Ok, everyone that posted, cool. Since senor (don't have the cool thingy over the n) author is in Citrus Heights (which I happened to work in as a peace officer a few months ago), I can answer all of his questions.
1) 12adam3
1=Division
2=beat
adam=shift (day shift), charles=swing edward=graves. The opposing shift (boy versus adam, david versus charles, and frank versus edward) are the opposite end of the week, but same shift.
3=identifier in beat. If the last part was "32", that would indicate a 2-man unit.
Your division (3) is Citrus Heights PD. District 7 is Elk Grove PD. District 5 is Rancho Cordova PD and parts of the unincorporated County. They haven't created a new district for the leftovers, but it may happen. They might get absorbed into District 6, dunno. Haven't heard any rumors about anything beginning, but I doubt they'll leave it the way it is for too long.
The "check" with bars deals with bait tags. Those are the bait tags from banks, businesses, and bait vehicles the departments leave out. They are called "tracker" units, or RAM units (also ETS...there are actual ETS units that identify as ETS 1, etc... on the radio). They retain their unit # (like 12Adam3), but will say they're tracker equipped. The first unit to receive the signal will usually have an "on-view" made up, and units will head to the area and put themselves on the call.
When the towers go hot, the individual cars will begin receiving the tag signal, and the bars are the signal strength, and the display shows what direction relative to the patrol car the signal is coming from. A "full set" on the ETS (electronic tracking system) is somewhere around 10 bars. That means you're basically standing next to the unit.
Seperately, you have LoJack units out and about, but they identify as being "LoJack" or "LoJack equipped". STAR and AIR1 both have both systems. A "full set" on a LoJack is somewhere over 20 bars (don't know the exact #).
Lastly, a "welfare check" does not relate solely to relatives unseen for long periods of time. It can be anything from a guy who appears to be sleeping on the sidewalk to a subject that left after threatening to kill themself (although that could be a different code also). Welfare checks are far-reaching in scope (as used by the Sheriff's Dept).
As always, the above applies SOLELY to the department he is obviously listening to, the Sacramento Sheriff's Dept and their contract cities. Your mileage may and probably will vary.
I also agree this would be best moved to the Cali forum, as it relates specifically to Sacramento.
