Certain letters of the alphabet sound alike
over the air, like "A" and "H" &
"B" and "V." To avoid confusion, a
Phonetic Alphabet Scheme is used in dispatching and routine
communications. It works by using specific words to represent
each letter of the alphabet.
For example: a police unit requesting a
vehicle license plate check on a California license plate of
"KDL837A" would say:
"10-28/29, California, King-David-Lincoln-8-3-7-Adam"
Another example is when a police unit is
requesting a background check on a person. Using my name, he
would say:
"10-27 on a last of, Frank-Lincoln-Ocean-Robert-Edward-Sam,
First of Robert-Union-Boy-Edward-Nora"
The dispatcher would immediately know he was
asking for a check on "Flores, Ruben"
There are two common Phonetic Alphabet Schemes
used nationwide. Law enforcement primarily use the variation
on the left while fire agencies primarily use the one on the
right.
| Law
Enforcement |
Fire/EMS &
Military |
|
A
|
Adam
|
N
|
Nora
|
|
A
|
Alpha
|
N
|
November
|
|
B
|
Boy
|
O
|
Ocean
|
|
B
|
Bravo
|
O
|
Oscar
|
|
C
|
Charlie
|
P
|
Paul
|
|
C
|
Charlie
|
P
|
Papa
|
|
D
|
David
|
Q
|
Queen
|
|
D
|
Delta
|
Q
|
Quebec
|
|
E
|
Edward
|
R
|
Robert
|
|
E
|
Echo
|
R
|
Romeo
|
|
F
|
Frank
|
S
|
Sam
|
|
F
|
Foxtrot
|
S
|
Sierra
|
|
G
|
George
|
T
|
Tom
|
|
G
|
Golf
|
T
|
Tango
|
|
H
|
Henry
|
U
|
Union
|
|
H
|
Hotel
|
U
|
Uniform
|
|
I
|
Ida
|
V
|
Victor
|
|
I
|
India
|
V
|
Victor
|
|
J
|
John
|
W
|
William
|
|
J
|
Juliet
|
W
|
Whiskey
|
|
K
|
King
|
X
|
X-ray
|
|
K
|
Kilo
|
X
|
X-ray
|
|
L
|
Lincoln
|
Y
|
Young
|
|
L
|
Lima
|
Y
|
Yankee
|
|
M
|
Mary
|
Z
|
Zebra
|
|
M
|
Mike
|
Z
|
Zulu
|
Back to
General Scanning Page
