Don’t get too comfortable, just received word from an SCC Dispatcher, that even the Dispatch talkgroups are eventually going to be encrypted once their technical issues get worked out.
Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System (LA-RICS) - Master Thread
Yes, they seem to be back online for now.
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Sounds about right. I hope nobody thinks otherwise. The technical issues are probably the beep beep beeps.
The main goal is to get all LE in the SoCal Basin closed up completely.
Indeed. Not deployed.
As far as I know, LAPD will remain (mostly) in the clear for the foreseeable future.
LA city has always been behind in technology. Next time they upgrade their radio systems it will probably be Motorola type 1 or type 2 trunking system. Encryption won't happen until 2050 or later.
The bigger the system, the longer it takes to change it. CA is home to some of the biggest public safety agencies and largest and most complex communications systems in the world. From the LA-RICS June JOTC meeting minutes:
It's not really all about Luddites. LAPD was an early adopter of modern P25 technology in the 1980's.
LAPD is extremely political and there's a lot of anti-law enforcement sentiment on the city council along with a very strong undercurrent of "openness and transparency". I doubt any of the city council members are capable of understanding pro/con encryption arguments, let alone the technology and infrastructure involved. They're going to view encryption as an obstruction to department transparency with the public.
I've worked in the news media for many years and have seen a lot of LAPD. The department has, unfortunately, had many missteps of their own making that eroded public confidence. Rampart, the PDID scandal and the more recent fireworks debacle and Chief Moore's attack on the LA Times for attempting to elicit comment from the Bomb Squad officers involved, are a few that come immediately to mind. The folks who ultimately approve the funding aren't going to be motivated to facilitate anything that they perceive as obscuring oversight and transparency.
The bean counters and watchdogs in city hall, you have that nailed as being correct.
I remember the new LAPD system for the 84 Olympics. P25 was new and it didn't work for them. So many problems, they scraped it. Not LAPD's fault, Motorola's. Maybe that's why they stick to tried and tested technology?
Enter the current system, it works but could have done trunking by that time.
Even the new STRS system isn't along the lines what LACo is doing.
It just seems like LA City is always behind other major metropolitan cities when it comes radio communications. Yes, I know Chicago and New York cities have or did have more ancient radio systems, but atleast they are looking to the future.
speedway_navigator
Member
I worked for a GE dealer in San Diego during that time, we sent a letter to the FCC complaining about Motorola selling airtime on that system to private users in San Diego. I can't remember if no trunking licenses had been granted for our county yet or the LA system was listed as public safety and industrial business was being used without FCC approval.
Works for me!
While the "anti LE sentiment" statement is unfortunate, them wanting "openness and transparency", even if based on ignorance, is good in the long run. (And especially for radio/scanner users... after all, isn't that what we are all here for anyway??)At least there are a few cops out there that wouldn't mind comms being open. I spoke to a deputy I know a few weeks ago who said "I want you guys to hear me! If I'm in a fight or something, and you're the only one hearing me, I'm hoping you'd help, or at least call for help."
Jumping in here just clarify something...
LA-RICS is a California JPA. A public safety governmental body. LA-RICS is NOT the County.
Sheriff and County Fire, are the County...
The LA-RICS JPA Board is made from public safely leaders from within Los Angeles County and the Sheriff's Department, County Fire, Inglewood PD, District Attorney Investigators, and other users are customers of (subscribers to) LA-RICS.
LA-RICS is a California JPA. A public safety governmental body. LA-RICS is NOT the County.
Sheriff and County Fire, are the County...
The LA-RICS JPA Board is made from public safely leaders from within Los Angeles County and the Sheriff's Department, County Fire, Inglewood PD, District Attorney Investigators, and other users are customers of (subscribers to) LA-RICS.
monitor142
Member
Straight from the Executive Director...thanks for jumping in Scott.
clownpeenus
Member
Question, would someone with a radio from one agency on LA-RICS have access to another agencies radio traffic, even it it was encrypted (would it be decrypted)? Or are they locked down to each agency?
It's also protocol for many agencies, to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between each agency if they're going to have access to each other's talk groups, even if they're not encrypted, and sometimes not all talk groups will be shared, just ones that would commonly need to be used for mutual aid purposes.
There's also some regions in the country which are cooperating on regional encryption keys for commonly accessed talk groups amongst cooperating agencies and then agency specific keys that may or may not be shared. These are coordinated so there should be no interfering key slots used.
I'm about to program my son's 436HP scanner for the LA/Pasadena area and want to program LASD channels. I live in Illinois so I don't know what is active now, but should I program some of the the sites and frequencies for LA-RICS and forget the 482-483 MHz UHF frequencies on the old system since I see some of the Tac are depreciated?
You can program all the LASD RICS channels you want, but, for the most part, your son won't hear much since the system is (nearly) fully encrypted. The conventional UHF channels are quiet for the time being, but some are going to be rolled into other systems.
If you're interested in the Foothills area, Pasadena is a subscriber to the ICIS system. Their PD is encrypted but Verdugo Fire is not. CHP is very active on their conventional VHF-low system. I've never heard any traffic on the new extender channels. Also add LACounty FD and the Angeles National Forest. I hear a lot of LASD-related radio traffic on ANF for incidents in the forest, and some on LACoFD.
Also consider adding some LAPD and LAFD channels to the load. LAPD still conventional P-25. Of interest will be the Valley Bureau divisions, plus METRO and SWAT. Use the channel numbers/names in the RR database because that's how the officers refer to the channels. I'd avoid actively monitoring the LAPD dispatch channels because there is near non-stop chatter. The tac channels are more productive listening since anything significant will eventually get switched to a tac channel.
LAFD (LA City FD) is a conventional 800MHz system. They have three dispatch channels, one for "metro" dispatch, one for EMS and one for "valley" dispatch. Valley dispatch covers the San Fernando Valley, including Foothills areas, metro dispatch covers the rest of the city and the EMS channel is non-stop paramedic dispatch. They also move active incidents to one of the many tac channels.
LA City FD, LA Co, FD, Glendale, Pasadena FD's and ANF utilize a number of VHF channels (V-FIRE and others) for mutual aid indicants (mostly brush fires). The channels are pre-grouped into specific zones (AKA "plans") on their radios. Different zones/plans for different areas. I keep the "Foothill" plan in an active bank and have some of the other plans loaded, but not active. Most of these channels are simplex, so you need to be relatively close to receive anything.
And lastly, don't forget some aeronautical VHF (or MILAIR UHF) channels. I keep 123.025 active as it's used as an intercom channel between LE, fire and news media helicopters. A couple of the MILAIR channels get active when there is a major event or VIP visit in the Southland.
I'm about to program LASD frequencies in my son's 436HP for the LA/Pasadena area. Should I just program the LA-RICS sites and frequencies since I see some of the old 482-483 MHz TAC frequencies have been depreciated? In other words is the LASD moving to the P25 Phase II now?
Thank you. This was very helpful!
