Call Up
Code 37 – Subject/Property Wanted

10-0 CAUTION (EDITED TO NOTE: These are called Ten Codes if you want to look them up for your area.)
10-1 Unable to Copy
10-2 Signal Good
10-3 Stop Transmitting/Radio Check
10-4 Acknowledgement or OK
10-6 Busy Unless Urgent
10-7 Out of Service
10-8 In Service
10-9 Repeat
10-10 Fight/Disorder
10-11 Dog Chase
10-12 Stand-by
10-13 Weather Report
10-14 Prowler
10-15 Burglary
10-16 Domestic
10-17 Armed Robbery
10-18 Quickly
10-19 Return to __________
10-20 Location
10-21 Call ________ by Telephone
10-22 Disregard
10-23 Arrived at Scene
10-24 Completed Assignment
10-25 Meet in person
10-26 Holding Suspect
10-27 Drivers License Information
10-28 Vehicle Registration Information
10-29 Check Stolen/Wanted
10-30 Unnecessary Use of Radio
10-31 Crime in Progress
10-32 Weapon
10-33 EMERGENCY
10-34 Riot
10-35 Transporting Liquor
10-35 Correct time
10-36 Investigate/Suspicious Vehicle
10-38 Traffic Stop
10-39 Resume Normal Operations
10-40 If Not Stolen, Check with Owner
10-41 Start Shift
10-42 End Shift
10-43 Homicide
10-44 Suicide or Attempt
10-45 Contact Duty Investigator
10-46 Assist motorist
10-47 Road Repair
10-48 Traffic Light Out
10-49 Speeding Vehicle
10-50 Accident
10-50I Accident with Injuries
10-50F Accident with Fatalities
10-51 Wrecker
10-52 Ambulance
10-53 Road Block
10-54 Livestock on Road
10-55 Intoxicated Driver
10-56 Intoxicated Person
10-57 Hit and Run
10-58 Direct Traffic
10-59 Escort
10-60 Leave Station
10-61 FBI
10-62 Reply to Message
10-63 Prepare to Copy (Take Down Info)/Make Written Copy
10-65 Mechanical Breakdown
10-66 Cancel (Broadcast)
10-70 Fire
10-74 Negative
10-75 In Contact With _____
10-76 En Route
10-77 ETA
10-78 Need Assistance
10-79 Notify Coroner
10-80 Chase in Progress
10-81 Location and Status
10-83 Work School Crossing
10-84 Special Duty/Special Detail
10-85 Delayed
10-88 Present Telephone Number
10-89 BOMB Threat
10-90 Alarm
10-91 Pick Up Prisoner
10-92 Improperly Parked Vehicle
10-94 Drag Racing
10-95 Prisoner in Custody
10-97 Check Signal
10-98 Prison/Jail Break
10-99 Wanted/Stolen Indicated
10-101 Medical Acknowledgement
10-102 Send Rescue Units To____
10-103 Send Police Units To____
10-104 Unable To Locate
10-105 Patient Refuses Service
10-106 Patient Refuses Treatment
10-107 Patient Pickup By Other Means
10-108 Transfer Patient From__To__
10-109 Patient Condition Codes:
A. Walking But Injured
B. Moderate Injury
C. Severely Injured
D. Dead
10-110 Multi-Injury Accident

Signal 32 OFFICER NEEDS HELP

Others – (General Used to Signal Division or Patrol Unit along with a number for the individual, such as SAM 33 for Jack on STFBE or L56 for Hunter/McCall on Hunter.)

A - ADAM
B - BOY
C - CHARLES
D - DAVID
E - EDWARD
F - FRANK
G - GEORGE
H - HENRY
I - IDA
J - JOHN
K - KING
L - LINCOLN
M - MARY
N - NORA
O - OCEAN
P - PAUL
Q - QUEEN
R - ROBERT
S - SAM
T - TOM
U - UNION
V - VICTOR
W - WILLIAM
X - XRAY
Y - YOUNG
Z - ZEBRA

To answer the second part of your question, Special Agent trainees at the FBI Academy are paid as GS-10, step 1 ($43,441) plus the Quantico, VA locality adjustment (17.50%) during their time at the FBI Academy. This equates to $51,043 on an annualized basis (or $1,963 per each two-week pay period).

Newly assigned Special Agents are paid as GS-10, step 1 ($43,441) plus locality pay and availability pay. Locality pay (which ranges from 12.5% to 28.7% of base salary depending upon office assignment) is additional compensation to account for differences in the labor market between different areas. Availability pay is a 25% increase in adjusted salary (base salary + locality pay) for all Special Agents due to their requirement to average a 50-hour work week over the course of the year. Thus, with the locality and availability pay adjustments, new Special Agents in their first Field Offices earn between $61,100 and $69,900, depending upon the region of the country to which they are assigned.

New Special Agents assigned to certain designated high-cost offices (New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Washington D.C., Boston and Newark) may also be paid a one-time relocation bonus of approximately $22,000 to help offset higher real estate and living costs. In order to qualify for the relocation bonus, new Special Agents must be assigned to one of the designated high-cost offices and they must be moving from a lower cost area to a different geographical area with a higher cost of living.

