Some agencies use a code system when dispatching calls for service over the radio, others use what is called "plain speech," and still others use a combination of the two. Some may be concerned that information broadcast over the radio violates the privacy of the person who is the subject of the call and who may have a mental illness.  The police department does have an obligation, however, to provide officers with meaningful information on the type of call to which he or she is responding as a means of protecting the safety of both the officer and the consumer.  To reduce possible harm that could come to the person who is the subject of the call, dispatchers and officers should avoid the use of slang terms and use only designated codes and/or appropriate language when communicating over the radio. Department personnel should concentrate on describing the person's behavior rather than guessing at a diagnoses or using a label that carries with it stigma and potentially misleading information.