Car Chase

[Arizona_Scanner]

Hey did anyone else catch the car chase on DPS West 460.3 Friday night?

I watched live video from the Channel 10 news helo on their website, while listening to the traffic on the DPS frequency. It was pretty neat stuff. Near the end the bad guy crashed in a tunnel and a DPS officer called out a 998 (shooting) when the guy drove at him and he was forced to fire on him, wounding him critically.

The DPS called in Phoenix PD snipers and SAU guys with barricades to move in on him, and while listening I watched it unfold from the Channel 10 helo camera shot.

Interesting was that the chase started on DPS West 460.3 and they KEPT IT THERE as it ended up in North Phoenix. This caused a lot of communication issues with the officers and the (patched) Phoenix PD helicopter since that repeater operates off of Estrella Mountain which is pretty far from where the chase ended up. I was very surprised that they didn't switch to DPS Central 460.325 (repeater on Shaw Butte - just a few miles from the chase ending), and have the normal traffic for that channel re-routed to another frequency like DPS East TAC for instance, but I am assuming they didn't want to switch channels on an active chase, or maybe the East repeater (not sure where it is) wouldn't have given adequate coverage for the Central units. Either way, the comms were so broken by the end of the chase it was a real officer safety issue. Makes me wonder when the DPS is going to move to a more modern system.

 

[primehifi]

I watched live video from the Channel 10 news helo on their website, while listening to the traffic on the DPS frequency. It was pretty neat stuff..

That is very cool.

Shame about the routing issues. Lucky no one was hurt.

 

[InlandAZ]

Makes me wonder when the DPS is going to move to a more modern system.

Please don't tell me you want them to go APCO P25; they're one of the last reliable agencies I can listen to.

 

[Astrak]

Please don't tell me you want them to go APCO P25; they're one of the last reliable agencies I can listen to.

They eventually will be P25.

 

[ICP963]

Please don't tell me you want them to go APCO P25; they're one of the last reliable agencies I can listen to.

There is nothing wrong with the P25 digital. it is mostly just the problems with scanners and the dreaded simulcast issues. Look at MCSO, they are digital, but not simulcast, or the more finicky 9600 baud control channels. Even the ancient Bearcat 296D works on that system nearly flawlessly.

 

[azmedic]

the suspect almost hit me on 7th St and Union Hills,he came up beside me with no lights on, got into the middle lane, cleared the intersection and ran the red light and headed westbound on Union Hills. Funny thing I had no idea there was even a chase going on until my gf sent me a text saying I was heading right for the chase.

 

[InlandAZ]

There is nothing wrong with the P25 digital. it is mostly just the problems with scanners and the dreaded simulcast issues

Which is exactly why I like them just where they are

They eventually will be P25.

Yeah, I'm sure they will. I just want to know where the money is going to come from - AZ' 's pretty much broke.

 

[Avmonaco]

I did the exact same thing! Watched live while listening to the traffic. Way cool!

 

[Arizona_Scanner]

azmedic that's a bit too close to the action! glad you are OK.

I agree that simulcast is a PITA InlandAZ. This is why I listened to the DPS side not PPD. I currently live outside of the Simulcast A area which means I can't use the "yagi trick" to get good reception because no matter where I point there are several towers in the same direction. Thankfully for many though, using a yagi to attenuate all but one tower will clear up the reception issues. For those not in the right spots or who are traveling with a handheld scanner, I feel for you!

My hope (pure fantasy most likely) is that DPS will go to a MCSO style digital system as ICP963 talked about...you can pick them up clearly from almost anywhere, because each site uses different frequencies (not simulcast).

Or they could do what Peoria, Surprise, and Buckeye did. They are on the RWC, but each use only one unique site (White Tanks), or in the case of Buckeye, a second independent site as well with different frequencies.

I live under the White Tanks so MCSO, and Peoria / Buckeye / Surprise all come in great.

Maybe we will get lucky and DPS will also use independent (non-simulcast) sites on the RWC like the three PDs I mentioned, or something like what MCSO does apart from the RWC.

We can hope right?