What Is a 38.15 Police Code? 38.15 Police Code

The 38.15 police code meaning for the police forces is Interference with Public Duties.

The 38.15 Police Code refers to the legal classification used by law enforcement and emergency services to signify Interference with Public Duties. This code plays a crucial role in helping officers and communication personnel swiftly identify and respond to incidents where individuals may be obstructing, hindering, or interfering with the legal performance of duties carried out by public servants, including police officers, emergency responders, government employees, or other officials engaged in lawful activities.

38.15 Police Code is part of a broader set of penal and procedural codes used across various U.S. jurisdictions to simplify radio and field communications. Instead of delivering a long verbal description over a police radio, officers can use the short numeric code “38.15” to convey a complex situation clearly, consistently, and efficiently. This helps reduce errors in high-stress environments and ensures faster coordination during incidents requiring immediate attention.

What Does Interference with Public Duties Mean? The Legal Scope of 38.15 Police Code

The phrase Interference with Public Duties, as defined under the 38.15 Police Code, generally applies to behavior that actively disrupts, delays, or impedes public servants from carrying out their responsibilities. Examples include refusing to comply with lawful orders, obstructing traffic control personnel, verbally confronting officers during an arrest, or interfering with emergency responders on the scene. This code is frequently applied during demonstrations, traffic stops, crowd control situations, and emergency interventions where public safety officials are attempting to carry out their responsibilities.

Violating the 38.15 Police Code can lead to misdemeanor charges in most cases, though repeated offenses or interference resulting in harm can escalate penalties. Law enforcement uses this code to quickly notify dispatchers, fellow officers, or public safety departments that their ability to perform a lawful duty has been compromised. What is 38.15 Police Code? It is a vital shorthand used to protect the authority and functionality of public institutions during both everyday operations and emergency events.

The History and Function of Police Codes Like 38.15 in Modern Policing

Police codes like 38.15 have been instrumental in the evolution of public safety communications. The origin of these shorthand signals dates back to between 1937 and 1940, when the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International (APCO) introduced the first standardized Ten Signals, now commonly known as 10-codes. These communication tools were designed to promote clarity, speed, and uniformity in law enforcement dispatching across the United States.

By 1974, these codes had expanded to include a wider range of legal and procedural references like 38.15, which is specific to Interference with Public Duties. Today, codes such as 38.15 are essential in modern policing, where rapid information exchange can mean the difference between order and chaos, especially during complex or volatile situations. When you hear a 38.15 Police Code on a police scanner, it typically signifies that an officer or public official is encountering resistance or disruption while performing a legal function.

Why 38.15 Police Code Matters for Public Safety and Civil Awareness

Knowing the meaning of 38.15 Police Code isn’t just important for law enforcement officers—it also carries significance for civilians, journalists, legal professionals, and public advocates. Understanding that 38.15 Police Code pertains to Interference with Public Duties can help the public remain informed about lawful boundaries during interactions with officials. It encourages respectful conduct during public events, traffic stops, or emergency situations and reinforces the importance of cooperation with those tasked with protecting and serving communities.

Police codes like 38.15 serve as a bridge between legal statutes and real-time enforcement, ensuring officers can alert others about legal violations instantly without ambiguity. As our society becomes increasingly aware of legal processes and civil rights, knowing codes like 38.15 helps maintain the balance between public accountability and lawful enforcement operations.

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Your Trusted Source for Police Codes: Exploring the 38.15 Police Code and More

Welcome to your all-in-one destination for police codes across the United States. If you’re searching for a reliable and informative guide to law enforcement communication signals, you’re in the right place. Our platform is dedicated to bringing you a complete, updated, and well-researched collection of police codes—including the widely used 38.15 Police Code—designed to help both professionals and curious citizens better understand how emergency services communicate with speed, clarity, and precision.

The 38.15 Police Code, officially defined as Interference with Public Duties, is just one example of the many critical shortcodes used every day in police radios, dispatch systems, and emergency responses. These codes serve as a fast and effective way for law enforcement officers to convey essential information without delay or confusion, especially during high-pressure situations.

Whether you are a police scanner enthusiast, a journalism student, a criminal justice professional, or simply curious about law enforcement terminology, our Police Code Guide is built to help you explore and learn about codes like 38.15 and many others used across different jurisdictions in the United States.

Decades of Research and Passion Behind the 38.15 Police Code Database

Our team has spent years carefully researching, verifying, and cataloging thousands of police codes and communication signals. From historical archives to field references, we’ve compiled this information with the highest level of accuracy and dedication. We believe that understanding these codes, including the 38.15 Police Code, is not only valuable for professionals in public safety but also empowers everyday citizens to stay informed and aware.

The purpose of police codes like 38.15 is to standardize communication across various agencies and departments. When an officer reports “38.15,” it quickly alerts dispatch and other units that an individual is actively interfering with public duties—an offense that can endanger public safety and disrupt law enforcement operations.

These codes aren’t just theoretical—they’re used daily by police officers, sheriffs, highway patrol units, and emergency responders. By using police scanners or live radio feeds, you can even listen in to how the 38.15 Police Code is used in real-time field situations across the country.

Why We Offer This Information for Free—and How It’s Made Possible

We are proud to offer all this detailed police code information—including the 38.15 Police Code meaning, background, and usage—completely free to the public. Our motivation comes from a deep respect for the emergency services who put their lives on the line every day. By educating the public and building a centralized reference for police codes, we aim to foster greater transparency, community safety, and informed awareness.

To maintain and operate this website, we do include advertising. These ads help us cover the cost of hosting, maintenance, and the countless hours that go into researching and updating our ever-growing database of police codes. We appreciate your understanding and support—it allows us to keep this platform alive and continually evolving.

History of Police Code Systems and the Role of 38.15 in Modern Dispatch

The roots of modern police codes date back to the late 1930s. Between 1937 and 1940, the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International (APCO) began developing what would become known as the “Ten-Codes” or “10-Series.” These codes were intended to streamline radio communication for police officers and first responders. In fact, the idea of concise coded language traces as far back as June 1935, when APCO published proposals in their bulletin inspired by Morse code brevity used by the U.S. Navy.

Over time, the system evolved. In 1974, APCO expanded the code set to better reflect modern public safety needs, and new categories like Chapter 38 codes—including 38.15—were introduced at the state level (especially in Texas) to define criminal offenses related to the obstruction of law enforcement.

One of the most poignant uses of police codes is in the final moments of an officer’s career. When an officer retires, they often make one last call to dispatch with two iconic codes: 10-7 (out of service) and 10-42 (end of tour of duty), honoring their service and signifying the end of their professional chapter in law enforcement.

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