What does Adam mean in the police code?
Asked by: Priscilla Feeney II | Last update: May 17, 2026Score: 4.9/5 (34 votes)
In police codes, "Adam" typically signifies the letter 'A' in the phonetic alphabet (e.g., Adam-12 for A-12) or designates a two-officer patrol unit, but it also refers to the specific Code Adam missing-child safety program. The specific meaning depends on the context—whether spelling something out, identifying a unit type, or calling for a lost child protocol.
What does Adam mean in police terms?
7 Adam 19. “At the LAPD , an "Adam" radio call sign designates a two-officer uniformed patrol unit, the basic field unit for LAPD.
What does 7 Adam 15 mean in police?
Nolan's call sign is 7-Adam-15. 7 indicates the mid-wilshire division . A designates it as a 2-person patrol. 15 indicates which "beat" or patrol area they're working in, though there is apparently quite a bit of overlap in these patrol areas, so I think it is more likely used as a unit number.
What does Adam code mean?
Code Adam is a missing-child safety program in the United States and Canada, originally created by Walmart retail stores in 1994. This type of alert is generally regarded as having been named in memory of Adam Walsh, the 6-year-old son of John Walsh (the host of Fox's America's Most Wanted).
What does code 4 adam mean?
Code 4-Adam: No further units needed to respond, suspect not in custody, units already en route to the scene position or patrol in strategic areas near the scene.
What Is A Code Adam? - Law Enforcement Insider
What does Adam 12 mean in police talk?
The "1" means the patrol car operates in Division 1 (Central Division), serving Downtown Los Angeles. The LAPD assigns two-officer patrol units the letter "A"; in the LAPD phonetic alphabet, the letter "A" is spoken as "Adam". The "12" comes from the daily assigned reporting district, or beat.
What triggers a Code Adam Alert?
These are the steps to follow when an alert is announced that a child is missing. If no security guard, contact on-site facility manager or delegated official. They will activate the “Code Adam” alert to all building tenants.
What is the Code Adam law?
Code Adam Act - Requires each Federal building that is open to the public to have in place procedures for locating a child who is missing in that building.
What is an Adam in slang?
Adam: MDMA, a "recreational drug", from reading the name of the drug backwards, and from the idea that the drug returns the user to Paradise. Adam and Eve: English rhyming slang for "believe".
What does 7 mean in police code?
Police code "7" varies significantly by agency, but most commonly means meal break/lunch (Code 7) or out of service/unavailable (10-7), though it can also indicate serious situations like a dead body, an intoxicated person, or even an officer in danger (Signal 7 in some areas), highlighting the need to check local protocols.
Why do police use Adam?
Popular culture. The origin of the name Adam-12 from the television series of the same title comes from this alphabet. The LAPD still calls its basic two-man patrol car an "A" unit, and the letter "A" is spoken as "Adam" in the spelling alphabet.
What does 10/7 mean dead?
"10-7" typically means "Out of Service" (off duty, on break, or unavailable), but it's often used as a euphemism for deceased in law enforcement radio, signifying an officer is permanently "out of service," especially during a funeral ceremony where other units stop transmitting in tribute. While the standard code is "out of service," the meaning can shift contextually or by agency to mean "dead," though other specific codes (like "Signal 7" or "10-67") also exist for death.
What does the 10/20 mean?
"10-20" or "your 20" is a police and CB radio code for location, meaning "What is your location?" or "My location is..." used for quick, efficient communication about where someone or something is, derived from the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) Ten-Code system. It's used in law enforcement, trucking (thanks to the song "Convoy"), and general radio slang to ask for or give a position.
What are the 10 police codes?
Police 10-codes are a system of brevity codes, like 10-4 (OK), 10-6 (Busy), and 10-33 (Emergency), used for quick, discreet communication in law enforcement radio, but many agencies are moving away from them for clearer plain English due to lack of nationwide standardization, though examples like 10-50 (Vehicle Accident) and 10-29 (Check for Wants) remain common for status and incident reporting.
What is Adam Henry cop slang?
Adam Henry: n. euphemism for, well, a jerk. Taken from the letters A and H in the police phonetic alphabet.
Why are cops called Johnny law?
Answer and Explanation: The origin of the slang "Johnny Law" which refers to members of law enforcement agencies, including cops, is not clear. Some have argued that the slang emerged as an attempt to personify law enforcers and "Johnny" is used because it is a stereotypical name for males (think of "John Doe').
What does Adam stand for?
"Adam" primarily means "earth," "soil," or "man/humanity" in Hebrew, stemming from adamah (ground) and referring to the first human in Abrahamic faiths, while in other contexts, ADAM can be an acronym for things like the Anti-Doping Administration & Management System (WADA) or a project like Advanced Digital Design and Manufacturing (Airbus), and "Adam" also denotes a two-officer police patrol unit in radio codes.
What does Adam literally mean?
The literal meaning of Adam comes from Hebrew, directly relating to "earth" or "soil" (adama) from which the first man was formed, so it means "earth-man, son of the red earth, or humankind". The name links humanity to the ground, symbolizing both our earthly nature and our potential for growth, as the earth yields life and fruit.
What does cain mean in slang?
In slang, "Cain" primarily appears in the phrase "raise Cain," meaning to cause trouble, create a disturbance, behave wildly, or become very angry, drawing from the biblical figure who murdered his brother Abel. It can also refer to cocaine in street slang (spelled "caine") or, less commonly, mean to use something (like alcohol) with great force or speed (often "raise cane").
What is a Code Adam?
Code Adam is a program of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, a nonprofit co-founded by Adam's parents, John and Revé Walsh. The program is a powerful search tool for lost and potentially abducted children.
What does 1042 mean in police code?
Police code 10-42 (or just 1042) most commonly means "Ending Tour of Duty" or "End of Watch," signaling an officer is finishing their shift, but it can also mean "Dead Person" in some systems, with meanings varying by jurisdiction, although the "end of shift" meaning is common for ceremonial occasions like retirements or funerals. It's part of the "Ten-Code" system for quick radio communication, though some departments use "plain language" now.
What should I do during a Code Adam alert?
Remain at designated areas until the Code Adam alert is cancelled. If a child matching the description of the missing child is found during the search, ask the child to state his/her name. If he/she is identified as the missing child, notify the building manager and escort the child to the Security Office.
Does Code Adam still exist?
Yes, Code Adam is definitely still a thing; it's a widely used child safety program in thousands of businesses and all federal buildings for locating missing children, established by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) (NCMEC) after Adam Walsh's abduction. Businesses display a Code Adam decal to show they participate, and employees are trained to initiate immediate searches and lock exits when a child is reported missing, often announced with an audible code, according to sources.
What does 12 mean in police code?
10-10A Off duty at home. 10-11 Identify this frequency. 10-12 Visitors are present (be discrete). 10-13 Advise weather and road conditions. 10-14 Citizen holding suspect.
What is Code Adam at Walmart?
Originally developed by Wal-Mart associates, Code Adam is activated when a child is first reported missing within a facility and prior to the arrival of law enforcement personnel.