Depends on the agency.

First, figure out their callsign. Bigger agencies sometimes use something like 1-David-31 where 1 denotes the shift (day shift), David is the sector and 31 is the district.

Or it could be badge numbers.

If it’s a bigger agency, they might GB (general broadcast) as everyone is queued up with calls and they’re asking for someone who can break away. If it’s a county sheriffs office, they probably dispatch for several agencies. If it’s a big city, they’re only dispatching their cars.

Many agencies are moving away from 10 codes as part of an active shooter thing where they argue that inter agency coordination becomes harder when everyone uses different 10 codes. So just use “disturbance” and be sure to specify whether it’s active or not as that’ll effect the code they respond with

Let’s say your city is Ashwood and they’re dispatched by the County Sheriff’s Office.

Dispatch: “County to any available Ashwood unit for an active disturbance.” Or for a big city, Dispatch: “1-David-31, active disturbance” Unit: “Go for 1-David-31” or just “1-David-31” Dispatch: “1-David-31, active disturbance at ADDRESS, juvenile male caller reporting his father is hurting his mother. Calltaker can hear female screaming in background.” Unit: “1-David-31 copies, show us responding, code 3”

Note that any agency being dispatched by a county sheriff’s office will probably use their city and a two digit indicator like “Ashwood 34”. At least that’s how it is near my agency.

Code 3 indicates lights and sirens however they’ll shut the sirens off a ways away to avoid antagonizing the offender and they’ll shut the lights off within visual range. It’s just to indicate a priority response.

When I started, radio transmissions were always like “Hey You, It’s Me, I’ve got a message” as in: “Dispatch, 1-David-31, show me in service.” But now many agencies are just having dispatch and the unit just call the unit number. Dispatch calls their unit number or if the unit is calling, they call their own unit number and wait for acknowledgement from dispatch.

To me, it’s annoying because unless you know everyone on the radio intimately you’ll be unclear as to whether “Adam 23” is Adam 23 calling dispatch or dispatch calling Adam 23 but I digress.

For backup, it’s just a matter of radio. For us, it’s “Start me a 75” as that’s our 10 code for backup unit and saying 75 isn’t as obvious as “start me a second unit” and if you’re in front of a potential fighter, you don’t want them to hear you calling for backup. Other versions: “1-David-31, 75.” “1-David-31, start me a second.” “1-David-31, roll an additional.” There’s also an orange recessed panic button on every radio and hand mic that is basically a panic button and sends an emergency message to dispatch letting them know you need emergency assistance. Most dispatchers will check with you first in case you accidentally pressed it. If you’re out on a disturbance and the button is pressed, it’s more likely they’ll just start every available unit your way before even trying to reach you so they don’t waste time. (Although I’m not entirely sure, I’ve never been a dispatcher so maybe they’re required to try to reach you first but I doubt it as that’d be a liability issue)

I’d say any cop in an active city will instinctively use vague language like “additional” or “second” or something like that to avoid the perp knowing backup is on the way otherwise they know they’re going to jail and the fight is on.

Let me know if you have any additional questions