HC LAW/SHERIFF TG's on ARMER - What are they?

[QHaba]

I know there are 4 "HC LAW" and 1 or 2 "HC SHERIFF" TG's in the ARMER database, I was wondering exactly what they are. I'm assuming Sheriff is sheriff C2C, I've heard that LAW is municipalities dispatched by the county, but does anyone have a list of those? I'm in Champlin, is Champlin one of the encrypted law channels?
thanks for any info,

 

[n0esc]

Not a content expert for Hennepin by any means, but I'll take a stab at untangling it for you.

As far as determining exactly what the "correct" alpha tag (The HC LAW) part, will either come down to someone with access to the fleet map providing them to RR, or listening long enough to get a specific user or use. Generally for many channels, a generic tag with a county or city abbreviation and user is "good enough" for most people. The long description field may have more detail, but not always.

That said. The issue with Hennepin is that many of those talkgroups are encrypted (The DE in the Mode column), so so one can monitor those to find out more info. There are also gaps in the database info as new fully encrypted talkgroups were brought online and the various agencies in the metro moved to encryption, there is no way to confirm data so they are simply not listed. I suspect that is why Champlin is missing a LAW MAIN talkgroup of any kind.

A bit farther down in the full database is a section specifically for all of the cities/muni agencies dispatched by HC. Here is a link to all of those:

Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER) TG Category: Hennepin County - Municipalities Dispatched by County

Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER) TG Category: Hennepin County - Municipalities Dispatched by County Details

www.radioreference.com

Since you are a premium subscribe you will see the bold blue DEC numbers. Those are the talkgroups picked up by any of the 4 seperate users feeding HC ARMER sites. You'll note there are pretty much zero LAW related talkgroups that show up. Mostly because in reality they have been abandoned for new unlisted encrypted ones.

If you take a look at the list of all talkgroups seen, you can see all the blank rows with just a TGID. Those are ones with traffic, probably encrypted, which you can go back and listen if any audio was uploaded, occasionally you'll be able to figure out what the user actually is by listening through clips. Talkgroups Seen on System: Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER)

 

[QHaba]

As far as determining exactly what the "correct" alpha tag (The HC LAW) part, will either come down to someone with access to the fleet map providing them to RR, or listening long enough to get a specific user or use. Generally for many channels, a generic tag with a county or city abbreviation and user is "good enough" for most people. The long description field may have more detail, but not always.

I follow multiple graphic design/vinyl shops, and lighting/equipment outfitters locally that do some of the smaller municipalities vehicles. On one of the sheriff vehicles they had an APX remote with a 03 head. on the channel display it said "SHERIFF EAST" so maybe it's split up by N/E/S/W?

Good to know that the "C2C" TG's aren't in use. I've heard some chatter on common channels, but mostly PD to DOT.

Too bad they went encrypted, it's nice to know what's going on.

 

[INDY72]

Ch list on the radios are split up by zone. For HC, law enforcement radios zone 1 has MPD 1(East), MPD 2 (Central), MPD 3 (West), those are all clear, HCSO 1 East, 2 Central, 3 west also all clear. MTac 1, clear, HTac 1, clear. Then the Car to Cars etc. The rest of the MPD, and HCSO ch are pretty much all E. There is also a Zone for the MSP Dispatches and Statewide LTacs, half of which are clear. (Primarily used in the twin cities are LTac 1, and LTac2) Then in another zone are the surrounding areas including RC. RC is also set up in the same way, SPPD 1 (East), SPPD 2, (Central), SPPD 3, (West)... and RCSO 1, 2, 3 RTac 1 etc. I am not sure how the Fire/EMS ch are set up in the scan patterns but I do know they are in the radios.

 

[INDY72]

If you monitor a lot, you will figure out the correct naming, and which is which. Most of the longer chases will get patched to LTac1 or LTac2. During shift change etc, a lot of the times, MPD, and SPPD patch multiple districts together due to short staffing etc.

 

[INDY72]

The Deputies will also say if they are going to an encrypted tac, as they announce " Go to HTac1E, make sure is 1E." Etc...

 

[n0esc]

Good to know that the "C2C" TG's aren't in use. I've heard some chatter on common channels, but mostly PD to DOT.

It's not that they aren't used at all, it's just not a primary TG. Assuming it's similar in HC as it is down in my neck of the woods, but the C2C talkgroups aren't monitored by the dispatch consoles. It's just used when one or more officers want to talk about something without typing up a main dispatch or city channel. They do get used less and less as everyone has cheap cell phone plans and in some cases fair or otherwise officers don't want their general chit chat even job related possibly logged, documented, recorded and timestamped along with everything else, whether that's radio traffic or using the MDT CAD messaging system.

If you pull up most any C2C talkgroup they get used at least a bit. In the last 24 hours according to what was uploaded, 27 different ones had at least some traffic.

 

[QHaba]

Makes sense, C2C is like R2R/Direct, but in the network not monitored by dispatched, thanks for clearing that up.

I appreciate the input. this clears up a lot of my questions.

 

[stmills]

Hennepin has used 3 primary dispatch channels since the 80’s. East, North and South. When they switched to encrypted talkgroup they went with Law1E naming up to Law4E. Law1E-East, Law2E-North, Law3E-South, Law4E is not used regularly but is an overflow channel. Each city has a Car to Car channel- most are Encrypted and are used frequently for cars to discuss calls and responses.
Champlin is dispatched on the North main- Law2E-North and uses Chp C2CE.
Sheriff Talkgroups are car to car encrypted channels used by different units of the sheriff’s office.
Hennepin tacs are tac3 clear used by police and fire
Tac6e- 8e encrypted law enforcement channels.
Minneapolis has clear channels pd1-pd9
They 2 channel, 3 channel, & modified lineups where precincts move to different channels based on staffing and time of day.

 

[mmtstc]

Hennepin has used 3 primary dispatch channels since the 80’s. East, North and South. When they switched to encrypted talkgroup they went with Law1E naming up to Law4E. Law1E-East, Law2E-North, Law3E-South, Law4E is not used regularly but is an overflow channel. Each city has a Car to Car channel- most are Encrypted and are used frequently for cars to discuss calls and responses.
Champlin is dispatched on the North main- Law2E-North and uses Chp C2CE.
Sheriff Talkgroups are car to car encrypted channels used by different units of the sheriff’s office.
Hennepin tacs are tac3 clear used by police and fire
Tac6e- 8e encrypted law enforcement channels.
Minneapolis has clear channels pd1-pd9
They 2 channel, 3 channel, & modified lineups where precincts move to different channels based on staffing and time of day.

This is the correct answer. Also, there are some encrypted H-Fire tactical talkgroups that are coming down the line. Small handful of fire talkgroups with switched ENC in use, typically with the busier fire departments that turn their radio fleet over quicker than most of the other departments.
As radio fleets turn over again, fire radios will also all have ENC available to them, but i doubt that you will see much on the fire side go to strapped ENC. Most of fires need for ENC is for interoperability on shared talkgroups and situational awareness. There is legit justification for it on fire investigations talkgroups and certain special teams, and i think you will see them implement it within 10 years on things like HFIRE3, 4, 5... to support operational security.