Travis County Sheriff

[cferguson4809]

I’ve been monitoring TCSO Baker-East (TGID 2403) and I’m observing what appears to be partial or one-sided traffic.

Sometimes I only hear dispatch transmissions. For example, dispatch will say something like: “Dispatch, 5-Baker 12, show you out on a traffic stop at [location]” but I never heard the unit make the stop initially. A short time later dispatch will transmit something like: “Copy 5-Baker 12, code 4” but I never heard the unit call code 4.

Occasionally I do hear field units, so it’s not strictly dispatch-only, but it is inconsistent. I’ve noticed similar behavior with DPS Troopers, as well as Manor and Mustang Ridge units.

Another thing I’ve observed is dispatch calling Charlie units over the radio while I’m monitoring Baker-East. I never hear responses from those units. My assumption is that the dispatcher position has both Baker and Charlie talkgroups selected, so dispatch audio is being multicast to both.

However, that still doesn’t explain why I’m frequently missing the field unit side of Baker-East traffic, or why the same thing appears to occur with Mustang Ridge units. For reference, I am also scanning the Mustang Ridge talk groups.

Is this expected behavior on this system? I’m wondering if it could be related to things like:

1. subscriber radios affiliating to a different site
2. units switching to another talk group for replies
3. officer initiated activity on the MDT and possibly a code 4 button on the MDT
4. possible encryption on some unit transmissions

For reference, I am monitoring the Travis County P25 system from the southeast Travis County area.

Has anyone else monitoring this system observed similar behavior?

 

[rlopez28]

When you are hearing dispatch acknowledge a unit on traffic they have initiated a stop via MDC, same as a code 4 acknowledgment. Dispatch is required to update over the air for other units and supervisors to audibly hear.

You are hearing Charlie units on Baker because Baker radio dispatches all east units (Baker and Charlie). Same as if you were listening to Adam radio which dispatches all of west (Adam and David).

#3 is definitely a factor with #4 starting to loom. I believe that some units and TG have gone to encryption and havent been updated yet on RR. CVE, SWAT...both encrypted.

 

[garys]

I don't know how the Travis CAD works, but another county can and does initiate stops on CAD. Which sets other actions on the system into motion. Most records and wanted checks are done on MDC these days. I do hear checks over the air on DPS TGs and I think Bastrop County units as well.

I'm not editorializing when I say that the use of computers and smart phones makes encryption for the most part unnecessary. The system I was given a tour of, which I'm not going to name, automatically alerts nearby units of a traffic stop and users can look at the locations of most of the other units operating in the county on their MDC. Calls for assistance are automatically routed to nearby units via CAD.

Units can be dispatched to calls via MDC as well if they are in their vehicle.

Depending on the brand of CAD system, they can do all or most of that from the agency smart phones. Every police officer I've ever known, which is a lot, has two phones. One for work, one for personal use.

Every encrypted agency could turn off their encryption and we'd still not be able to hear sensitive comms.

 

[Montz816]

@rlopez28 is 100% correct speaking as a 9-1-1 dispatcher for PD and EMS in Austin Travis Co and at one point worked very very closely with TCSO. Any officer initiated or on sight via MDT is rebroadcast over channel for accountability and for units who could be driving and didn't see the officer initiated on screen. Also dispatch will alert the officer if they see something on the LP or DL that needs their attention. For instance "5-David-20 are you clear of that LTC" or "Park-32 are you clear on that hit" (clear meaning aware, see, understand) (hit meaning warrant) this is done so that if the officer ran the LP or DL then walked away from screen.

If you are listening to ATX add A1 R LE 01 which is referred to as "Regional Law 1" which is very often patched to APD, DPS, RRPD, etc.. even though Austin PD is encrypted now when patched it is in the clear. Instances in which these patches happen in pursuits it has pretty much became 2nd habit to patch or switch to Reg law 1 since it is a system wide channel to comply with interoperability framework.

 

[garys]

After the July floods I programmed all of the Interop TGs used in the Travis/Williamson/Bastrop area into my scanners. There is some very interesting radio traffic from time to time. I find it oddly ironic that radio traffic that I would expect to be encrypted is in the clear.

There are also a lot of brush fire operations on the Interop TGs as well.

 

[cferguson4809]

@rlopez28 is 100% correct speaking as a 9-1-1 dispatcher for PD and EMS in Austin Travis Co and at one point worked very very closely with TCSO. Any officer initiated or on sight via MDT is rebroadcast over channel for accountability and for units who could be driving and didn't see the officer initiated on screen. Also dispatch will alert the officer if they see something on the LP or DL that needs their attention. For instance "5-David-20 are you clear of that LTC" or "Park-32 are you clear on that hit" (clear meaning aware, see, understand) (hit meaning warrant) this is done so that if the officer ran the LP or DL then walked away from screen.

If you are listening to ATX add A1 R LE 01 which is referred to as "Regional Law 1" which is very often patched to APD, DPS, RRPD, etc.. even though Austin PD is encrypted now when patched it is in the clear. Instances in which these patches happen in pursuits it has pretty much became 2nd habit to patch or switch to Reg law 1 since it is a system wide channel to comply with interoperability framework

I am a paramedic in Bastrop, I also work part time in Creedmoor for a private company so I have just recently been listening to SO Baker, Fire East, and Medcom East

 

[wtp]

it sounds like a simulcast problem.
sometimes you hear them, then you don't.
what are you using to hear them ?

 

[cferguson4809]

it sounds like a simulcast problem.
sometimes you hear them, then you don't.
what are you using to hear them ?

An affiliated APX7000

 

[KTR722]

TCSO is migrating to ENC. Not that you can listen to it but TG 2437 is TRV SO ADM* and TG 2438 is TRV SO BKR*.

 

[cferguson4809]

TCSO is migrating to ENC. Not that you can listen to it but TG 2437 is TRV SO ADM* and TG 2438 is TRV SO BKR*.

I was hearing rumors. I am hoping that my agency decides we don't need LE because they always make things worse when they reprogram.