400-10 Unit and Radio Numbering Flashcards
POLICY
The _____ has the responsibility for maintaining the roster of on-duty unit numbers for the department to facilitate accountability, employee safety, and the flow of information.
The _____ has the responsibility for maintaining the radio number assignments for the department.
1) Emergency Communications Division
2) Office of Technology Services
ASSIGNMENT OF RADIO NUMBERS
Radio number assignments shall be given to all personnel who…
are assigned a portable radio or who may utilize a mobile or portable radio as deemed necessary by their division commander
ASSIGNMENT OF RADIO NUMBERS
Radio number assignments are permanent for _____and above for the duration of the employee’s rank.
Radio number assignments to officers, sergeants, and civilian personnel are temporary and are assigned from a block of numbers dedicated to _____.
If an officer, sergeant, or civilian transfers to a new division, they shall be issued a new radio number from the block of numbers associated with the new division.
1) lieutenants
2) their respective divisions
ASSIGNMENT OF RADIO NUMBERS
The _____ shall assign a series of radio numbers to each division. The assignment list (a series of 3- or 4-digit numbers) is particular to each division.
The _____ maintains a master list of radio number assignments made at the division level. The division radio coordinator shall provide to the Office of Technology Services an updated list of radio number assignments made at the division level whenever there is a change in assignments, or shall update the radio number field in the Police Personnel System (PPS) associated with the employee.
For example, ECD is assigned radio number series 8500 - 8649 for use by employees in that division. Assignments are made to the employees for the duration of that assignment (e.g., Sergeant Smith: 8510, Officer Jones: 8525). If Officer Jones transfers to the Homicide Division, ECD may reassign 8525 to a new, incoming employee in the division and the Homicide Division shall assign a radio number to Officer Jones from their assigned series of numbers.
1) Office of Technology Services
2) Office of Technology Services
USE OF DEPARTMENT RADIOS
The operation and use of department radios is restricted to _____ only. Unnecessary or improper communication is prohibited.
department employees for official police business
MAINTAINING COMMUNICATIONS
On-duty officers shall maintain radio contact with dispatch personnel at all times while in the call for service loop or while conducting field investigations. There are times when officers performing these duties are away from the radios in their vehicles or circumstances make it impractical to keep an assigned portable radio turned on (e.g., court attendance, participating in a school or civic function, in-service training). When such circumstances arise, officers shall _____ before turning their radios off. Upon becoming available, officers shall notify the dispatcher immediately.
contact their immediate supervisors and their dispatchers
MAINTAINING COMMUNICATIONS
Field sergeants shall monitor the police radio at all times and respond to scenes when appropriate or when requested to do so by a field unit. A field sergeant shall make the scene of all significant or newsworthy events. At no time during their shift shall field sergeants be out of radio contact with the police dispatcher except during such impractical circumstances as outlined above or unless:
a. Ordered to turn off the radio by a _____. If this occurs, the dispatcher shall be notified the radio shall be off and on whose authority.
b. A _____ occurs that requires the sergeant to turn off the radio. When possible, the sergeant shall notify the dispatcher of the situation in which radio contact is not possible.
Upon becoming available, the sergeant shall notify the dispatcher immediately.
When communicating, employees shall maintain the volume of their radios at a sufficient audible level so dispatched transmissions can be heard. Officers assigned take-home vehicles shall refer to General Order 400-07, Vehicle Use and Assignment regarding maintaining communications.
1) lieutenant or higher-ranking officer
2) tactical situation
RADIO COVERAGE
Personnel should become familiar with the channel arrangement of their radios and the appropriate channel to use. In the event a channel becomes non-operational, ECD, after confirmation with the Office of Technology Services and the Houston Emergency Center, shall direct units to an alternate channel. If a channel designated for citywide use becomes non-operational, personnel should…
switch to the patrol dispatch channel assigned to that designated service area.
USE OF PORTABLE RADIOS DURING EXTRA EMPLOYMENT
An officer working an approved extra employment may utilize his department issued portable police radio; however, radio usage shall not disrupt normal dispatch operations. Specifically, officers shall refrain from utilizing radio communications to…
Officers shall contact their _____ to obtain incident numbers, warrant verifications, and license plate or person inquiries. In the event an officer is not assigned to a patrol station, the officer shall contact _____ for assistance.
Off-duty officers using their assigned portable radios at approved extra employment shall utilize radio numbers assigned to them from their division’s series of radio numbers.
1) request incident numbers, call-back information, telephone numbers, or cab services.
2) assigned patrol stations
3) ECD’s Watch Command
USE OF PORTABLE RADIOS DURING EXTRA EMPLOYMENT
Unless the _____ approves otherwise, an employee shall not be allowed to check out a portable radio from the designated division spare units for use during extra employment, but shall utilize the portable radio the employee was permanently issued.
However, should an employee’s assigned portable radio malfunction, the employee shall be allowed to swap out portable radios from the division spares maintaining the proper chain of custody for the equipment in the _____ system.
1) division commander
2) Police Roll Call Equipment (PRE)
EXTERNAL USE OF RADIO FREQUENCIES
All requests for the use of a department radio or radio frequency by a person or entity outside the department shall be submitted in writing to the Office of the Chief of Police with an accompanying Houston Police Department Radio Talk Group Access Request form supplied by the _____.
Office of Technology Services
