SOP-2 Code 20 SituationsRevised: January 13, 2021
Police Services Division
SOP-2
April 17, 2003
SUBJECT: Code 20 Situations - Radio/Voice, MDT/Unit Emergency Activation, Portable
Radio Distress Signal Activation
PURPOSE: To outline a standard response upon receipt of a Code 20 via radio/voice, MDC
unit emergency activation, or portable radio distress signal activation.
POLICY: Dispatch, responding officers and patrol shift supervisors are expected to respond
quickly, safely, and efficiently to the activation of a portable distress signal.
I. DEFINITION: Code 20 — An emergency situation where an officer needs
assistance, Code 3 from any and/or all RPDPS officers.
II. PROCEDURE
A. Code 20 Via Voice/Radio
1. Officer at Known Location
When Dispatch receives a Code 20 from an officer via the radio, all
RPDPS officers should be advised of the requesting unit's identifier,
location, and known, or last known activity. A Code 33 should be placed
on the channel. Notify the Shift Supervisor of the situation.
a. A minimum of two units will be assigned to the incident. Details
of the original incident will be provided to responding units.
b. A Code 20 cannot be cancelled by the officer who made the
request for assistance. A responding officer must assess the
condition of the officer who declared the Code 20, and determine if
the situation requires further assistance.
2. Officer at Unknown Location
Dispatch will immediately attempt radio contact with the officer in
question. Dispatch shall transmit "(Unit Designator) advises Code 20,
what is your location?" Dispatch is to notify the Shift Supervisor of the
situation. Poll unit in CAD to try and get the GPS location if possible.
a. If contact is not made, notify the Shift Supervisor. Dispatch shall
broadcast to all patrol units, receipt of the "Code 20", which unit is
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involved and attempt to determine the officer's location, and place
a Code 33 on the channel. Dispatch will advise all units what the
officer's last known location/activity was and how long ago.
b. The Shift Supervisor will then direct Dispatch of what further
actions are required.
1) If the location of the officer cannot be determined, a couple
of assumptions will have to be made:
a) The officer is still within the city limits.
b) The officer is still within his or her beat area. Then
it becomes a matter of sending available units into
the beat areas, starting with the officer's assigned
beat area, to search out the officer.
c) This would be a Code 2 response, but have priority
over other calls until the officer is located.
c. A Code 20 cannot be cancelled by the officer who made the
request for assistance. A responding officer must assess the
condition of the officer who declared the Code 20, and determine if
the situation requires further assistance.
B. Code 20 via MDC: Unit Emergency
Unit Emergency — The Unit Emergency command is used to indicate that a unit
is in emergency status, invoked when field personnel are in imminent danger.
Typically, someone in the field invokes this command automatically when he/she
presses an associated Emergency button on his/her MDC. A dispatcher may also
execute this command for a unit if notification is received on the radio that a unit
is in trouble, or when a dispatcher suspects that danger is present for a unit.
If this command is invoked against a unit, and that unit is not assigned to an event
already, a Code 20 field event is created for that unit, and the unit is placed in
Arrive status on that event at the GPS location.
C. Code 20 via Portable Distress Signal Activation
RPDPS portable radios have been preprogrammed to upon activation of the
distress signal allow officers to continue to hear Dispatch.
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III. POLICE SERVICES
A. Officer at Known Location
The dispatcher shall immediately transmit "Two units to back (unit activating
signal) at (location) on a distress signal activation", and place a Code 33 on the
channel. Notify the Shift Supervisor of the situation.
1. A minimum of two units will be assigned to the incident. Details of the
original incident will be provided to responding units.
a. Dispatch will attempt radio contact with the officer in question.
Dispatch shall transmit "(Unit Designator) Code 20 portable status
check." If the activation was accidental, the officer shall respond
"Code 4 accidental." Dispatch will cancel the responding units
and end the Code 33.
3. If Dispatch can't make radio contact with the officer in question, the first
officer to arrive on scene will immediately assess the situation and advise
Dispatch.
