City of Cleveland Police Radio System Question

[N3KGD]

Hey everyone, I have a few questions about the Cleveland Police Radio system currently being utilized by the City of Cleveland. I understand that they are on the old and outdated Motorola VSELP Digital radio system. I was just curious, does anyone know what kind of mobiles or portables the agency utilizes? I take it probably Motorola's Astro Series line.

Also, does anyone with some history know what the old Cleveland Police frequencies used to be before they moved onto the digital system? Were they on UHF (I take it), VHF, or something else and what equipment did they run at that time if anyone knows.

I've tried to do some research online and can't seem to figure out if Cleveland PD has the MDTs in the patrol cars and at least dash cams. Can't seem to find a straight answer - so I figured I might as well ask someone in this forum who may be more familiar with the area than I am.

I from Erie, PA where pretty much everything is analog apart from the State Police and was always curious about how the big city to the west had for the communications equipment. Never seen any of their radios before, lol. Where we come from, we have a consolidated dispatch center. Anyone know how Cleveland Police and the surrounding areas (Lakewood, East Cleveland, etc) do it? Do they have a consolidated center or do they self dispatch from their stations? Always curious how other areas do it.

Thanks,
Driv3r912

 

[SCPD]

They were on 460 MHz freqs prior to this and on 37.18 (a repeater) before that. I don't have the time frames at hand without some research.

 

[16b]

The few times I've been to Cleveland, the police officers and firefighters I saw were carrying Motorola Astro Sabers, and vehicles had Astro Spectras. AFAIK these were the only mobiles and handhelds available for VSELP when the system was introduced, and they were state of the art at the time. The (slightly) later model XTS3000 handheld was available with VSELP firmware as well, but not sure if Cleveland ever bought any of these. I remember seeing an old COPS episode shot when they were still on UHF, and the officers had the older, original Saber handhelds. The big cities have always had a tendency to buy the highest-tier radios, which the Sabers and Astro Sabers were in their day.

 

[SCPD]

I "think" I remember they used Halicrafters handhelds on the early UHF system. I have or had a manual and a junked radio I used as a receiver on the system back in the day.

The low band TX was at E21st and Payne station and there were remote recievers on the hill in Warrensville Twp (now Highland Hills) and Schaff Rd this was in the mid 1960s IIRC.

When they moved to UHF or the VSELP I don't recall.

 

[budevans]

Cleveland has been on the VSELP 800 Mhz trunk system since the early 90's. Prior to that they were on UHF analog 70's - 80's.

Regarding MDT's, I've seen them in the patrol cars for quite some time. Dash cams are in some but not all cars at this time. There has been a push to get them in all cars.

Cleveland in the past was a standalone system, not connected to any of the other (40 plus) departments in Cuyahoga County. But, going forward the SWRCN system (Brookpark, Strongesville, North Royalton, etc..) will join/merge with the Cleveland P25 system.

The Cleveland P25 system will have links to the new MARCS-IP P25 system and could (if they decide to) also link to the Parma P25 system.

One last note the new Cleveland P25 system will handle all of Cleveland's various departments radio requirements. Currently departments like Street's and Water are already on the new P25 system, plus the County Sheriff and County Justice Center are on it.

 

[Bill28227]

Low Band

I remember the 35.18 frequency from the 1950s and 1960s. One channel repeater for the city.

 

[SCPD]

I remember the 35.18 frequency from the 1950s and 1960s. One channel repeater for the city.

I believe 37.18 MHz is correct, not 35.18.

The PD also had a CW HF nationwide system. I've been in the radio room back then many times. Walked right in, waved to the desk guy, and walked up to the sixth floor.

FD was 33.9 MHz as a FYI.

 

[chief3055]

Cleveland Police UHF radios.

When they switched to UHF, ( around 1968 ) they were using Hallicrafter HC400 4 channel portables, and Motorola Motrans. ( 12 freq. heads ) They also replaced some of the control heads with Denelco siren control head combo units. ( First electronic siren used by CPD.) [ I still have one of these heads in my collection.] They also used Mocom 70 and HT220 VHF for specialized units.

As the HC 400's began to die,( around 1972 / 73 ) they purchased GE PE/PY series. ( 6 freqs ) During this period, they had MDT's in many of the cars, they were made by Custom Computers.

Around 1975/ 76 as the GE PE/PY's died, they purchased Motorola MX300S portables, and Micor Mobiles.

Around 1977/ 78, VHF MT500's were purchased for the specialized units.

