# "DNR" as used in "The Wire" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 27, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnr-as-used-in-the-wire/544682 "2010-06-27T15:34:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2010, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnr-as-used-in-the-wire/544682/21 "2010-06-27T22:58:18Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > I have trouble with spatial relationships, and with math (and I’m not a puzzler like Prez), so despite watching four or five times, I still can’t figure out how the telephone code worked. They skipped the 5 or started with the 5 or something. Can anyone explain it in a way that a three-year-old can understand? I should go on “Are You Dumber Than A Hopper?” > > (I’m also still puzzling the deal Al Swearengen made with Ms. Isringhausen too, and that has nothing to do with spatial relationshps.) I saw it explained in one of those old threads on _The Wire_ I’ve been looking through. The basic idea is to “jump the 5” to translate the code number to the number they’re supposed to call. It takes looking at the phone keypad to do the decoding. 1\_2\_3 4\_5\_6 7\_8\_9 **0** If the code number is (for instance) 832-0985, by “jumping the five” on each digit you would get 278-5120 (since the 5 and 0 get substituted for each other). That help? ETA: refresh me on Al and Ms Iz, please ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnr-as-used-in-the-wire/544682/22 "2010-06-28T00:34:53Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > Omar for me too. And Bodie – Bodie doesn’t get much love. That’s understandable, considering what he did, but he was a great character. And Marlo – I couldn’t take my eyes off Marlo. And Slim Charles – loved him too. Bubbles, for being the character most embued by grace. Omar, for his way with words Bodie, for his loyalty Some kids who broke my heart and whose names I won’t say for not wanting to give away anything ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnr-as-used-in-the-wire/544682/23 "2010-06-28T01:07:30Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > That help? It certainly does. Did they ever tell us which one of the dealers came up with that? > [@](#): > > ETA: refresh me on Al and Ms Iz, please Here’s the deal, from the transcript – Al, Dan and Ms. Iz (Alice) are meeting in Al’s office: Al: Dan! (He sits, Dan enters, shutting the door.) 50,000, now to me. Mr. Dority signs for the murder of Brom Garret on my orders as commissioned by his faithless wife. (Dan looks confused) Second document, signed by you, detailin’ that during transport to New York for trial along with faithless wife, Dority escapes custody. 50 now to me, 10 now you to Dority, 10 now you to Adams. Alice: Agreed, with these amendments: 25 to you on signatures; on Dority’s safe return following his escape, and by your giving over the document signed by me to an agent designated by Pinkerton, or burning it in the agent’s presence, the second 25. Al: (Tilts his head) Agreed. Alice: Will you draft Dority’s confession? Al: I’ll draft both fucking documents. (Drinks) Now would you find your own way out while I explain myself to the guilty party? It’s been awhile since I watched, and I’m not even sure why Al was so concerned. I think it was because he was worried about the Pinkertons after Brom’s murder. What I can’t figure out is whose money they’re playing with. Did Ms. Iz have Pinkerton money to spend? And why would she agree to anything, since she wasn’t involved in Brom’s murder and she doesn’t owe a damn thing to Al? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnr-as-used-in-the-wire/544682/24 "2010-06-28T02:48:20Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > It’s a little odd because, in my Criminal Procedure class we called the same thing a “[pen register](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pen_register).” "DNR"mght be a regionalism, or even a Baltimorism. Or perhaps a cop-ism, whereas pen register is a lawyer-ism. Well according to your link “Pen Register” wasn’t in law until 1984 however Norris Hekimian’s [Hekimian Laboratories](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/18/AR2010061805425.html) supplied Hekimian Dialed Number Recorders to Bell Telephone since at least the early 70s for blue box frauds - [references](http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&tbo=1&tbs=bks:1&q=Hekimian+Dialed+Number+Recorders+&btnG=Search&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=). ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnr-as-used-in-the-wire/544682/25 "2010-06-28T04:41:04Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > I’m particularly sensitive to the excellent acting in the Rawls character. It’s like I’d like to see something that indicates he has a soul, and there are little moments when it does appear he gives slightly more than a rat’s ass about anybody and anything but himself and his department’s arrest statistics, but he always manages to short-circuit any effort to sympathize with him. One of the first things I thought of is Rawls “comforting” McNaulty after Kima gets shot in the sting he designed. Put me down as a Snoop fan. [Especially for this scene](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8zavPW3Bus&feature=related). Love how you can really only get about half the stuff she says. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnr-as-used-in-the-wire/544682/26 "2010-06-28T11:46:04Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > It certainly does. Did they ever tell us which one of the dealers came up with that? Not as I can recall. I don’t remember its being attributed to anyone in particular. I’d suspect Stringer, based on nothing more than his scheming mind and his “book learnin’” but it does have a straightforward elegance that Avon could have whipped up. In any case, a right handy code! > [@](#): > > Here’s the deal, from the transcript – \<\< snipped \>\> > > It’s been awhile since I watched, and I’m not even sure why Al was so concerned. I think it was because he was worried about the Pinkertons after Brom’s murder. > > What I can’t figure out is whose money they’re playing with. Did Ms. Iz have Pinkerton money to spend? And why would she agree to anything, since she wasn’t involved in Brom’s murder and she doesn’t owe