Marietta Police Department - Possible Near Future Radio System Upgrade

[JethrowJohnson]

I just saw this morning that Chief Warden wants to use ARPA funds for six different things, one of them is switching to the Ohio MARCS-IP network. They are currently using an analog conventional UHF system, and a switch to MARCS would be much better for coverage, clarity, as well as extra safety features for emergencies. However, according to the article that I saw this on, it sounds like she wants to use the Washington County Sheriff's Office talkgroup (SO84DISP). This channel is encrypted, and I understand why they would want to do this since (1) the SO and PD work closely together in emergency situations, so being on the same channel might advance interoperability between them at all times and not only when something major happens (2) there are non-violent repeat offenders in the area that monitor their communications, and with their current system they have no encryption so they have to use their phones often. I wish they didn't need to encrypt, because there's more than one time when someone they were looking for was in my neighborhood. The first time, it was a kid who allegedly threatened his dad with a knife and they were unable to locate, I kept an eye out and eventually saw him going down the street and I called and they found him close to the nearby school. If I hear more about this and I confirm that they plan to use SO84DISP, I might write a letter to the chief and ask her to reconsider, but I don't blame them if they do that anyway. Here's the article:

Marietta Police to use ARPA funds for ‘six identified needs’

The Marietta Police Department will use $186,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act for six identified needs Chief Katherine Warden explained at Marietta City Council’s finance committee Monday night. The list includes MARCS radios, cellphone analyzer equipment, replacement of AR15s, mounts for...

www.mariettatimes.com

 

[JethrowJohnson]

I've confirmed that they plan on using encryption full time. WTAP didn't specify if they want to use SO84DISP or not. I'll write a letter later today and ask them if they might reconsider, but like I said before, I can't really say I blame them.

Marietta City Council designates funds towards police department upgrades

WTAP takes a deeper look at the project and how it impacts local law enforcement.

www.wtap.com

 

[wa8pyr]

I've confirmed that they plan on using encryption full time. WTAP didn't specify if they want to use SO84DISP or not. I'll write a letter later today and ask them if they might reconsider, but like I said before, I can't really say I blame them.

Marietta City Council designates funds towards police department upgrades

WTAP takes a deeper look at the project and how it impacts local law enforcement.

www.wtap.com

If MPD has their own dispatch center, it's highly unlikely that they'll use SO84DISP. Having more than one dispatch center on a dispatch talkgroup is a recipe for disaster (I speak from experience).

 

[JethrowJohnson]

If MPD has their own dispatch center, it's highly unlikely that they'll use SO84DISP. Having more than one dispatch center on a dispatch talkgroup is a recipe for disaster (I speak from experience).

Washington County is trying to set up a central 911 center, and at first it seemed like MPD wanted to join, but now the chief and the mayor seem a little hesitant now because they're worried about keeping the current place staffed and the chief is also concerned about things like how much will their dispatchers be paid at the 911 center since she wouldn't have oversight of that anymore. I'll see if I can find the link.

Here it is:

Marietta officials weigh the pros and cons of joining a centralized 911 center

Major concerns for the city include the cost of the project as well as staffing the Marietta police building.

www.wtap.com

I don't know what they plan on doing completely, but last week I did discover TGID 54861 and there were only a few transmissions on it and they were encrypted so I thought maybe they already bought a few MARCS radios and were testing them, but I thought they probably wouldn't have any yet and probably won't for at least a few months, but then I saw that XPR 3500e on the desk and thought it was a new one, but then I looked it up and come to find out it's not capable of P25 or 700 MHz, so like you said it must be what they've already been using on analog.

 

[JethrowJohnson]

I sent that letter in the mail today. Now we just wait and see. It's rather long, but I can copy it on here if anyone wants to read it.

 

[JethrowJohnson]

How long does it usually take for departments to get radios once they've ordered them? I'm not sure if it would be closer to 3-6 months or closer to a year.

 

[wa8pyr]

How long does it usually take for departments to get radios once they've ordered them? I'm not sure if it would be closer to 3-6 months or closer to a year.

Last time I checked, it's pushing 9 months to a year for radio deliveries from Motorola, 6 months if you're really lucky. And they're not the only ones; I ordered a simple serial programming cable from Tait last year, took nearly six months for it to arrive.

 

[JethrowJohnson]

The new radios got here yesterday. They were talking about testing them, and it sounds like they can't use them until they switch over because apparently they weren't programmed to be used on their UHF tower, but they talked about testing them at 0930 this morning and when I went into ID Search I didn't find any unknown TGs, but SO84DISP was active, so I'm not sure. But they were dead silent all day since then until just a while ago, so I think they've been using MARCS for a good part of the day.

UPDATE: They just responded to a domestic, one of the units called the watch commander and specified "on the UHF channel" so I checked and noticed TGID 49011, which is probably them, and it was only a few transmissions but they were all encrypted.

 

[JethrowJohnson]

Some of the night shift units got their MARCS radios today and they've patched the UHF channel with it so they could communicate between them and the units who don't have them yet without staying on UHF. I've also confirmed 49011 to be the talkgroup because it receives every time the UHF frequency is active.

 

[semaj81]

I have a feeling they have made the move ... I don't have access to a digital setup but my analog has picked up zero chatter for at least 48 hours or more... If encrypted, no scanner can pick them up correct?

 

[JethrowJohnson]

Right, I know they've been testing it for the last couple of months or so, sometimes they were on MARCS completely, but a few units didn't have the new radios yet so 389 was simulcasting on both channels and they would often patch them together, but some days/nights they would just use the old channel. But all of the night shift units got their new ones this past week and they were completely on MARCS since at least Wednesday night and I noticed Thursday that I wasn't hearing a peep out of day shift or night shift at all, and I still haven't heard a single transmission since then but I can see them talking on MARIPD on MARCS so I believe they've made the switch. And it is exclusively encrypted so no one can hear it but them and the sheriff's office. I don't know if OSHP has access to it or not though.

 

[semaj81]

Well then that's that... I think we all knew it was coming but ah well. My elderly mother is so annoyed haha... she still has fire/ems ... unless they're switching too. How will they communicate with each other? Do they patch when needed like the PD used to with the SO?

 

[JethrowJohnson]

PD still has MARIETTA FIRE 1 programmed in their radios so they can still talk to them, only difference is that Fire can't monitor PD anymore. I think MFD will switch to MARCS sometime soon within the next few years, especially if the surrounding volunteer departments switch over soon, which they're in the process of doing, and I've been noticing them slowly using the MARCS channels more and more often since I got my digital scanner. And I think Marietta Fire might even have their own MARCS channel but I haven't been able to confirm that yet.