Officer in need of extra units

[SLDPD]

Outside of NYC, if a local cop needs additional how is it broadcasted? Does every department in a county share the same radio frequency or is it individual dispatchers and they raise different departments via landline or an outside frequency for additional units?

In NYPD, we usually have 2-3 precincts that are adjoining on the same frequency. If we need additional or put over a 10-13 then we will get units that do not normally share our frequency.

We have many different agencies within NYC and those that border but we don't share frequencies. So if a unit outside of PD requests additional it takes a few minutes.

[Iowa #1603]

Outside of NYC, if a local cop needs additional how is it broadcasted?

it varies depending on where you are

Does every department in a county share the same radio frequency

No

or is it individual dispatchers and they raise different departments via landline or an outside frequency for additional units?

It varies from area to area..............in some places there are shared "mutual aide" frequencies




Lets just say that if an officer anywhere in the country calls for help------everyone that can hear him is moving

[CruiserClass]

Very small departments might. Scott Co had the sheriff's dept and both city PDs on the same frequency, but you're talking about 10 people total. Indianapolis has each district on their own freq and if you need help from another district they can either patch you in, you can go to 'county wide', or have control make the notifications for you.

[L-1]

In my neck of the woods, if the local agency has insufficient units available the dispatcher picks up the phone, calls the adjacent jurisdiction and requests assistance.

However, the reality is that a lot of agencies equip their patrol cars with scanners that monitor the radio frequencies of adjoining jurisdictions. If we hear that someone next door needs help, we just go.

In rural areas where they can get away with it, officers from different agencies with scanners in their cars will communicate with each other by cross channeling. They will transmit to one another on their own frequency, knowing the officer from the other agency is receiving then on his scanner. Assuming they are within scanner reception distance of each other they can communicate back and forth quite well, while dispatch from each agency may only hear one side of the conversation.

[Sierra259]

In my county, most of the agencies are in the same frequency range, so most of the radios can communicate with each other.

I regularly scan the city PD's in my county, especially the city that's in my beat since many of their "problems" come over to my area and I might be able to cut them off or in a better place to act.

We do run into some problems because 2 of the other agencies are on a digital radio system, so sometimes it's very difficult to understand what they're saying with our analog radios.

[Hyperion]

Just like Iowa eluded to, out here we have a mutual aid frequency that is monitored by all of the area dispatchers (PD, County, and State). I can monitor it on my radio but I never do unless dispatch directs me to that freq. If we need outside help, or if a bordering agency needs help they can get that on the air in seconds, it will be passed on the to main freq, and units will be coming fast.

[XD4ME]

I scan the county and fire/EMS frequencies while working. I will back up deputies or troopers if they make stops in my city and also like to know what is going on around me. Most of the county guys scan my frequency too and will assist when needed. We can also communicate with different agencies by computer or phone.

[CACBAND]

If I need an additional unit, I just run away and cry because I'm not getting it.

Ok, I joke, if I need ONE additional unit, I can normally get it. If I need two, I'm screwed.

In the larger cities in AK, they have a shared radio system called ALMR. In theory, everyone can talk to each other as it's one large trunking system. In real life, it doesn't always work that, and some city's bucked the system and don't use it.

[Item9]

Our area is urban (Chicago) but has multiple small towns that range between 4 - 12 officers working at a time. I share a band with a couple towns, and I listen to the surrounding radio bands. Most other towns do too. If it sounds exciting or like someone might need help, people that are close will show up. If I scream for help, about 20 people will show up in 3 -5 minutes. If we have a huge incident and need 20 coppers to commit for more than a few minutes, we have a plan for that. A majority of agencies around here are good at sharing when necessary, because we've all been in the same short handed situations.

[Koala45]

We're the major department in the area and have a radio system no one else shares. Dispatchers are usually pretty good at advising their channels that a nearby channel has a code red (beeper, emergency, whatever) and what it is. If it's an officer needs help call, you'll get a ton of units rolling around here.

[reils49]

I recently had a situation where the system worked very well. I was in foot pursuit and ended up on the ground with a parolee, while my partner had one at gunpoint. Our beat is close to 350 sq/mi and of course, Mr Murphy decided that the our second car was going to be at far end of the post when we needed backup. Thankfully my partner put the call out over county 911, not our own dispatch, and the sheriffs office and an adjoining town PD were there quick. The sound of the wailer and hi-low sounded like angels that night.

[satpak77]

The city PD I am familiar with (100K city size) has 800 trunking but the local Sheriff and Highway Patrol are on "regular" VHF PD freqs. The city PD is the only oddball agency. Most of the city PD officers (at their own expense) carry a low cost police scanner and have it in the car for situational awareness as to whats going on. The City PD dispatcher has telephone comms with Highway Patrol and Sheriff dispatch.

Yes I know, its only 2013.......

[lpstopper]

Our dept. (1200 sworn) has 8 patrol areas that share 4 radio channels (2 per channel). Whenever a an important event like Officer in trouble, foot chase, robbery or shooting occurs in any part of the city, it is broadcasted on all channels. If you need something from a unit in a different division you just switch to their channel. All PDs in our county share the same radio system so city PD can switch to the sheriff's channel and talk to them or go to one of the smaller city channels to talk with them. The only people we cant talk to is the state police who we rarely see in our city anyway.

[SCSU74]

We just ask for additional units. Our side of town has 2 13 officer teams working each shift. Even for a major call like a shooting we have more than enough officers to go around. We have never asked another city or county for help in the 3 years I've patrolled the area I do now. We do help the smaller bordering agencies and county every once in a while. Their dispatch calls ours and asks that way. We don't have their channels, but they have ours.

[Tic Tac]

My prior agency was the 100+ sworn Sheriff's Office. We all monitor eachother and come up on eachother's nets as needed. I used to handle and dispo. the busiest city PD's calls on their net all the time if it was something simple and i was in the area. I work in the perfect area though. All of our coppers get along and there are just enough of us to get the job done, but not so many that we don't know eachother, at least by reputation.