Stop the PIty Party|Don't Pass the Crying Towel..some history first
Rushing funds to get a new radio system that has already been in the discussion phase to the table.
Hopewell declares public safety emergency - News - The Progress-Index - Petersburg, VA
I had my federal civil service job transferred to Ft. Lee in 1974. I have monitored all area radios ever since.First before memories fade and history gets rewritten as some wish to do, here are my opinions, recollections and memories of the following subjects:
1. Eastern Virginia Regional Communications(EVRC): In the early 2000 period after Sep 11,2001 Motorola announced it was the first manufacturer to offer a dual band (400 mhz./800 mhz.trunked radio system controller. Area federal and local government radio systems were asked if they would like to be a user on the EVRC system. Ft. Lee was the first central VA user on the system .Hopewell agreed to join and subsequently has operated on their 800mhz. trs. The Defense Supply Center Richmond declined preferring to retain their simplex and later encrypted 400 mhz trs. Petersburg declined. Prince George Co. declined preferring to use their own county towers for a future replacement radio system which it did and we all know how well that turned out. Additional federal users on the EVRC were the Norfolk Naval Base and Shipyard. EVRC used microwave links/T1 for interconnectivity and interoperability.
On rare occasions I heard Ft. Lee Security and FD on the Hopewell trs. I never heard Hopewell on the Ft. Lee trs. I never heard any comms from the Norfolk Naval Base or Shipyard. Curious as to why I called an acquaintance familiar with EVRC ops. I told him the comms I heard just as easily could be monitored on two standalone systems. He responded that dispatcher/unit comms from the other EVRC system users were annoying and distracting to other EVRC radio system's dispatchers and therefore were not monitored.
2. In mid-2000 DOD ramped up the installations schedule for selected DOD trunked radio system users to relocate in the 385-400 mhz. range. Hopewell management was aware at that time Ft. Lee in the near future would no longer be a user on EVRC leaving only Hopewell as the only user in central VA. That relocation day came for Ft. Lee approximately 3 years ago. Hopewell is still on EVRC. In my opinion Hopewell management failed to previously plan accordingly for a new radio system they knew the city would have to have in the near future.
|NOTE TO THE RR VA DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR. FT LEE CEASED EVRC OPERATIONS 3 YEARS AGO. FT LEE DOES NOT HAVE ANY 400 MHZ. COMMS. PLEASE REMOVE ALL EVRC FT. LEE REFERENCES.|
3. Time passes...Hopewell assigns a deputy on I295 for traffic speed enforcement daily. There is a small stretch on I295 near the Hopewell/Ft. Lee Rt. 36 intersection which is in the city of Hopewell. Typically a deputy is on scene from morning to night. In the mornings he catches the going to work traffic and from northern locations. In the evening he might switch to I295N to catch the going home traffic and from southern locations. Infrequently at times a second unit may participate for covering both I295 south and north.
The I295 traffic speeding enforcement has been so successful the Richmond Times Dispatch printed an article on the operation a couple of years ago. I think the article estimated approximately $2 million annually of additional revenue is provided to the city. I don't know what agreement the state has with Hopewell but assuming this operation has been fairly constant during past 5 years at a 50% kickback that would be approximately $5 million extra revenue which would buy a nice chunk of a new trs.
So what happened to those additional funds provided to the Hopewell city management? Not to worry. In my opinion, I'm sure they will have explanations and justifications.
Time passes...Rumor was Hopewell would be a user on the Chesterfield Co. trs. I thought that was a good practical economic decision for Hopewell so as to be able to continue trs operations as a user like Colonial Heights. For some reason(s) that never happened.
You probably have heard "A failure to plan is a plan to fail". In my opinion this old saying never was more truer. In my opinion, each Hopewell management official who had decision making authority in this matter contributed in some part to what now is another crisis situation that did not have to happen. The public may wish to express their feelings about the matter at the next appropriate election cycle.
As for me, cancel the pity party and don't pass me the crying towel. I have zero sympathy for the city's management. My sympathy is for the city taxpayer who probably will see his tax bill increase when a new trs is selected. This sad situation could have been avoided if appropriate actions in the past had been taken such as creating a contingency fund for a future new radio system with periodic contributions made to it. But that never happened either. Live only for today.
.
3. Reference poor radio comms. Since 1974 I frequently have monitored most local area radio systems. In reference to the Wells Fargo bank robbery of a couple weeks ago, I was on the internet but listening to scanner comms. I heard 98% of the comms. What immediately caught my attention was the Hopewell PD dispatcher advising that the FBI had been notified. Bank robbery is a federal crime and the FBI investigates all bank robberies. The smart banks these days use bank bags with built in GPS tracking locators or the teller may manually insert one if possible. The ion battery has an average operating life of 6 months at full charge.. Within minutes the bank can be tracking the bag's location on a secure website
The four suspects when I listened were about 2-3 miles from the bank. Prince George Co, Petersburg, and Colonial Heights PDs had been alerted. I focused listening to the pursuit comms. The dispatcher was relaying almost in real time the suspect's bag (vehicle) location, speed and direction of travel. For example, I recall "vehicle now going 50 on Oaklawn Blvd" and later "vehicle turned west on Pine St.", etc. The pursuit continued onto Temple Ave. in Prince George Co. headed west toward Southpark Mall/Colonial Heights with three Hopewell units following. An alerted Prince George Co.unit was in the general area and responded.
Temple Ave. is a high volume traffic road at various periods. Approaching the intersection of Puddledock Road/Temple Ave. the suspects must have seen the Prince George Co. unit and veered onto Puddledock Road. They subsequently bailed from the car and were foot chased by Prince George Co. and Hopewell PD officers. By now additional Prince George Co. units were on scene. Not long after bailing two suspects were captured and the other two ran eastward across Temple Ave. toward Lowes. One was captured near Lowes but the other suspect managed to elude and ran across a large undeveloped land area from the east side of Lowes to the Ft. Lee boundary line and disappeared in the woods. That part of Ft. Lee is the same as it was a 1,000 years ago with thick woods, thorny green vines, ticks, chitters,etc.
There is an active NS railroad passing thru that section to Hopewell. NS was called and all train traffic was stopped. Petersburg arrived with a tracking dog and soon thereafter most comms ceased. About 30-45 minutes later a Hopewell unit advised the fourth suspect had been captured near the Chesterfield Auto Parts junk yard which is about 1,000 ft. from Lowes on Puddledock Road.
A no time do I recall any Hopewell, Prince George Co. or Petersburg unit having any comm problems with their respective dispatchers or other same radio system users.
Disclaimer: The above comments are my opinions and recollections of history regarding the discussed subjects.
John
W4UVV
