TEA Traffic Enforcement Agent Communication and Radio Procedures 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does the radio code '10-4' mean?
- Help is needed immediately
- Message received and acknowledged (Correct answer)
- Officer is on scene
- Repeat your last message
Correct answer: Message received and acknowledged
10-4 is one of the most universally recognized radio codes, meaning 'message received and understood.'
Question 2: The ten-code '10-7' indicates that an officer is:
- In service and available
- On scene investigating
- Out of service and unavailable (Correct answer)
- Requesting a supervisor
Correct answer: Out of service and unavailable
10-7 means 'out of service,' indicating the officer is not available for calls, such as during a meal break or end of shift.
Question 3: When a dispatcher provides a location address, the correct procedure for a Traffic Enforcement Agent is to:
- Acknowledge and repeat the address back to confirm accuracy (Correct answer)
- Proceed to the location without acknowledgment to save time
- Write it down silently and request confirmation later
- Ask for the address again only after arriving on scene
Correct answer: Acknowledge and repeat the address back to confirm accuracy
Repeating the address back to dispatch confirms accuracy and prevents errors caused by mishearing, background noise, or similar-sounding street names.
Question 4: What minimum information should a Traffic Enforcement Agent radio in when issuing a parking summons?
- Only the summons number
- Just the street address of the violation
- Location, plate number, vehicle description, and violation type (Correct answer)
- Vehicle owner's name and driver's license number
Correct answer: Location, plate number, vehicle description, and violation type
Complete documentation including location, plate, vehicle description, and violation ensures accurate record-keeping and supports any later dispute resolution.
Question 5: The signal '10-13' or 'Signal 13' in many police radio systems typically means:
- Traffic accident with property damage
- Officer needs assistance (Correct answer)
- Suspicious vehicle in the area
- End of tour
Correct answer: Officer needs assistance
10-13 is widely used to signal that an officer needs immediate assistance, prompting a rapid response from nearby units.
Question 6: If a Traffic Enforcement Agent witnesses a serious crime in progress, their FIRST action should be:
- Physically intervene to stop the crime
- Follow the suspect to gather evidence
- Radio for sworn police backup immediately (Correct answer)
- Photograph the scene before taking any other action
Correct answer: Radio for sworn police backup immediately
Traffic Enforcement Agents are not sworn police officers and lack arrest authority; radioing for police backup is the correct and safe first response.
Question 7: When communicating via radio in a loud or noisy environment, an agent should:
- Shout directly into the radio speaker
- Wait until they find a quieter area before transmitting
- Speak closer to the microphone slowly and clearly (Correct answer)
- Switch to texting instead of radio
Correct answer: Speak closer to the microphone slowly and clearly
Moving closer to the microphone and speaking slowly and clearly improves transmission intelligibility in high-noise environments.
TEA Traffic Enforcement Agent Communication and Radio Procedures 2
What does the radio code '10-4' mean?