I'm curious, in case anyone on here is "in the know". When Sacramento P.D. goes from 4-channel to 3-channel to 2-channel dispatch operations in the evening/overnight hours, why do they not just patch the channels (talkgroups) together? Instead, they have all units on the closed channel(s) switch to a different channel.
For example, when three or four-channel operations, SPD District 3 (Downtown) will be on SP 3 (Channel 3). During the overnight hours, SP 3 will shut down, and all officers switch their radios over to SP 1 (Channel 1) and check-in with the SP 1 dispatcher.
If an officer talks on a "closed" channel, it's monitored by a dispatcher but the officer is told to go over to the open channel for that area.
It seems like it would be easier to do what Sacramento County S.O. does and just patch the channels together. For example, during overnight hours, Sacramento County S.O. will patch SD 1 (Dispatch 1) and SD 2 (Dispatch 2) together for districts north of the river, and SD 3 (Dispatch 3) and SD 4 (Dispatch 4) for districts south of the river. They actually used to patch all four dispatch channels together around 3 AM until later in the early morning hours.
For example, when three or four-channel operations, SPD District 3 (Downtown) will be on SP 3 (Channel 3). During the overnight hours, SP 3 will shut down, and all officers switch their radios over to SP 1 (Channel 1) and check-in with the SP 1 dispatcher.
If an officer talks on a "closed" channel, it's monitored by a dispatcher but the officer is told to go over to the open channel for that area.
It seems like it would be easier to do what Sacramento County S.O. does and just patch the channels together. For example, during overnight hours, Sacramento County S.O. will patch SD 1 (Dispatch 1) and SD 2 (Dispatch 2) together for districts north of the river, and SD 3 (Dispatch 3) and SD 4 (Dispatch 4) for districts south of the river. They actually used to patch all four dispatch channels together around 3 AM until later in the early morning hours.