From the KSN website: www.ksn.com/news/stories/9051099.html

WICHITA, Kansas, Aug 23, 2005 -- The federal government wants to change the way police and other emergency responders talk to each other in the interest of national safety.

Law enforcement and emergency personnel have been using 10-codes for years. But in case of a national emergency, the United States government wants everyone speaking the same language: plain English. If they don’t, the government is threatening to withhold federal funds.

About half of everything the Sedgwick County Dispatcher does is in code.

"We think it’s in our best interest, naturally, to comply with that but over and above that the clear text is probably a pretty good idea," said Randy Duncan, Sedgwick County Emergency Management.

Duncan said the codes often differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and can cause confusion when agencies try to communicate with each other. So Sedgwick County will start gradually switching over.

"It’s very simple -- you should say what you mean and mean what you say."

But Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Ryan Tauer said it’s not that simple.

"When time is critical on the radio, you don’t want to have someone who is talking forever trying to give a synopsis of what’s going on when you can use just a 10-code," said Tauer.

In addition, Tauer points out that using code is sometimes necessary for security.

"Because the suspect we have with us doesn’t necessarily know we’re talking about them or what we’re talking about. It’s just an officer safety issue."

Still, with millions of dollars in emergency preparedness money at stake, the federal government will likely have the last word. They are calling for all departments to start talking in plain English by next September.