ADW: Assault with a Deadly Weapon
AKA: Also Known As
AMBER: America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response. An AMBER alert makes information available to the public regarding the abduction of a child whose life may be in danger. Instigated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
Anonymous Report: The report issued by a victim of or witness to a crime who does not want to pursue any further action by police, but wants the incident investigated nonetheless.
B&A: Bomb and Arson
B&E: Breaking and Entering
BAT Van: Breath Alcohol Testing unit
BDU: Battle Dress Uniform
Beat: The area assigned to an officer for patrol, in which the offi\cer answers calls for service.
BOLO: Be On the Look Out
CCW: Carrying Concealed Weapon
CST: Crime Scene Technician
CSU: Crime Scene Unit
DCS: Distribution of a Controlled Substance
Detail: A broad term for a station-assigned special assignment, such as a stakeout, pursuit of suspects, perimeter control, special event crowd control, etc. Also known as a station assignment.
DOA: Dead on Arrival
DOB: Date of Birth
DOJ: Department of Justice
Domestic: A domestic dispute
DOP: Destruction of Property
DUI: Driving Under the Influence
DWI: Driving While Intoxicated (or Impaired)
EDP: Emotionally Disturbed Person
ERU: Emergency Response Unit
Expedite: Emergency response, in which the officer will employ a vehicle’s lights and siren.
GM: Identifi ed street gang member
GOA: Gone on Arrival
HAZMAT: Hazardous Materials
History: Previous criminal records or outstanding tickets
Hit: A computer record that indicates a detained suspect is wanted or a vehicle is reported stolen. “We got a hit on the silver Lexus.”
Job, The: An insider’s term for salaried police work
Juvenile: A person under 17 years of age
Larceny: The act of stealing, usually in reference to shoplifting
LSA: Leaving the Scene of an Accident
MDT: Mobile Data Terminal. A portable computer used by police in the fi eld.
Minor: A person under 21 years of age
MIP: Minor In Possession (of a controlled substance)
MPD: Midway Police Department
MVA: Motor Vehicle Accident
NCIC: National Crime Information Center. A computerized repository of criminal justice information such as criminal records, fugitives, missing persons, stolen property, etc.
NCMEC: National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
NDPIX: National Drug Pointer Index. A database managed by the DEA specializing in drug investigative targets/ subjects. Searches and records are processed through the
NCIC (see above).
NHTSA: National Highway Traffi c Safety Administration
NRN: No Report Needed
OIS: Officer Involved Shooting
On-View: The officer discovered the incident in question. No call or report came though the dispatch center.
PBT: Portable Breathalyzer Test
PCR: Police Community Relations (Neighborhood Watch meetings, etc.)
PCS: Possession of a Controlled Substance
Peace Disturbance: A general complaint involving one party inhibiting the “right to peace” of another, such as with loud music, a barking dog, unsupervised children causing havoc, etc
Person Down: An individual who is not moving for an unknown reason. Most persons down are discovered prone or supine.
POI: Person of Interest
POST: Police Offi cer Standards and Training
Primary: The offi cer responsible for writing the police report on a given incident.
Probe: A probationary police offi cer (PPO); a rookie
Proceed with Caution: A standard response offered by a police officer or dispatcher; a general acknowledgment of heightened awareness
Rolling Plate: A moving vehicle subjected to a records check to determine if the vehicle is stolen
Sally Port: A secure entrance into the police station where prisoners are transferred
Secondary: An off-duty police offi cer working a second job, such as security, crowd control, checking ID, etc.
Seeing Eye: A report given by a third party or uninvolved witness
SO: (Registered) Sex Offender
Standby to Keep the Peace: A station assignment that requests an officer to be present at a location (and potentially act as a witness). Most often assigned during the execution of an eviction or repossession job, but increasingly often in child custody situations.
Stealing Over: A theft in which the total loss is valued at
over $500.
Stealing Under: A theft in which the total loss is valued
at $500 or less.
Strong-Arm Robbery: A robbery in the commission of which an assailant steals private property without the use of a weapon, usually through threats or physical violence.
Trash Run: A station assignment to standby when a restaurant opens its service door to take the trash out. Usually assigned via MDT, and after dark.
UCR: Uniform Crime Report
Unfounded: No basis for a complaint at the time of the call; a “false alarm”
UUW: Unlawful Use of a Weapon
VIN: The standard 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number
VOP: Violation of Probation or Parole
Wrecker: A general term for a tow truck; may be further specified as a flatbed rollback, tilt-bed carrier or a heavy duty tow truck
WT: Walkie-talkie
X-Patrol: Extra patrol to increase vigilance around a house whose owners are on vacation or in an area that has seen a recent increase in burglaries/crime