They still used the 12 channel MOTRANS, but they replaced some the control heads with 12 ch. Micor heads. ( If you looked in the car, it looked like they had new radios. )

Around 1988/ 89 they purchased UHF Sabers, Syntor X, and Spectras.. They also used VHF Syntor X, & Bendix King. ( specialized units )

They also had a 800 Mhz type I trunking system that some of the specialized units used. ( STX & Mostars.)

The last analog portables purchased were Bendix King.

The UHF base transmitters were mostly Motran and Micor. The UHF receivers were Micor, and Spectra Tac,

The Freqs. were: Dist. 1: 460.225, Dist. 2: 460.400, Dist.3: 460.150, Dist. 4: 460.475, Dist. 6: 460.450, Ch. 7 ( Tow ) 460.125, Ch. 8 ( Special Events ) 460.500, and Ch. 9 ( Detectives ) 460.350 Mhz 146.2 PL.

Hope that helps.

chief305

 

[4482]

37.18

I recall back in the 60ies I had a "little tiger" to convert 37.18 to an FM freq to copy the CPD.
I also had a "big" old tank radio in my trunk which I ran remotely from inside the car to copy 37.18 .
Yep, the good old days !

 

[EL]

460.025 thru 460.475 if I remember correctly......

 

[SCPD]

460.025 thru 460.475 if I remember correctly......

Well not exactly. See post above:

Originally posted by chief3055
...The Freqs. were: Dist. 1: 460.225, Dist. 2: 460.400, Dist.3: 460.150, Dist. 4: 460.475, Dist. 6: 460.450, Ch. 7 ( Tow ) 460.125, Ch. 8 ( Special Events ) 460.500, and Ch. 9 ( Detectives ) 460.350 Mhz 146.2 PL....

Also Lakewood, Akron, Medina Co. and Summit Co. were in that range.

 

[davidzimmerman]

remember the old vhf channels

158.850 cpd aux police was csq no pl tone
155.010 pl-110.9 cpd swat base
154.845 pl-110.9 cpd swat ops-2
154.830 pl-110.9 cpd swat ops-3
154.815 pl-110.9 cpd swat ops-4
154.800 pl-110.9 cpd swat ops-5
154.785 pl-110.9 cpd swat ops-6
154.160 pl-110.9 cleveland hopkins airport fire
155.160 pl-110.9 cleveland ems
462.950 pl-192.8 cleveland ems dispatch red center
462.975 pl-192.8 cleveland ems
155.280 pl-110.9 cleveland ems
37.100 csq cleveland air pollution control-1
37.180 csq cleveland air pollution control-2
154.100 tx-158.865 cleveland parking patrol
154.085 cleveland streets east
154.040 cleveland streets west
155.925 tx-158.760 pl-131.8 cleveland water
423.350 tx-428.350 pl-131.8 cleveland water
423.900 tx-428.900 pl-131.8 cleveland water
453.100 tx-458.100 pl-127.3 cleveland hopkins airport operations
33.900 tx-33.580 pl-162.2 cleveland fire dispatch
33.720 tx-33.460 pl-162.2 cleveland fire channel-2
153.830 simplex pl-162.2 main fireground
154.145 pl-162.2 cleveland fire hi-rise ops
154.010 pl-162.2 cleveland fgn-3
154.070 pl-162.2 cleveland fgn-4
153.950 tx-154.010 pl-162.2 cleveland fire channel-5 command

i hope this is not to much info but this is what i had in my old scanner box i still have.

Dave

 

[SCPD]

Yep especially 155.01 very active for a long time. Also the FD 153.95 simulcasting.

 

[tonya]

155.01

I remember that one. I believe that in its day it was the freq nobody was suppose to know about. Lots of undercover stuff. I had to order the crystal from RS. Good memories!

 

[wa8pyr]

FD was 33.9 MHz as a FYI.

"KQA216, Cleveland Ohio." Typically all I ever heard on 33.90 was something along the lines of "KQA216 to the Fire Department, a box alarm, East 105 and Euclid. Takes Engines 10 and... " etc etc.

They also used 153.950 (if I recall correctly) for fireground response and command.

 

[N3KGD]

Hey guys! I know it is not customary to reply or post to threads that have gone "abandoned" so to speak after several months! I totally forgot about this thread until I came across it on Google earlier tonight when I was doing some research about Cleveland PD and the police chase that ended in a fatal shooting in 2012.

Just wanted to thank everyone for their replies! The information is very interesting and gives me an idea of "back in the day" so to speak when I was not around.

Thank you again all!

Take care!

 

[Nasby]

I enjoyed reading this thread.

Very interesting to see how the radio system of a big city evolved to what it is today.

 

[Firefox89]

I enjoyed reading this thread.

Very interesting to see how the radio system of a big city evolved to what it is today.

that makes two of us.