a damn thing to Al? I just don’t remember the scene at all. Sorry. Does sound complex and overwrought! ---
**Author:** ![FresnoBob16](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9de0a6/32.png) [@FresnoBob16](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FresnoBob16)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnr-as-used-in-the-wire/544682/27 "2013-12-24T20:53:52Z")
DNR - the D refers to a piece of equipment with industry specific idiom of a “D-Link”. The complete DNR refers to D-Link Network Recorder. Essentially they are wire tapping just inside the law by not using the information gathered as evidence but rather as intelligence which they will have to latter support to a grand jury or a judge that could have been obtained otherwise and or that they will have to get some type of collaborating, or otherwise corroborating source, witness or evidence. So, they could hear that person X is alleged to be a drug dealer. They can’t with that alone make an arrest or get a subpoena, but they can then go to that person and make an undercover purchase of drugs. With that a whole new world of probable cause for subpoenas, wire taps, etc. opens up. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnr-as-used-in-the-wire/544682/28 "2013-12-24T21:06:07Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > They say “DNR” quite often but never the full expression for what it really mens. I assume they either felt it was common knowledge or they wanted it to be an insider term for real fans. They did that a lot. The characters don’t say what it means because the police already would have known and any explanation would have been solely for the benefit of the audience. It also really doesn’t matter in context. It’s one of those little things that made The Wire what it is. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnr-as-used-in-the-wire/544682/29 "2013-12-24T21:28:10Z")
> [@FresnoBob16](#): > > DNR - the D refers to a piece of equipment with industry specific idiom of a “D-Link”. The complete DNR refers to D-Link Network Recorder. Essentially they are wire tapping just inside the law by not using the information gathered as evidence but rather as intelligence which they will have to later support to a grand jury or a judge that **could have been obtained otherwise** and or that they will have to get some type of collaborating, or otherwise corroborating source, witness or evidence. So, they could hear that person X is alleged to be a drug dealer. They can’t with that alone make an arrest or get a subpoena, but they can then go to that person and make an undercover purchase of drugs. With that a whole new world of probable cause for subpoenas, wire taps, etc. opens up. Thanks! And thanks for reviving the thread. It’s always fun to talk about the show. 🙂 Should that be "that could not have been obtained otherwise? I thought that before they got permission for the DNR, they had to show that they had exhausted all other avenues. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnr-as-used-in-the-wire/544682/30 "2013-12-25T00:49:36Z")
Zombie thread, I know but one of my favorite characters was Slim Charles. Bad-ass, man of few words and a stand up, loyal soldier. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnr-as-used-in-the-wire/544682/31 "2013-12-25T02:44:47Z")
> [@River\_Hippie](#): > > Zombie thread, I know but one of my favorite characters was Slim Charles. Bad-ass, man of few words and a stand up, loyal soldier. He scored a lot of points with me in his last scene. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnr-as-used-in-the-wire/544682/32 "2013-12-25T05:10:39Z")
I think my favorite character is Bunk, partly because I really like that actor and partly because he was as driven as McNulty to be a good detective, but like 10% less crazy. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnr-as-used-in-the-wire/544682/33 "2013-12-25T07:59:30Z")
> [@River\_Hippie](#): > > Zombie thread, I know About “DNR”, yet. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnr-as-used-in-the-wire/544682/34 "2013-12-25T08:12:33Z")
I read that Tommy Carcetti is loosely based on Martin O’Malley. Not sure if I believe that, but there are resemblances. ---
**Author:** ![DataX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DataX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataX)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnr-as-used-in-the-wire/544682/35 "2013-12-25T08:21:54Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > Well according to your link “Pen Register” wasn’t in law until 1984 however Norris Hekimian’s [Hekimian Laboratories](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/18/AR2010061805425.html) supplied Hekimian Dialed Number Recorders to Bell Telephone since at least the early 70s for blue box frauds - [references](http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&tbo=1&tbs=bks:1&q=Hekimian+Dialed+Number+Recorders+&btnG=Search&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=). I can say for 100% certain that the term DNR was used in at least one court case in the Baltimore Maryland area (1987) [and it involved phreaking] that I am personally familiar with. I think you may be right about it being a regionalism. I never saw the term outside the state of Maryland, but it is the same thing as a Pen Register. I’m not saying it hasn’t been, but when I saw the OP - I though there is a term I haven’t seen in a long time. ---
**Author:** ![DataX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DataX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataX)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnr-as-used-in-the-wire/544682/36 "2013-12-25T08:28:18Z")
Oh and it isn’t or wasn’t “D-Link” - it ABSOLUTELY was “dialed number recorder” in the case I am talking about in 1987 and gave the: 1. Date 2. Time 3. All DTMF digits used (including number called of course) - even after call was answered The standard for a wiretap is VERY high. A search warrant is less than that, but still high. If memory serves - there was no warrant needed for the DNR - as you had no expectation of privacy of the digits you dialed on the phone. Not saying I agreed with that - and that part was never litigated. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnr-as-used-in-the-wire/544682.md?page=1)