Tuesday, January 3, 2012

What does 10-79 mean?

To keep radio communications between law-enforcement officers and dispatchers brief, a set of "ten" codes has been in use for many years. Occasionally, the meaning of some of the codes will change over the years, but most remain the same. The codes also serve to keep citizens with scanners in the dark; or at least on their toes.

I sure riled up one McHenry County government office today, which resulted in threats of criminal prosecution against me. One employee there demanded that I remove a license plate from one of my articles, claimed that she was being stalked and said publishing her license plate put her life in danger.

If you want to drive an unrecognizable vehicle while you are working, then you don't pick one like my red "basic undercover car" - a red VW Beetle.And, if you are government employee driving your personal vehicle for work-related purposes, you might decide whether your choice of a bright yellow, boxy-looking, tall, stand-out vehicle is a good choice. Especially if you put a personalized plate on it that easily reveals your occupation..
But if your choices of vehicle and license plate are made, can you then gripe about attention to them? After all, aren't they your personal (non-taxpayer-supported) vehicle and personally paid-for registration and license plate? If a person wants anonymity when driving around McHenry County, there are a lot of other choices for vehicle and license plate.

My attorney advised me that I didn't need to remove the license plate number from an earlier article.

My attorney also said I don't need to worry about threats to file criminal charges against me for putting that license plate number in my article. And my attorney said I needn't worry about any conversation that might have taken place between that upset County employee and anyone in the State's Attorney's Office.

Being the nice guy that I am, I removed the license plate number from the article.


Oh, by the way; what does 10-79 mean? "Notify Coroner".

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ha... 10-79.
Ya dont need to post TMB's license plate number (the plate's hanging on the back via a cable tie) to find me:
1. Look in any reputable liquor store parking lot.
2. Very old (I mean OLD) station wagon, similar to the one in Natl Lampoon's Vacation. Mine has more rust. Cant remember the make, as all the emblems have fallen off.
3. If it's running, see plume of black smoke coming from under the wagon... not the tailpipe, as that rusted away and fallen off back in 2009.
4. Wagon leans towards the driver's side when I'm in it: meaning my fat girth bottoms-out what's left of the shocks on that side.


Doh.

Marengo Resident said...

A yellow Hummer has been spoted at the McHenry County filling station in CL, Does this person get free gas from the county? Who pays for this gas?

Gus said...

What is the address for that County gas pump in CL?

Marengo Resident said...

I'm Sorry, I meant woodstock.