Why do dispatchers always announce the time

[greedo23]

Why do dispatchers always announce the current local time at the end of a transaction between them and an officer?

Thanks in advance.

G23

 

[jim202]

Why do dispatchers always announce the current local time at the end of a transaction between them and an officer?

Thanks in advance.

G23

Many times the people in the field don't have a watch or vehicle clock available to them with anything near the correct time. With the dispatchers giving the time, not only does the person in the field get the correct time to put down in the paperwork, but it makes it easier to find the conversation your looking for on a tape replay. Not all agencies have the great electronics to enter a time and have the taped audio come up on the first try. Many have to scan down the audio tapes until they get a time from the tape recording to let them know just where they are in their search for the event they are looking for.

Plus it is just good practice to give the time at the end of a series of transmissions.

 

[davidgcet]

for accuracy more than anything, the time code on teh officer's report better match the dispatch logs, the 911 tapes, etc.. i know we had to fix an issue once where the 911 recorder had a different time than teh console recorder and the consoles. when a case went to court the defense lawyer got all of those items tossed out of evidence due to the time stamp mismatches. and god help me if one of the consoles does not auto adjust for DST, i've had to drive 50 miles one way at 2AM to adjust a freaking clock before!

 

[BoxAlarm187]

Yes, time stamping the recording is the biggest reason.

 

[FLA2760]

The above and CYA if there are allegations made of a poor response time to a priority job.

 

[Riich]

So nobody misses donuts.

 

[WA1ATA]

On a wide variety of PD channels I've monitored, I've noticed certain patterns to when they announce the time.

For example, when making an arrest, particularly with females, it is common for officer to radio in as they depart the arrest scene, giving destination and odometer reading. The dispatcher replies with the time. Upon reaching booking or other destination, the officer again calls in odometer reading, and the dispatcher replies with time of day.

For some reason, probably lost in the mist of time, the Golden Gate California Highway Patrol always announces not only the time, but also gives a callsign ID whenever they put out a bolo.

 

[W6KRU]

Down here in the San Diego area, CHP officers often request their dispatch time, 10-97 time, and the log # from the CAD system.

 

[n5ims]

The time announcement makes sure that all times are based on the exact same clock (generally the one used by the CAD system). This prevents issues from happening when the CAD shows 11:02 PM but the officer's watch has 10:02 PM due to them not correctly setting it after the daylight savings time change, for example. The officer would then use the CAD's time when they wrote the ticket, not their watch's time. This would prevent the ticket being thrown out since at 10:02 PM the driver couldn't have ran that light since their timesheet at works proves that they were there at the time (just one example).

As others have said, other proceedures are taken to protect the officer and department from other issues such as a female prisoner being transported by a male officer claiming that she was forced to perform "sexual services" for the officer during the transport. By indicating on the CAD and dispatch tapes the trip's beginning and ending times and miles were reasonable for the time and traffic conditions it helps to prove that the claim wasn't likely.

 

[Drafin]

For some reason, probably lost in the mist of time, the Golden Gate California Highway Patrol always announces not only the time, but also gives a callsign ID whenever they put out a bolo.

The reason for the callsign ID (if you are speaking of the FCC station ID) is due to an FCC regulation that required you to ID your station once per hour or thirty minutes when I was dispatching and a police officer. I don't know if this is still required but I I know you rarely hear it in these parts anymore except on fire channels after they dispatch a call.

Draf

 

[ff-medic]

The time announcement makes sure that all times are based on the exact same clock (generally the one used by the CAD system). This prevents issues from happening when the CAD shows 11:02 PM but the officer's watch has 10:02 PM due to them not correctly setting it after the daylight savings time change, for example. The officer would then use the CAD's time when they wrote the ticket, not their watch's time. This would prevent the ticket being thrown out since at 10:02 PM the driver couldn't have ran that light since their timesheet at works proves that they were there at the time (just one example).

As others have said, other proceedures are taken to protect the officer and department from other issues such as a female prisoner being transported by a male officer claiming that she was forced to perform "sexual services" for the officer during the transport. By indicating on the CAD and dispatch tapes the trip's beginning and ending times and miles were reasonable for the time and traffic conditions it helps to prove that the claim wasn't likely.

Time is documented ( Verbally ) on tape. And if the tape was ever pulled for court and or legal reasons ; it documnets accurate timing for a specific event ( traffic stops , response time enroute and arriving at a scene ). Or of a tape ever has to be pulled / or " Dubbed " for an internal investigative reason. Plus the time of the call is recorded on the dispatchers log sheet , or CAD -- - > And the time the call was broadcasted to the appropiate agency(s) , as to see if the call was dispatched in a timely manner. Also recording the time spent / taken / used in between events.

