Ok for the second time in a while the police dispatch would not give any kind of good details about what the police were doing. There were 3-6 police officers at any given time and a fire truck, ambulance, and fire marshal. All they would tell me was that it was 'medical' and that the ambulance had requested police. The police officer told me 'we are just talking to somebody'. Wow is all I can say because if my tax dollars are at work, I want to know exactly what they are going for.

Even if it is a 'sensitive' issue, when police are parked in or around my neighborhood, I feel that I have the right to know what is going on. I'm guessing it involved a minor, so it's confidential..but still. When there's one butch cop and another in fatigues, the rest wearing 'tactical' gear .. you get a tad interested and want to know what the hell is happening.

Why pay the police if they cannot be held accountable for what they are doing?

Another fairfax county complaint from a disgruntled citizen..

Economist Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
Wow is
> all I can say because if my tax dollars are at
> work, I want to know exactly what they are going
> for.
>
> Even if it is a 'sensitive' issue, when police are
> parked in or around my neighborhood, I feel that I
> have the right to know what is going on.

What makes you think that? If the police and fire department had to be called to YOUR house would you want them divulging all of your personal matters to your NOSY neighbors? Suppose you had an argument with your wife, would you want them spreading it around the neighborhood? Suppose a member of your family had mental issues and the authorities responded, is it their job to share this information with your neighbors just because the neighbor feels self-important and "feel they have a right to know?"

Unless a crime has been committed, I don't feel as though you have a right to know anything. And even then, I don't feel the police don't have to tell you anything until after their investigation is complete.

I'm quite certain is the police and fire departments needed your help they would ask for it.

Economist Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
The police officer
> told me 'we are just talking to somebody'. Wow is
> all I can say because if my tax dollars are at
> work, I want to know exactly what they are going
> for.
>
>

You are a nosy jackass. The cops have no obligation to tell you shit. Just hope that when your dildo stops running when it is stuck in your ass that the cops/EMTs will extend you the same courtesy when they roll your AIDS-ridden ass across the cul-de-sac to the ambulance.

hmmmmmmmm I think U'd want to know if there was a psycho drug lunatic running around living in your neighborhood right?????????????

Jim Wrote:
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> What makes you think that? If the police and fire
> department had to be called to YOUR house would
> you want them divulging all of your personal
> matters to your NOSY neighbors? Suppose you had
> an argument with your wife, would you want them
> spreading it around the neighborhood? Suppose a
> member of your family had mental issues and the
> authorities responded, is it their job to share
> this information with your neighbors just because
> the neighbor feels self-important and "feel they
> have a right to know?"

if there is a "domestic dispute" i think it's too late to worry about the neighbors. as for "mental issues," i think a very generalized answer would be ok. who am i to say it would be ok? well, i have mental issues but if i lose it, you'll be first to know. xD


> Unless a crime has been committed, I don't feel as
> though you have a right to know anything. And
> even then, I don't feel the police don't have to
> tell you anything until after their investigation
> is complete.

i think giving the report as to why they were called (before they actually got there) would be ok.

i dont understand all this secrecy crap but hell, dont listen to the crazy guy, hes crazy.


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

Get a scanner, lookup the local frequencies they use here, then learn the codes the department use around here. http://www.bearcat1.com/radiova.htm You can listen to dispatch to your heart's content, just the thing nosy fuckers like you should love.

I'm sure you'll find out sooner or later from another nosy neighbor what the deal was.

Police are paid to respond to stuff like that, not be your personal Drudge Report. So they were doing exactly what you as a taxpayer are paying them to do.

Mofo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Get a scanner, lookup the local frequencies they
> use here, then learn the codes the department use
> around here. You can listen to dispatch to your
> heart's content, just the thing nosy fuckers like
> you should love.

right and after that jump in the time machine and jump back a couple days.


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

they should have nightsticked your ass into oblivion

Well, getting a scanner would be a good idea in BFE, but Fairfax County converted an 800Mhz trunked dispatch and communications system about five years ago and scanners are pretty much useless unless you are willing to drop serious $$$. I am far from a technical wizard, but my understanding is that there are hundreds (thousands?) of 'frequencies' and a computer controls how they are managed. Even when an incident moves to Channel 'x', you still cannot eavesdrop unless you have a compatible radio.

It's easier to listen to people's conversations on old cordless phones of 900Mhz or less anyway.

Gideon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well, getting a scanner would be a good idea in
> BFE, but Fairfax County converted an 800Mhz
> trunked dispatch and communications system about
> five years ago and scanners are pretty much
> useless unless you are willing to drop serious
> $$$. I am far from a technical wizard, but my
> understanding is that there are hundreds
> (thousands?) of 'frequencies' and a computer
> controls how they are managed. Even when an
> incident moves to Channel 'x', you still cannot
> eavesdrop unless you have a compatible radio.

Fairfax County currently has an 800MHz Digital (APCO25) Trunked Radio System that they use for Fairfax County Police, Fire, Rescue, Sheriff, School Security, Fairfax City Police, Herndon Police, and Vienna Police.
What this means, is that they have about 20 actual frequencies, but they have about 180 channels. Whenever a cop, firefighter, EMT, or anyone with a radio transmits, the signal goes to a central computer, which tells the radio that is transmitting to go to a specific frequency, and tells everyone else listening to that channel to go to that frequency. Fairfax County also has a digital system, which means that everyone voice is converted to data before it is sent over the air.

Basically, what this means is you need a special Digital Trunking scanner to monitor them. Any scanner that can do "Digital" or "P25" will probably be good, I have a Uniden BCD396T (List $529.95), and I am able to listen to pretty much anything. If there's a fire, I hear it. If police are going somewhere, I hear about it.

One other thing to note is that almost every police car has a computer in it, so with many calls, all you'll hear is the initial dispatch (units assigned, address of incident, details of incident). Officers generally will run tags, run people, give dispositions of calls, etc, on their computer.

If you want some more info about scanning, check out http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=TRSDB&sid=182

Its always been that way.