CPD radio term question

[werinshades]

New Disposition Code

Added in the past week..."Z" Zebra...Mental. So you may hear a car say "code this with a 5-Zebra" if they either don't have a PDT or it's out of range.

 

[Chicago2210]

Add another one "Body Snatcher" referring to people who take dead bodies to the morgue

 

[werinshades]

Add another one "Body Snatcher" referring to people who take dead bodies to the morgue

Newly contracted with Allied Removal Services. Seen them many times at hospitals, mainly on cell phones, no radios seen.

 

[turtle9832]

This is a great topic.

My first job out of college was at the Cook County SAO Investigations Unit in 1995. We were based at 26th and Calironia on the 14th floor.

Most of the investigators I worked with were retired CPD Detectives. I will never forget riding around and listening to the City wide channel our unit was assigned to (I forget which one it was) or the zone we were working in. It seemed like every two minutes I was asking, "What does that mean?" after a car or the Squad said something.

Things like, "call me on the pax." or "light my lamp." I asked and got the answer.

The pax was an internal phone system for CPD.

I was told that light my lamp was a phrase to make you clear. I was also told that the Squad Operators in the 60's and 70's looked at a map board that had light bulbs on a board for the cars. When the car was down, the bulb was out. When you were available, the light was lit. Maybe JimmyL1011 was around and can confirm that one.

Another one that stood out to me was not a phrase, but a 10 code.

If we heard a 10-1 on the zones or City wide channels, it meant that a PO needed help. We responded to a few 10-1's. When you got there, you would expect to see 20 plus cars.

I moved to a south suburban department and quickly learned that the Illinois 10 code 10-1 was different and not nearly as important.

 

[JimmyL1011]

Yup, you're right. Each radio zone had a 3-abreast console arrangement that had identical maps with lights for each of the "primary beat cars" (cars assigned to specific geographical subdivisions of a particular District) and side lights for the "sector cars" which eventually turned into "rapid response cars" (cars assigned to a general area within a District). In front of the dispatchers (Squad Operators) were card slots, each slot having a small microswitch inside which was wired to the corresponding lights on the map. If a car was out of service, a card would be prepared and inserted in the slot, turning the light on or off. A quick glance at any of the 3 maps would indicate which cars were available or not. Even though the card-slot system was done away with in 1997 you'll still hear guys tell the dispatcher to "put a lunch ticket in my slot" meaning that when they're done with whatever assignment they're on they'd like to take their 30-minute lunch.

I hope this helps. For further info check out 1970 Console and Map Setup

Jim

 

[oemctx4]

Here is a photo from a Zone 4 console that was at 1121 S State it's present in the lobby on display at OEMC.

 

[JimmyL1011]

If you look at the lower right corner of the desktop (to the right of the headset volume control), you'll notice something missing. The Communications Operations Section went online in October of 1961 when just about every male in the Department smoked cigarettes. Yup, you guessed it. The "missing" item is an ASHTRAY built right into the console! Lots of stressful, tedious hours were spent at these consoles with the dispatchers happily smoking away. While the janitors kept the outside of the consoles clean, apparently if they had to pull up one of the floor panels to service some of the console wiring, it looked like "brown spaghetti" from all the smoke and tar.

Should you ever be interested, I'm sure with a little TLC we could get that lobby console going again. It was originally powered with 24VAC and could easily be switched over to a more useful power supply. Just switch out the bulbs, light up the maps and it'd be something even the most jaded dispatchers and call-takers could get a kick out of.

Jim

 

[turtle9832]

Another that stood out to me i thought worth talking about was one you usually heard in a flash.

A car would come in and say, "were looking for two M 1's."

I asked, "What's an M1?"

I was told it's a male black M=male 1=black (CPD case report code).

thanks for the pic oemctx4

 

[redmanactual]

Does anyone have a list of what each Unit letter designation means?
like Adam, Eddie, Sam, etc?
Does one mean, Traffic unit, or K9, etc?
Thanks!

 

[conorman]

some very good information, guys i can remember when cpd would use the term "inhalator" the cfd also used that term ambulance call than they would have to call a private ambulance service to take the person to the hospital the city ambo would not transport unless it was on the street!

 

[melvin1987]

Does anyone have a list of what each Unit letter designation means?
like Adam, Eddie, Sam, etc?
Does one mean, Traffic unit, or K9, etc?
Thanks!

0100-2599 District Personnel
1st & 2nd digits denote district number
Breakdown: (3rd & 4th digits)
00 District Commander
01 Desk Sergeant
02 Desk Officer
03-04 Warrant Officers
05 Parks Car
06 Incident Car
07 A-D Neighborhood Relations Officers
08 Crossing Guard Supervisor
09 District Evidence Technician
10 Supervising Sergeant - Sector 1
20 Supervising Sergeant - Sector 2
30 Supervising Sergeant - Sector 3
11-15 Beat Cars - Sector 1
16-19 Sector Cars - Sector 1
21-25 Beat Cars - Sector 2
26-29 Sector Cars - Sector 2
31-35 Beat Cars - Sector 3
36-39 Sector Cars - Sector 3
40 Supervising Sergeant - Rapid Response
50 Supervising Sergeant - Rapid Response
60 Tactical Lieutenant
61 - 68 Sergeant/Tac Teams A-H
61A-68D Tactical Teams A-H
69 Gangs Tactical Sergeant
69A-D Gangs Tactical Teams
70 Supervising Sergeant/Rapid Response
71-75 Squadrols ("Wagons")
80 Detail Sergeant
81-89 Foot Beats
90-91 Field Lieutenants
92-98 3-Wheel Motorcycles/PAPV's
99 Watch Commander

 

[Chicago2210]

While on the subject what is the difference between a field LT and a watch commander? Thanks.

 

[bodnarp]

What is a ISR?

 

[FireBuffChgo23]

ISR = Investigatory Stop Report, the new version of a Contact Card

 

[Chicago2210]

Ok while listing to city wide 6 last night, I heard a commander come up that I have never heard before 8100 who is this?

 

[N9JIG]

The 8100's used to be the Training division, I presume it still is.

 

[Chicago2210]

Can anyone anwser this Police Agencies Operating in the Chicago Area scroll down to item VI, my question is who would book the offender RR Police Or CPD? Also how would a Railroad Cop notify CPD that they are bringing an arestee into a district? Phone or Zone radio? Thanks.

 

[werinshades]

Can anyone anwser this Police Agencies Operating in the Chicago Area scroll down to item VI, my question is who would book the offender RR Police Or CPD? Also how would a Railroad Cop notify CPD that they are bringing an arestee into a district? Phone or Zone radio? Thanks.

Railroad Police have police powers, so it's their paper. Probably a phone call to the Station Supervisor and the Watch Commander.

 

[Chicago2210]

Thanks, now what is the main difference between a field LT and a watch commander?

 

[werinshades]

Thanks, now what is the main difference between a field LT and a watch commander?

This should help