Red Wave Radio

Here in the Phoenix area there was another car chase today..a suspect
stole a state department of Transportation truck..the DOT workers were
painting over grafitti and left the keys in the ignition..it was
reported..the suspect jumped in and drove off....I was working in the back
yard..saw a police helicopter about a mile away..appeared to be tracking
something below..I raced inside and turned on all 4 of my scanners...
I'm glad I have 4 scanners...because the action was taking place on
several different frequencies
Phoenix Police CH-4 South     155.37
Maricopa Co Sheriff ch-1 West 460.05
Highway Patrol/DPS            460.325
Tempe Police                  860.7375

The helicopter was able to talk to several different agencies but the
PHoenix units could not hear or talk to units from other agencies directly
unless they relayed through their dispatcher.
 --
---

To address you subject line: there isn't one.  This seems to happen in
the valley every few months, and Phx also seems to be the only metro area
where this issue is discussed on this group.  (Do other metro areas have
better interagency communication?)  Even in my hometown of Las Cruces,
NM, when ever there is a problem, all agencies switch to the frequency of
the primary agency to offer assistance (they are all operating on VHF-HI,
so no band compatability problems).

Only in Phoenix......

: Here in the Phoenix area there was another car chase today..a suspect
: stole a state department of Transportation truck..the DOT workers were
: painting over grafitti and left the keys in the ignition..it was
: reported..the suspect jumped in and drove off....I was working in the back
: yard..saw a police helicopter about a mile away..appeared to be tracking
: something below..I raced inside and turned on all 4 of my scanners...
: I'm glad I have 4 scanners...because the action was taking place on
: several different frequencies
: Phoenix Police CH-4 South     155.37
: Maricopa Co Sheriff ch-1 West 460.05
: Highway Patrol/DPS            460.325
: Tempe Police                  860.7375

: The helicopter was able to talk to several different agencies but the
: PHoenix units could not hear or talk to units from other agencies directly
: unless they relayed through their dispatcher.
:  --
: ---

--
--Patrick

Orange County has a red channel (among others) that are coordinated by
the county dispatchers. Red channel is available to all local city and
county PD's (not CHP to my knowledge). When a pursuit happens there is a
red channel broadcast and the pursuit is called on red until it is
terminated or goes out of the county. Since there are a number of cities
in the county all mingled together there is usually pretty good
interagency communication on things like pursuits, carjackings/stolen
cars, robbery suspect info, etc. We also have regional air units
(helicopers) that follow pursuits and coordinate the pursuits on red
channel once they get on scene.

Other than red channel each individual department has its own green
channel for dispatch/records checks.

County wide there are two tactical channels (Orange North and South) for
longer term, localized interagency incidents (manhunts, hostage
situations, etc) where they are involving extensive radio use and/or
interagency communication. There is also a talk channel (car to car -
white) and a few other incidental channels not often used (purple for
records checks but they are usually done on green).

Overall communication is pretty good, pursuits usually only involve two
or theee units plus an air ship, and if weather is bad or the people are
driving like nuts some or all units are requested to drop out and turn
the pursuit over to another agency. We average a pursuit a day, but
usually have them on the weekends.

In the Chicagoland area, police dispatchers will use 155.475 (ISPERN) to
contact neighboring agencies which relay the chase on their existing
frequencies. I've monitored a few where the State Police have chased cars
from the expressway system onto city streets where the Chicago Police have
joined in.

--
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The only police dispatchers that have xmit capability on ISPERN is the
Illinois State Police bases, and in some rare cases, larger county
dispatch centers such as Cook, Lake County, Illinois.  Only mobile law
enforcement units can transmit on ISPERN on a regular basis. Also, the
State license for all mobile units' callsign is:  KN 3600.

Will Sperling, WA9YHX, Administrative Sysop
The Chicago Area Radio Monitoring Association (CARMA) BBS
Box 40, Westmont, Il. 60559-0040
BBS:  630-852-1292
FAX:   630-512-0609

: The only police dispatchers that have xmit capability on ISPERN is the
: Illinois State Police bases, and in some rare cases, larger county
: dispatch centers such as Cook, Lake County, Illinois.  

...including the Chicago Police Dept.

  Only mobile law
: enforcement units can transmit on ISPERN on a regular basis. Also, the
: State license for all mobile units' callsign is:  KN 3600.

--
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Yes, I worked in Anaheim for several years andNOrth Hollywood after that.
lots of interesting stuff to listen to in OC....the comunication for all
police agencies sees to be handled centrally by the county...that's one
reason for the good comunication. I believe the comm center is in Garden
Grove near the Orange Crush (22, 5, 57 freeways)

Phoenix may have interagency frequencies but from what I have observed
they don;t seem to be used all that well when they are needed.

Every car/unit should have access to an interagency channel that they
could switch to to talk to/coordinate stuff with surrounding cities..
one problem is not all agencies are in the same band...some are 155, some
are 453, some are 460, and some are 856-8860 (trunked)
JOHN

: Orange County has a red channel (among others) that are coordinated by
: the county dispatchers. Red channel is available to all local city and
: county PD's (not CHP to my knowledge). When a pursuit happens there is a
: red channel broadcast and the pursuit is called on red until it is
: terminated or goes out of the county. Since there are a number of cities
: in the county all mingled together there is usually pretty good
: interagency communication on things like pursuits, carjackings/stolen
: cars, robbery suspect info, etc. We also have regional air units
: (helicopers) that follow pursuits and coordinate the pursuits on red
: channel once they get on scene.
:
: Other than red channel each individual department has its own green
: channel for dispatch/records checks.
:
: County wide there are two tactical channels (Orange North and South) for
: longer term, localized interagency incidents (manhunts, hostage
: situations, etc) where they are involving extensive radio use and/or
: interagency communication. There is also a talk channel (car to car -
: white) and a few other incidental channels not often used (purple for
: records checks but they are usually done on green).
:
: Overall communication is pretty good, pursuits usually only involve two
: or theee units plus an air ship, and if weather is bad or the people are
: driving like nuts some or all units are requested to drop out and turn
: the pursuit over to another agency. We average a pursuit a day, but
: usually have them on the weekends.

--
---

-------