CHP Interop with other agenices

[Scanguysd]

Hi,

I am new to SoCal and have been recently listing to the Sheriffs and CHP. I came from up north where CHP was able to talk/monitor other allied agencies channels without setting up patches assuming because they have a lot more radios in the car then before. Since I came down to SD it seems like this is not the case down here. ie if sheriffs in a pursuit there patched with a command channel but then I hear CHP relaying info to their units but its delayed. Why not have the command stuff in the patrol cars for others to hear what's going on like San Diego Police. Just Curious!

 

[f40ph]

My opinion only:

Interop is a funny thing. So Cal is much busier than NorCal on the radio in general. Many agencies don't want other agencies on their primary channel. I find that many cooperators will monitor each other's channel but rarely talk (if they even have the ability). They used to install scanners in CHP units (for example). That seems to have gone by the wayside in recent years probably due to all the changes (narrowbanding, trunking, etc). No one in the local CHP offices could keep up the programming.

Now that most agencies have specific radios (P25, etc) each of these might carry with them a monthly access fee. Don't even mention the "E" word but that's another hurdle. Currently, many agencies just loan an HT and it can be carried wherever (or just left on a desk somewhere forgotten).

 

[kg6nlw]

Scanners are still very prevalent in the patrol cars, but as f40 said it is much busier in SoCal.

Generally speaking, and this is true in NorCal as well. INFO ONLY is passed to other agencies. Now if those agencies have to get involved, generally speaking a car with "INTEROP" ability will assist if nearby. That way the delay is lessened, but at the same time...The officers attention is split 3 ways then, driving/safety, their primary dispatch and the alternate dispatch. It can become a quick choice as to who gets a response first.

Regards,

-Frank C.

 

[gmclam]

InterOp - lol

It's been a while since I've been in So Cal to hear an incident. In Northern California it's very common to just "patch" some channels together. Each agency stays on their own channel, but all hear each other (when it works). I don't think we've had an incident where "InterOp" has happened -- where they use the frequencies/channels marked for that purpose.

 

[djpaulino]

A majority of the time at least for pursuits in San Diego County, everything is usually patched to a RCS LE Command talkgroup such as LE North command.

 

[allend]

I believe the only way to patch with other agencies to CHP would be through CLEMARS or the CHP high band UHF radio system.

Of course there is no patching with VHF Primary Low Band and their 700 MHz extender P25 radio's.

Usually in OC on a HOT RED channel pursuit the OC CHP dispatcher have a radio which probably would be a scanner radio and CHP listens while RED channel calls the pursuit. Then any information is relayed thru RED straight over the air to CHP dispatchers to listen.

 

[Scanguysd]

I am wondering if CHP has any of the command channel programmed in their radio. I was listing to a pursuit awhile ago and they ( San Diego sheriffs) were asking CHP to set spikes up and CHP wanted to patch to the command channel but the sheriffs didn't want them to. Thus resulting in a huge delay between relaying information. Seem like it would be an easy fix if they had a command channel to switch to instead of a patch. I hear San Diego Police on the command channel once in a while going to and from work when there out of reach from there radio system. Seems like it would be easier to have everyone on a common channel.

 

[K6CDO]

Since you posted this in the San Diego Metro Area forum, I will address CHP interoperability with the San Diego County - Imperial County Regional Communications System (RCS).

CHP radio operations follow CHP's statewide protocols. Area offices typically have one low band channel available for all operations in that area, with a shared common "Blue" channel covering more than one area office in a region. In San Diego County, the Border Communications Center provides communications for four area offices (3 in San Diego County and one in Riverside County).

Around 2002 the CHP El Cajon Area (east half of San Diego County) joined the RCS (and moved their primary operations off of low band). Two RCS dispatch consoles were installed at the Border Communications Center. Border Communications has access to RCS LE Mutual Aid talkgroups as well as the RCS systemwide Mutual Aid talkgroups and conventional resources, and can patch their low band channel resources. CHP El Cajon field units have direct access to the RCS Mutual Aid resources and some Sheriff talkgroups.

From the RCS standpoint, CHP is treated the same as a local City LE agency - when there is a pursuit, the dispatch center follows the established operating protocols and patches the working channel / talkgroup to the geographic area LE Mutual Aid command TG. Assisting units from other areas operate on the LE Command TG.

From the CHP perspective, an incident in the San Diego or Oceanside Areas (non-RCS) take place on the only radio channel available for those two (usually busy) offices - so CHP will often not patch the low band channel, and instead will relay the information to their units.

Hope this helps.

 

[Anderegg]

Last night, the El Cajon CHP (RCS) office went into pursuit, and eventually patched CHP El Cajon Tac 1 (RCS) with CHP Orange low band, because they were in their area. CHP mutual aid, even among themselves, is a bit strange in SD. I know in LA and Orange Counties, they use the Blue a lot.

Paul

 

[AA6IO]

Couple of weeks ago CHP (Black 2 Central Los Angeles) on 44.94000 was chasing someone. LAPD air was patched right in on 44.9400, soon car was caught, then patch was dropped.

