Vinton County - McArthur PD

[saioke]

Would anyone know the primary communication system McArthur PD uses? The RR site claims that they're on MARCS but I haven't heard a peep from them on local sites and they don't even have a TG listed on RR either. They also don't appear to have any dedicated analog frequencies anymore, but they did in the past.

They do have an email, I thought about getting in touch with them and asking, but that probably wouldn't go by too well. I don't think any law enforcement agency would enjoy knowing that they're being listened to, even from law abiding citizens.

 

[W8UU]

McArthur PD has MARCS radios and UHF mobiles in their cruisers. They are 100% dispatched by the Vinton County Sheriff's Office and now have unit numbers in the VCSO number block. The old unit numbers were 600-series when MPD was on 39.62 MHz (and later 462.975 MHz) and now its 82-50, 82-51, 82-52, etc. I don't monitor Vinton County much but I'll check with a good friend who works at VCSO. He will know.

 

[saioke]

I do hear plenty of communication from the Vinton County Sheriff, perhaps it's possible that McArthur PD uses the same TG and I haven't noticed. I've heard from family in McArthur that the Vinton Sheriff kind've took over for McArthur PD for awhile and the PD doesn't really do much of anything anymore, not sure if that's still the case and that may just be hearsay. Anyway, Thanks as always! I'm glad to know someone in the area has connections lol but don't go out of your way to ask, I'm just curious. Would be cool to listen to them if they're active. I imagine McArthur would get all kinds of crazy calls.

 

[W8UU]

McArthur PD is a part time department. I think the Chief may be full time and not sure about the rest. I was involved in a crash in McArthur last year and VCSO responded because MPD didn't have anyone on duty.

 

[saioke]

I feel sorry for the VCSO, they seem to always keep busy and rarely have any time to rest. They seem especially busy tonight, Just now heard a call from VCSO about a rollover out near 50 and Stevens Branch. Driver was apparently drunk. Right after, Jackson OSP got a call on a red Dodge Ram going at high rates of speed, into a ditch. I swear there's just something about a full moon that makes people go crazy.

Sorry to hear about your crash. Hope you weren't hurt too badly.

 

[tazz]

McArthur PD uses the Vinton County Sheriff dispatch talkgroup 48000 (SO82DISP) for their communications.

 

[saioke]

So they do share the talkgroup with the sheriff's department. I wasn't sure, thanks for confirming. They could've talked without me realizing it.

 

[W8UU]

Sorry to hear about your crash. Hope you weren't hurt too badly.

I was parked and a girl hit me at about 40 mph. Totaled the vehicle. I was inside one of the downtown businesses at the time.


McArthur PD shares the Vinton County SO MARCS talk group with radio ID numbers the sound like a deputy with the 8200-series. Never more than one car on the road in the village so it's not a huge imposition.

For what it's worth, Vinton County is now the designated law enforcement agency for all of the county's villages except McArthur. Hamden disbanded their one-officer department about a year ago. Zaleski and Wilkesville are no longer in the law enforcement business. Not sure if McArthur will eventually follow suit or not but the county is already handling calls inside the village from time to time because no one is on duty.

 

[saioke]

Geez, at least you're alright. I'll never understand how anyone could hit a parked car. Must've been on her cell phone if I had to guess. See it far too often around here.

Only one car in Mcarthur active at a time? That's surprising. I know McArthur isn't that large, but still! I mean, unrelated but, how is it that McArthur and Hamden both have a tornado alarm and Wellston doesn't?


Crime is starting to creep up, especially in Hamden. There's a lot of drugs coming in, and squatters that stay in vacant houses. So the lack of a department around here is starting to show. I knew the last officer in Hamden, nice guy. Heard he got in trouble for supposedly not meeting quota and then he got fired not long after that, or he quit, I'm not sure of the whole story and I don't want to ask lol but regardless it was nice to see him around. That's not to say that I never see the VCSO dedicate a vehicle to the area now, they definitely do. But, you rarely see them at night, and Hamden regularly comes alive after the sun sets.

 

[saioke]

I commend them for their work despite the limited resources and officers.