Announcing the time over the radio acts more of as a legal documentation than anything. Plus it records the time used and time spent. Many agencys have a protocol , procedure for announcing time and date " Over the air ".

Documentation, covers / helps dispatchers as well as Public Safety Agencys in a legal situation.

As my " Educator " stated in my legal documention class - - > " If it was not documented..It didn't happen".

FF - Medic !!!

 

[GrumpyGuard]

The reason for the callsign ID (if you are speaking of the FCC station ID) is due to an FCC regulation that required you to ID your station once per hour or thirty minutes when I was dispatching and a police officer. I don't know if this is still required but I I know you rarely hear it in these parts anymore except on fire channels after they dispatch a call.

Draf

I remember back in the day (1979-80) we had to ID as mentioned above as well. Now most systems auto ID. If you don't have your CTCSS enabled you will hear the morse code ID.

 

[ff-medic]

I remember back in the day (1979-80) we had to ID as mentioned above as well. Now most systems auto ID. If you don't have your CTCSS enabled you will hear the morse code ID.

If I am correct and the FCC did not change the law, the transmitting station has to broadcast their station ID, once every hour...by voice or morse code..Unless another arrangements has been made.


Yep....The morse code for us scanner listeners..it is very aggrivating.

You have a tower, with a GPS location..ect..ect. You would think that would be enought for the FCC secet agents in their secret vans.


FF - Medic !!!

 

[Laptop-Lizard]

That is really a good question and one that never before occurred to me

When I dispatched several decades ago we were told that it was a required part of the dispatch and I never questioned it. I would think it has to do with making sure everyone is indeed operating on the same time down to the minute for legal reasons. And also for all the other reasons mentioned.

We were also required to broadcast our call sign every hour so most of us dispatchers simply did it when we thought about it. IIRC it ended up being more like 5 or 6 times per 8 hour shift rather than every hour. If things got really slow on the midnight shift I would announce the call-sign and time at the top and bottom of the hour.

As far as transporting female prisoners or any females at all for any reason the male Officers were/are also required to give the starting and ending mileage on the vehicle during the transport. This is also true for female Officers and male prisoners but I am not so sure it always happens then. That is certainly a CYA thing against any allegations the person may make against the Officers.

I would think that it has to be some kind of requirement because I have never known of a Department that did not practice this. I suppose some may not do it I just have never heard one that did not.

 

[n0fwg]

Giving the time at the end of the exchange tells units that the dispatcher has finished with the transaction or exchange of info.

If the dispatcher does not give the time, they are not finished, ie dispatch wants more info or is still working on the call.

Jerry

 

[nd5y]

Conventional public safety stations are required to ID during each transmission or every 30 minutes of continuous operation.
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations:

 

[W6KRU]

The reason for the callsign ID (if you are speaking of the FCC station ID) is due to an FCC regulation that required you to ID your station once per hour or thirty minutes when I was dispatching and a police officer. I don't know if this is still required but I I know you rarely hear it in these parts anymore except on fire channels after they dispatch a call.

Draf

This isn't done on a trunked system because one of the alt control channels can broadcast the license ID in Morse code to fulfill the FCC requirement.

 

[RKG]

Inertia. Back when, audio logging was done on tapes, and time stamping either wasn't available or was unreliable. Today it is done on digital recorders; time stamping is automatic; and on sound installations, the time source is GPS, which is impeccably accurate and self-adjusting. I have advocated (without that much success, I should add) doing away with verbal time announcements, on the ground that: (a) at best, it is redundant, and (b) at less than best, it sets up a discrepancy that, while you and I might dismiss it as irrelevant, can be (and has been) exploited by defense attorneys to confuse juries.

 

[poltergeisty]

So nobody misses donuts.

But there''s always time for donuts. :lol:

 

[N4DES]

This isn't done on a trunked system because one of the alt control channels can broadcast the license ID in Morse code to fulfill the FCC requirement.

It is actually the lowest frequency in the compliment of frequencies under the specific call sign. The control channel assignments have nothing to do with the call sign transmissions.

§ 90.647 Station identification.
(a) Conventional systems of communication
shall be identified in accordance
with existing regulations governing
such matters.
(b) Trunked systems of communication,
except as noted in paragraph (c)
of this section, shall be identified
through the use of an automatic device
which transmits the call sign of the
base station facility at 30 minute intervals.
Such station identification shall
be made on the lowest frequency in the
base station trunk group assigned the
licensee.