 

[Scanguysd]

Since you posted this in the San Diego Metro Area forum, I will address CHP interoperability with the San Diego County - Imperial County Regional Communications System (RCS).

CHP radio operations follow CHP's statewide protocols. Area offices typically have one low band channel available for all operations in that area, with a shared common "Blue" channel covering more than one area office in a region. In San Diego County, the Border Communications Center provides communications for four area offices (3 in San Diego County and one in Riverside County).

Around 2002 the CHP El Cajon Area (east half of San Diego County) joined the RCS (and moved their primary operations off of low band). Two RCS dispatch consoles were installed at the Border Communications Center. Border Communications has access to RCS LE Mutual Aid talkgroups as well as the RCS systemwide Mutual Aid talkgroups and conventional resources, and can patch their low band channel resources. CHP El Cajon field units have direct access to the RCS Mutual Aid resources and some Sheriff talkgroups.

From the RCS standpoint, CHP is treated the same as a local City LE agency - when there is a pursuit, the dispatch center follows the established operating protocols and patches the working channel / talkgroup to the geographic area LE Mutual Aid command TG. Assisting units from other areas operate on the LE Command TG.

From the CHP perspective, an incident in the San Diego or Oceanside Areas (non-RCS) take place on the only radio channel available for those two (usually busy) offices - so CHP will often not patch the low band channel, and instead will relay the information to their units.

Hope this helps.

Helps a lot! But why doesn't CHP just program their portable radio since there 700/800mhz with some county command TG so when one or two unit is assisting at a perimeter or something they can talk directly with the other units/ primary agency dispatch without the whole relay thing.

 

[Anderegg]

Probably for the same reasons only a few SDPD units can access RCS talkgroups, such as ABLE helicopter. The RCS requires fees for each radio that accesses their system, even if that would only be one talkgroup. The CHP has been issued APX8000 all band radios across the state. The ones in San Diego Area office (Orange) only do CHP stuff (per officers I spoke with) and some mutual aid conventional channels. The ones in Los Angeles I am told, can talk to almost anyone on any frequency/band/system. They told me they cost them $5600 each, and officers were asked not to loose them :-D

My biggest WTHeck thing has been how adjoining cities on the RCS, such as San Marcos Sheriff's and Escondido PD, must patch analog to digital to talk to each other, or move everyone to an analog tac when working together. Hoping this will sound less horrible on the next gen RCS system, since it will be 100% digital.

Paul

 

[K6CDO]

Helps a lot! But why doesn't CHP just program their portable radio since there 700/800mhz with some county command TG so when one or two unit is assisting at a perimeter or something they can talk directly with the other units/ primary agency dispatch without the whole relay thing.

Capacity in the system. There are a number of agencies desiring to add hundreds of radios to the RCS on a Mutual Aid basis. We don't currently have the radio IDs available to support the demand, and continue to meet the expansion needs of the member agencies. The ID capacity will start to come available over the next 6-18 months.

We do have conventional channels (CLEMARS, FIREMARS, SDMARS, the I-CALL and I-TACs) that can be patched into the trunked network to facilitate communications with non-RCS users.

Probably for the same reasons only a few SDPD units can access RCS talkgroups, such as ABLE helicopter. The RCS requires fees for each radio that accesses their system, even if that would only be one talkgroup. The CHP has been issued APX8000 all band radios across the state. The ones in San Diego Area office (Orange) only do CHP stuff (per officers I spoke with) and some mutual aid conventional channels. The ones in Los Angeles I am told, can talk to almost anyone on any frequency/band/system. They told me they cost them $5600 each, and officers were asked not to loose them :-D

My biggest WTHeck thing has been how adjoining cities on the RCS, such as San Marcos Sheriff's and Escondido PD, must patch analog to digital to talk to each other, or move everyone to an analog tac when working together. Hoping this will sound less horrible on the next gen RCS system, since it will be 100% digital.

Paul

The RCS does not charge for Interoperability users; the RCS and the City have a full interoperability agreement. SDPD units CAN come on the RCS Mutual Aid talkgroups if the City has programmed them into the individual radio.

The Law Mutual Aid talkgroups were established in 1997 when the system was being initially configured. As individual LE agencies came onto the system a number started analog but converted to digital. Now almost LE agencies use digital, but the Mutual Aid TGs are still analog. It will be corrected in the NextGen system.

Don

 

[E5911]

I spoke ro a coomications engineer in Sac a few years ago to find out what capacity chp has in their cars and why they were not fully intigrated with rcs. They told me all the radios in the cars are programed with the lo,high uhf and 7-800 frequecies from the nifog. However, due to subscriber fees there was no intention to join trunking systems as there were too many different systems and costs would be prohibitive.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[Scanguysd]

Hopefully with the new system CHP will be able to switch to the talk group the sheriffs or PD is working on. Its funny how relying information from one agency to the next when the two can not hear each other on how much information is lost from dispatcher to dispatcher.

Thanks for all the information it helps a lot.