For example, a new Agent assigned to Washington, D.C. would make a base salary of $43,441 (GS-10, step 1 on the Law Enforcement Officers’ salary table) + locality pay of $7,602 (based on Washington, D.C.’s locality adjustment of 17.5%) + availability pay of $12,761 (25% of base + locality) for a total salary of $63,804 their first year. If the new Special Agent qualified for the relocation bonus (e.g., moving from Atlanta to Washington, D.C.), they would also receive a one-time payment of approximately $22,000.


EDITED TO ADD: Oh, and by the way, the GS levels are just salary grade levels not clearance levels. Agents at the same GS level may have different clearance levels depending on the results of the investigation conducted into their backgrounds. It has been a long time since I had to go through a security clearance check but I'll see if I can find the information to show you the difference in levels.

Ok...didn't take me long to find the information. At a minimum, FBI employees require a Top Secret (TS) security clearance, and in many instances, employees need a higher level, TS/SCI clearance. The explanation of levels are as follows:

TOP SECRET (TS)

• Level 5 (orange)

• requires the highest degree of protection

• requires level 5 security clearance

• unauthorized disclosure could severely damage national security

• wrongful disclosure could lead to war against a nation or its allies, disrupt vital relations, compromise vital defense plans or cryptologic and communications intelligence systems, reveal sensitive intelligence operations, or could jeopardize a vital advantage in an area of science or technology.

• penalty can range from 5 years to life imprisonment or even the death penalty if considered treason.

SCI (Sometimes called "Ultra Secret")

• Level 6 (yellow)

• requires exceptionally high or special protection

• requires level 5 security clearance and special (Q) clearance and or invitation.

• unauthorized disclosure could existentially damage national security, international stability or wartime advantage

• wrongful disclosure could lead to loss or prolongation of a war, provide enemies with secret weapon technology or inform them of compromised top secret information.

• penalty will most likely be capital punishment due to treason.

This is probably more than you were looking for, Mel, but just in case someone else wants it. A security clearance is generally granted to a particular level of clearance. The exception to this is levels above compartmentalized access, when an individual is given access to a particular type of data.


Confidential Security Clearnance
The simplest security clearance to get. This level typically requires a few weeks to a few months of investigation. A Confidential clearance requires a NACLC investigation and must be renewed (with another investigation) every 10 years.


Secret Security Clearance
A Secret clearance, also known as Ordinary Secret, requires a few months to a year to fully investigate depending on the individual's activities. Some instances where individuals would take longer than normal to be investigated are many past residences, having residences in foreign countries, or have relatives outside the United States. Bankruptcy and unpaid bills as well as criminal charges will also increase the time of both the investigation and approval. A Secret clearance requires a NAC/LAC/Credit investigation and must be reinvestigated every 10 years.


Top Secret Security Clearance
Top Secret is a more stringent clearance. A Top Secret, or "TS", clearance, is often given as the result of a Single Scope Background Investigation, or SSBI. Top Secret clearances generally afford one access to data that affects national security, counterterrorism/counterintelligence, or other highly sensitive data. There are far fewer individuals with TS clearances than Secret clearances. A TS clearance can take as little as 3-6 months to obtain, but more often takes 6-18 months, while sometimes taking up to 3 years to obtain. The SSBI investigation must be reinvestigated every 5 years.


Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) Security Clearance
As with TS clearances, Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) clearances are assigned only after one has been through the rigors of a Single Scope Background Investigation. SCI access, however, is assigned only in "compartments." These compartments are necessarily separated from each other organizationally, so an individual with access to one compartment will not necessarily have access to another. Each compartment may include its own additional clearance process.

Sample Compartments of SCI:

Crypto: cryptography
TK: Satellite intelligence
SI: Special intelligence (primarily intelligence organizations)
Q: Nuclear weapons
ESI Extremely Sensitive Information

Such compartmentalized clearances may be expressed as "Joe has a TS/SCI TK/Q clearance", meaning Joe has Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information Clearance in the areas of Satellite Intelligence and Nuclear Weapons.

A common misconception is that security clearance holders work as spies or in intelligence fields. Anyone with access to classified data requires a clearance at or higher than the level the data is classified at. For this reason security clearance jobs are wide in range, including:

Information Technology
Engineering
Intelligence
Logistics
Finance and Accounting
Science and Mathematics
Aviation and Aerospace
U.S. Merchant Marine
U.S. Transportation Security Administration

Jobs that require a security clearance can be found either as positions working directly for the Federal government or authorized Federal contractors.

Wow. Thanks, Red Baron. That's great info. :applause:

Hello RedBaron,

I'm surprised to see your alphabet... It's not the phonetic alphabet I learned (long time ago) - Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, etc.

I found this website from the NASA http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/MAEL/ag/phonetic.htm that says that FAA, ICAO, ITU and NATO use it too, I thought the police and the FBI would use it as well.

Okay, back to lurking mode now... :scared:

The military, aviation, and ham radio operators use the Phonetic Alphabet primarily. You might hear someone in law enforcement use this when giving a tag number (ex. CCD 544, Charlie, Charlie, Delta, 5-5-4) on the radio but that is generally those individuals that are ex-military. The police academies use the general alphabet (ADAM, BOY, CHARLES, DAVID, EDWARD, etc.) in training and you'll see (hear) it used alot on shows like COPS, etc.

Good information though.

Thanks! I knew there had to be a reason :lol:

Thank you so much, you guys, and especially a big thank-you to Traci! It's definitely more than what I was looking for but wonderful trove of information nonetheless. Thank you!! :D