Philadelphia police district and call signs

[Lllsssrrr000]

Hi,
I’ve started scanning the Philadelphia police and was looking for some general info.
Namely which areas the different district cover and also a list of up-to-date callsign is used.
If anyone can get this information for me, I’d appreciate it.
Thanks.

 

[RaleighGuy]

Hi,
I’ve started scanning the Philadelphia police and was looking for some general info.
Namely which areas the different district cover and also a list of up-to-date callsign is used.
If anyone can get this information for me, I’d appreciate it.
Thanks.

Have you looked in the RR Wiki? Seems a lot of what you are looking for is in there.

Philadelphia County (PA) - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

 

[u2brent]

Philly PD SW Band

Who is 18xray on SW band?

forums.radioreference.com

 

[RaleighGuy]

Philly PD SW Band

Who is 18xray on SW band?

forums.radioreference.com

@Lllsssrrr000 lots of good info from @u2brent and others in that thread, well worth taking the time to read that and the Wiki.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Namely which areas the different district cover

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and also a list of up-to-date callsign is used.

Listen to Philly Police talkgroups and you'll hear the dispatchers verbally ID WPRW578 along with the current time periodically. Also for future reference, go to the Philly P25 database page, click either simulcast link and find the callsigns listed as shown below

 

[Lllsssrrr000]

Thanks so much guys.
Should have probably checked all that myself first.
This was my first thought, though forgetting the info, but will definitely check all that.
Thanks again.

 

[KC3DYW]

Ok so I’ll answer what I can
Phila PD
any police car identifying with X or X-ray
X denotes it’s an Expressway patrol car
H denotes Highway Patrol , may hear X13 called or Highway 26 called.
They also control traffic on major events where streets need to be closed or traffic rerouted.

If you hear denotions like A = Andy, B = Barney, C = Charlie, these are street or district supervisors
For example 12 B or 12 Barney would be 12th district
supervisor
12 DC would be district command ( usually Captain)
this is how districts usually identify
If you hear for instance 15 beat 1, that is usually a foot patrol in that district.
You can learn a lot of what’s going on just listening , most of the police in and around the city are transparent and they talk in the clear except for critical communication like undercover ops, or things of a sensitive nature.

 

[Lllsssrrr000]

Thanks a lot for this
and yes.
As you said, it does become clearer as you listen.

 

[K3ALT]

12DC..District command is the squad Lt. The Captains from District identify as CO-12..Commanding Officer and number indicating district. 12T1..would be a tactical, 5 squad “Tom” teams. 12FB1…foot beat. 12SB1…special beat (usually covering a certain grid)

 

[Lllsssrrr000]

Thanks for that.
That’s helpful.

 

[KC3DYW]

Thank you for clarifying this info I’m retired ff / paramedic, I’ve been out for quite a while!
Enjoy the listening 👍👍

 

[K3ALT]

Thank you for clarifying this info I’m retired ff / paramedic, I’ve been out for quite a while!
Enjoy the listening 👍👍

I still have another 20 to go 😂

 

[sendyoudown]

I found this link under the Broadcastify feeds a few years back and it has been an invaluable resource, however there are definitely some updates needed (it's from 2014) with new call signs and changes to old ones, but generally shows the structure of most units you'll encounter regularly on the air:

http://www.scannerdigest.com/files/phlcomm-pa-philly-A-2014.pdf

 

[KC3DYW]

This is a good list, accurate, and yes just needs a fee things updated👍👍
Thank you for sharing

 

[PhillyPete]

I found this link under the Broadcastify feeds a few years back and it has been an invaluable resource, however there are definitely some updates needed (it's from 2014) with new call signs and changes to old ones, but generally shows the structure of most units you'll encounter regularly on the air:

http://www.scannerdigest.com/files/phlcomm-pa-philly-A-2014.pdf

Do you have a link for NJSP? Particularly their areas of coverage.

 

[Steve162]

Ok so I’ll answer what I can
Phila PD
any police car identifying with X or X-ray
X denotes it’s an Expressway patrol car
H denotes Highway Patrol , may hear X13 called or Highway 26 called.
They also control traffic on major events where streets need to be closed or traffic rerouted.

If you hear denotions like A = Andy, B = Barney, C = Charlie, these are street or district supervisors
For example 12 B or 12 Barney would be 12th district
supervisor
12 DC would be district command ( usually Captain)
this is how districts usually identify
If you hear for instance 15 beat 1, that is usually a foot patrol in that district.
You can learn a lot of what’s going on just listening , most of the police in and around the city are transparent and they talk in the clear except for critical communication like undercover ops, or things of a sensitive nature.

"Barney" How the hell did that happen?

 

[trentbob]

Philly uses a different phonetic alphabet instead of alpha they use Andy instead of Bravo they use Barney lots of other different ones also.

You can always tell in the suburbs the cops who are graduates of the Philadelphia Police Academy. Most departments use the standard phonetic alphabet.

 

[philacop]

Lol!!!
I learned the A to Z phonics almost 34 years ago!!
Q as in Quincy
I as in Issac
L as in Louie
Y as in Yesterday
🤣
Still using them

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Philly uses a different phonetic alphabet

Chester County too, sans X-ray

 

[captaincab]

"Barney" How the hell did that happen?

Pat team like 12pat1 are district anti crime plain clothes teams. X-ray are express patrol tom and a 2 digit number is usually a traffic detail example tom22