5 Tom-one 10-15 with 2

Dallas Police officers won't have to worry about translating codes anymore. The PD has as decided to drop English as a second language as part of a more realistic method of communication. Here's a portion of the story from the Dallas Morning News:

Today, the Dallas Police Department moves to a new plain-language system that's supposed to make communications more universal and less complicated. No more of those distinctive radio codes or signals.

The department says it's following a nationwide trend, but some call it the end of an era.

Others say the switch is no big deal. Many Dallas police dispatches already include plain language because it's simple.

"It's a no-brainer," Dallas Police Senior Cpl. Herb Ebsen said. "It's just common sense. If we start speaking in codes, you have a real chance for a problem or misinterpretation."

I always thought the codes were to keep crooks from figuring out what the cops were talking about...