IC codes
Encyclopedia
IC codes are shorthand terms used by the British police in radio
communications to describe the apparent ethnicity of a suspect. The codes are based on a police officer's perceived view of an individual's ethnicity, as opposed to that individual's self-definition.
In most circumstances where an individual's ethnicity is recorded after spoken contact with police (such as a "Stop and Search" or arrest), police are required to use a different set of codes called SDE (Self Defined Ethnicity
), or "16 + 1".
The IC codes are:
Some forces use IC7 as unknown ethnicity (IC7 has also been used as an identity for alien).
"IC" itself stands for "Identity Code", so "IC code" is a redundant acronym though still commonly used. The codes are also known as PNC
or Phoenix Codes. Street Wardens and City Guardians (Westminster City Council
) and Police Community Support Officer
s also use IC Codes on a regular basis.
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
communications to describe the apparent ethnicity of a suspect. The codes are based on a police officer's perceived view of an individual's ethnicity, as opposed to that individual's self-definition.
In most circumstances where an individual's ethnicity is recorded after spoken contact with police (such as a "Stop and Search" or arrest), police are required to use a different set of codes called SDE (Self Defined Ethnicity
Self Defined Ethnicity
Self Defined Ethnicity codes are a set of codes used by the Home Office in the United Kingdom to classify an individual's ethnicity according to that person's self-definition....
), or "16 + 1".
The IC codes are:
- IC1 – White person
- IC2 – Mediterranean/Hispanic person
- IC3 – African/Afro-Caribbean person
- IC4 – Pakistani,Indian, Nepalese, Maldivian, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi, or any other (South) Asian person
- IC5 – Chinese, Japanese, or South-East Asian person
- IC6 – Arabic, Egyptian,Tunisian,Algerian or Maghreb person
- IC0 – Origin unknown
Some forces use IC7 as unknown ethnicity (IC7 has also been used as an identity for alien).
"IC" itself stands for "Identity Code", so "IC code" is a redundant acronym though still commonly used. The codes are also known as PNC
Police National Computer
The Police National Computer is a computer system used extensively by law enforcement organisations across the United Kingdom. It went live in 1974 and now consists of several databases available 24 hours a day, giving access to information of national and local significance.From October 2009, the...
or Phoenix Codes. Street Wardens and City Guardians (Westminster City Council
Westminster City Council
Westminster City Council is the local authority for the City of Westminster in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council and is entitled to be known as a city council, which is a rare distinction in the United Kingdom. The city is divided into 20 wards, each electing three councillors...
) and Police Community Support Officer
Police community support officer
A police community support officer , or community support officer is a uniformed non-warranted officer employed by a territorial police force or the British Transport Police in England and Wales. Police community support officers were introduced in September 2002 by the Police Reform Act 2002...
s also use IC Codes on a regular basis.