LAPD Storm

[mrbekhor]

I just heard a west valley unit say they couldn't respond to a call do to getting a storm call from the watch commanders office. What is a storm call? What's the purpose of it? Who gets them? Like can I get the full information on it please. Thank you ahead of time

 

[KG6GTH]

A "Storm Call" is a call that was given to the Watch Commander by Communications Division. The call has been timed out or is just a simple report that a "U" Car can handle...

 

[mrbekhor]

So it's just a basic call. It's not a special call of anything?

 

[Radio_Lady]

So it's just a basic call. It's not a special call of anything?

Pretty much, yes. The acronym is for System To Optimize Radiocar Manpower, and STORM has been around since the advent of one-man "U" cars (report-taking unit) in the 1970s, but their specific use has changed from time to time.

In general they are "cold" report calls that need an on-scene investigation/report, but don't require a two-officer patrol unit, are not in-progress and apparently didn't occur within the past hour, and there is no suspect at the scene. Some call types, like ADWs and 211s, could qualify as a STORM call only if a patrol unit is dispatched and determines they meet the criteria and are safe for a single officer to handle. PRs aren't usually happy to have a perfectly good pair of officers arrive, look around, and then tell them, "we'll have another officer come out later and take your report," so it's not too often that you'll hear an A or X car radio in for one.

The last I knew of, every division was required to run at least one STORM unit on Day and PM watches. It used to be that if Communications called a division STORM Office or desk to give them a call on Days or PMs and were told they didn't have any deployed, we were to immediately notify the Communications Watch Commander or Supervisor who would call the division and remind them that they "had to" have one according to an Office of Operations Order whose number I don't remember. The division would sometimes end up either assigning the call to a patrol unit as in your West Valley example, or even splitting up an already-deployed patrol unit and making two STORM units out of it. Not always a pleasant conversation :roll:

 

[mrbekhor]

Thank you so much