Question About MDT'S With Dispatch Calls

[dcmedia]

I Just recently got a police scanner and i was wondering...

am i missing out on alot of whats going on (dispatches to a crime, and such) because the cops dont always dispatch from the radio, but more often the MDT computers they have in their cars?

p.s. i live in halton region.

Thanks ahead for your comments

 

[EJB]

If you're wondering about missing transmissions from the EDACS system currently used by Halton Region, you probably are. There are so many patched talkgroups it makes it hard to follow.

 

[dcmedia]

hmmm....
take this for example

someones house is broken into. is it %100 guarenteed that it will be broadcasted over the radio?...or just a MAYBE as it will probably be braodcasted only over the mdt?

p.s...i know what your thinking... and yes its just an example 8)

 

[SCPD]

Don't know about Halton but in York even though there is a lot of information passed back and forth on the computers anything urgent or "instant" is done via voice. Just think about it. It takes time to type, time to transmit that typing and time to read. Voice can be quicker. Usually there is still back up information sent to the terminals at the same time--including the original call that the dispatcher is voicing.

Hope this helps.

 

[Thornhill20]

Well, here in Toronto, they send out what they call a "Hotshot" for any urgent calls.

Example... "all units stand by for the hotshot to 52 division...44 king west, scotiabank, holdup alarm, trying for further".

The dispatcher will always voice out a call, but they would use their MDT's for updated information and such.

So yes, you'll hear the initial dispatch.

-M

 

[I_10_92]

haha.. funny thing is i once worked at 44 king west a few years back ..

 

[dcmedia]

lovely

 

[Thornhill20]

haha.. funny thing is i once worked at 44 king west a few years back ..

Me too

Securitas?

-M

 

[dcmedia]

well the only reason i ask, is often nothing will be said on the radio, and then suddenly the dispatcher will say 'copy your manack' meaning a dispatch was made on the mdt and not the radio and an officer just accepted the call...

it sorta sucks because i want all the juicy information!


any more comments?

 

[OntarioScannerNut]

I thought there were programs out there that you could use to monitor MDT's?

well the only reason i ask, is often nothing will be said on the radio, and then suddenly the dispatcher will say 'copy your manack' meaning a dispatch was made on the mdt and not the radio and an officer just accepted the call...

it sorta sucks because i want all the juicy information!


any more comments?

 

[SCPD]

All I can say is that the juicy stuff being the "in progress" type stuff will always be voiced where accuracy is concerned. In York there's a serious reliability issue even with the wonderful, new mws's. If the workstation is frozen or (it is a windows based system after all) then there'd be a good chance that nobody would ever receive the dispatch. There are still lots of other calls that go computer only and you do only hear voice if the dispatch hasn't received the acknowledge.

I think Toronto even does the hotshots and computer transmissions at the same time now. The difference being that premise histories, in depth call details etc are included in the computer messages while just the key points are voiced: 9 desk....5507's area...123 Main st.....collapse...amb & fire responding. Computer message would likely also include: elderly female lives alone history of heart...key under left flower pot.... etc.

Programs that monitor mdts were (may still be?) available but a lot of places (like York) have gone to new systems that are digital based and cannot be monitored.