4. If contact is made with the unit who has activated their portable distress
signal, prior to the arrival of back-up units and any other response other
than Code 4 is received, responding units will continue their response and
Dispatch will attempt to determine the signal's legitimacy and whether
further assistance is required.
B. Officer at Unknown Location
Dispatch will immediately attempt radio contact with the officer in question.
Dispatch shall transmit "(Unit Designator) Code 20 portable distress signal
activation." Poll unit in CAD to try and get the vehicle's GPS location if possible.
Dispatch is to notify the Shift Supervisor of the situation.
1. If the activation was accidental, the officer shall respond "Code 4
accidental", and give his or her location.
2. If contact is made, and any response other than Code 4 accidental and their
location is received, attempt to determine the officer's location and
respond additional resources as requested by the officer.
3. If contact is not made, notify the Shift Supervisor. Dispatch shall
broadcast to all patrol units, receipt of the "Code 20 portable distress
signal activation", which unit is involved, and attempt to determine the
officer's location and place a Code 33 on the channel.
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4. Dispatch will advise all units what the officer's last known
location/activity was and how long ago.
5. The Shift Supervisor will then direct Dispatch of what further actions are
required.
a. If the location of the officer cannot be determined, a couple of
assumptions will have to be made:
1) The officer is still within the city limits.
2) The officer is still within his or her beat area. Then it
becomes a matter of sending available units into the beat
areas, starting with the officer's assigned beat area, to
search out the officer.
3) This would be a Code 2 response, but have priority over
other calls until the officer is located.
IV. FIRE SERVICES
A. Firefighter at Known Location NOT A FIRE
The dispatcher shall immediately transmit "unit to back (unit activating signal) at
(location) on a Code 20 portable distress signal activation" and place a Code 33
on the channel. Notify the Shift Supervisor of the situation.
1. A minimum of two units will be assigned to the incident. Details of the
original incident will be provided to responding units.
a. Dispatch will attempt radio contact with the firefighter in question.
Dispatch shall transmit "(Unit Designator) Code 20 portable
distress signal activation". If the activation was accidental, the
firefighter shall respond "Code 4 accidental." Dispatch will
cancel the responding units and end the Code 33.
2. If Dispatch can't make radio contact with the officer in question, the first
officer to arrive on scene will immediately assess the situation and advise
dispatch.
3. If contact is made with the fire unit who has activated their signal on their
portable, prior to the arrival of back-up units, Dispatch shall determine the
signal's legitimacy and request whether further assistance is required.
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B. Firefighter at Known Location FIRE
If the Code 20 portable alarm is received from one of the portables on a fire
apparatus, or the portable assigned to a firefighter at a fire scene, Dispatch shall
immediately contact the Incident Commander and make them aware of the panic
alarm activation, giving the specific unit identifier received.
C. Firefighter at Unknown Location
Dispatch will immediately attempt radio contact with the firefighter in question.
Dispatch shall transmit "(Unit Designator) Code 20 portable distress signal
activation". Poll unit in CAD to try and get the GPS location. Notify the Shift
Supervisor of the situation.
1. If the activation was accidental, the firefighter shall respond "Code 4
accidental", and give his or her location.
2. If contact is made, and any response other than Code 4 accidental is
received, determine the firefighter's location and respond additional
resources as requested by the firefighter or fire apparatus.
3. If contact is not made, notify the Shift Supervisor. Contact Fire Services
and see if the firefighter or fire apparatus is expected at any specific
location. The Sergeant will direct Dispatch if further actions are required.
a. If the fire unit's location cannot be determined:
1) Assume the fire unit is still within the city limits.
2) Send available units into the beat areas to search out the fire
unit.
3) This would be Code 2 response, but have priority over
other calls until the fire unit is located.
D. Bi-Annual Testing
On the first day of work in January and July, each employee assigned a portable
radio with a distress button capability or a MDC is required to test the Code 20
function. (portable radio = distress signal activation - MDC = Unit emergency
button) Advise Dispatch by telephone prior to testing.
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