1 atom 12

[enigma-2]

I sometime hear our local police department referring to a specific police unit with the term "atom". (Brings back memories of 1-atom-12 from the old TV show).

Does anyone know what the term ATOM refers to when addressing a police unit (such as 10-4 atom 4)?

 

[RadioDaze]

LAPD phonetic alphabet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Astrak]

You're probably hearing Adam not atom.

 

[SkipSanders]

And, just so you know, the LAPD never had (at least back during the show) a 1A12 unit. Nor were they referred to on the air as ' 1 Adam 5', they were always said as ' 1A3', no phonetics.

 

[Radio_Lady]

And, just so you know, the LAPD never had (at least back during the show) a 1A12 unit.

That's right that LAPD has never had a regular patrol unit designated as "1A12," but for a while beginning in April 2003 they did start deploying a 1A12 as an "emergency response" unit in Central Division, staffed by high-performing officers as a sort of recognition for their work, at the discretion of the division commander.

The first evening this unit was assigned, Kent McCord (TV "Officer Jim Reed") attended Central Div's PM watch roll call, and also stopped by the Metropolitan Dispatch Center and met the woman who was dispatching on Central that night.

See "LAPD's Central Area to Activate 1-Adam-12 Patrol car"

Oh, the person who came up with the idea was the Captain of Central Div at the time, and is now Chief of Police, Charlie Beck.

Nor were they referred to on the air as ' 1 Adam 5', they were always said as ' 1A3', no phonetics.

Actually there's no hard and fast rule about using just the letters rather than the phonetics or vice versa. Simply by tradition, some unit types are almost always ID'd phonetically (e.g. "David, Edward, Henry, Paul, Queen, Victor" units), some only by the letter ("B, R, Y" units), and some are spoken either way ("A/Adam, K/King, M/Mary, T/Tom, U/Union, W/William, X/Xray, Z/Zebra" units). Their MANY Radio Unit designations are listed in the LAPD manual here, in section 4/110 http://www.lapdonline.org/lapd_manual/volume_4.htm#110

 

[SkipSanders]

I merely refer to my own listening to the central LAPD dispatch of the time, where I never, over many days, heard anything but '1A##', never a phonetic. Might have been different for other letters, but I never heard a 1 Adam anything. <grin>

 

[enigma-2]

I was able to find where San Francisco PD was using 1-Adam codes, (1 through 12 are for the chief's office, etc.) They also use 2-Adam- ##, 3-Adam-#3, as well as 1-Boy-##, 1-Charlie-#3, etc. (1 through 10 - phonetic then 1 through 100), each division has it's own callsign.

Locally what I'm hearing is Adam 2-12. I suspect it's related to a gang unit becuase of the converstaions, but that's only a guess.

 

[Astrak]

It's not something that is standard across the country departments can call the units anything they want. You'd just have to do some research for your area maybe ask in the Indiana forum and see if anyone knows what the unit designators are. It more than likely ID's what beat they are covering and if they are a 1 man, 2 man, sergeant, Lieutenant etc.......

 

[RadioDaze]

This would be a perfect thread for Harry Marnell's two cents...

 

[b7spectra]

Working EMS in the Metro Atlanta area I used to work on Squad 51!

 

[wb0wao]

Our city PD (Cape Girardeau) uses L, S and Z units - Lincoln 1 is the on duty station commander, Sam 1 is the on duty Sergent and various Zebra units are zone patrol units. I used to dispatch years ago for a PD in Michigan (Oscoda/AuSable PD) that used 1Ax and they were called 1 Adam "whatever" units and the numbers were assigned to individual officers.

Dennis

 

[Austin4Wyo]

Similar situation here in Laramie. Adam units (Adam-17, for instance) are the general patrol divisions. Sam units are the duty sergeants, and David units, to my knowledge, are detectives. They also have a Lincoln unit or two, though I rarely here them called, so I haven't been able to determine their role.

 

[dracer777]

I'm pretty sure our 1A CSP has a 12 unit. It is referred to as "one adam twelve" on the air.

 

[brandon]

Riverside County Sheriff has 1-Adam-12 unit out in the Blythe area.
Audio clip

 

[W6KRU]

Similar situation here in Laramie. Adam units (Adam-17, for instance) are the general patrol divisions. Sam units are the duty sergeants, and David units, to my knowledge, are detectives. They also have a Lincoln unit or two, though I rarely here them called, so I haven't been able to determine their role.

Our local Lincoln units are the lieutenants.