The Ten Codes (Essay Sample)

THE TEN CODES
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THE TEN CODES
The ten - codes was developed to aid the police in their communication. Its use effectively locked out the public from the conversations held by the police thus, maintaining confidentiality and integrity of the data being passed on. The ten - codes came into existence around 1937 and is credited to Charles Hopper. The innovation was informed by the need of the police departments to have a confidential way of communication amongst them. However, the evolution in technology compromised the secrecy of the code rendering it ineffective.
One of the major strengths of the ten codes is promoting the integrity and confidentiality of the information being passed across. The police can send messages about crimes like homicide or warnings about imminent attacks in a code that is not known to the common man. As such, they are able to avert the imminent dangers in time (911dispatch.com 2014)
One of the major disadvantages of the ten codes is that different states now have different meanings for each code. As such inter-agency communication becomes compromised and is highly prone to miscommunication. A case in point is the 9/11 where most officers died due to miscommunication (National Institute of Justice 2014). A quick search on the internet reveals the meanings of most of these codes. This means that the ten -codes is no longer as secretive as it once was. It would therefore be easier to use plain language rather than using a complex code whose justification is no longer valid.
In conclusion, the ten - codes was very effective when it was developed. However, the technological innovations and passage of time has compromised the ten codes. It would therefore be better to use plain language in its place. On the other hand, it is important to retain some of the codes with a universal meaning. These can include codes dealing with sexual offenses so as to save the victims from the traum...