Radio Problems!!! (I've had it!!)

Ok here is a perfect example of how bad the problem is, last Saturday night I keyed up and told dispatch that I was 10-06 at the Sub (it was time to watch Cops) but they didn't hear me and thought I was 10-08 then actually dispatched me to a 22-D which generated a report, it was brutal that night I caught 3 writers in one shift. Man was I ready for the weekend. :mrgreen:

Heck, back in the day me and old what-his-face...you know...guy retired about 13 years ago. Anyway, we were working down on Marco...you boys remember Marco? Shoot, we used to catch them smugglers left and right and tell em, "Billy Bob I'm sorry, your going away for 20 years, but don't worry, you'll all be getting out in 2000 and start running swamp boats and whatnot. So I'm combing my neck hair, swattin' them flies like they were....what...? Naples is calling me?? Shooot, that's like my third call in the last 6 hours.....Freakin radios, I didn't even hear that call. How do you add one of them smiley faces? I remember we had to hand write on leo affairs with pen and paper, not this fancy, hewlett packard IBM i pod junk.

Ok here is a perfect example of how bad the problem is, last Saturday night I keyed up and told dispatch that I was 10-06 at the Sub (it was time to watch Cops) but they didn't hear me and thought I was 10-08 then actually dispatched me to a 22-D which generated a report, it was brutal that night I caught 3 writers in one shift. Man was I ready for the weekend. :mrgreen:

Bro, you were hooooolding sooo much paaaaaaaaapa!

[veteranrookie]

The radio system sucks enough to make any sane person angry... just ask Joe!

He's sane? wow, now I'm thinking you're crazy!

Yes the radios suck. Just give me a TA-312 and some commo wire, you can't go wrong there.

Great radios this weekend. Two patched districts and the FLT can attest to this one…

31-V/31-P in East Naples. While trying to coordinate efforts to capture a fleeing felon with assist from multiple districts, air unit, FLT and K-9 the FN radios decide to go on the fritz AGAIN! At one point about every other transmission was 10-1.

This is such a common occurrence now a days its become a big joke between dispatch and patrol. Here’s the thing, this isn’t a joke. Your radio is one of the most important pieces of gear strapped to your belt. It is your lifeline for help and an essential part of our communication, which in most situations is the only thing in our favor. Our ability to communicate has gotten so bad people are having to keep both mobile and portable radios on at the same time in their car so they don’t miss an important transmission. I can say with certainty that every person who uses their radio on a daily bases and not just to go 86/87 has experienced radio problems every day.

With such frequency, how long will it take before a 10-24 or 10-14, 10-46 goes unheard??? It may happen today or as your reading this. Does a spouse, child or family member have to be handed a flag folded in the shape of a triangle before something is done to correct this?

This is one of the best agencies in the state that cares for its members and gives its deputies the best tools to do their job. Why is one of our most basic needs being overlooked?

If you are reading this and have the power or ability to assist in this situation please help your brothers. We are all counting on you.

Hey 10-09 I complained about the radios years ago and always got the standard answer “document the problem“ or there is nothing we can do. Which when you think about it is a stupid and nonsensical answer. Do I really need to put on a piece of paper that the radios which are heard by the entire Comm. Center and dozens of deputies every day has the same problems with dead spots, and static on a nightly basis? And that was years ago the problem has since then worsened. Gotta love seeing your car radio flash CC Scan or how about the Everglades Tower. My particular favorite is depressing the mic and getting the boop sound and not being able to transmit. Isn’t that comforting? You may or may not remember this but years ago the agency switched to a digital system which was a nightmare and thank God did not last very long. The way I see it is someone will get hurt or killed due to a radio issue before any action is taken...

What ever happened to this John Daly and CII????????

COLLIER COUNTY: Collier County taxpayers paid nearly $1.5 million for a communication system designed to make response times faster in 2007. But NBC2 Investigator Andy Pierrotti uncovered the system is far from operational.
When you call for help, you want the closest deputy or ambulance to respond to your emergency. That's the ultimate goal of Safepoint, a radio-based tracking system.
It allows dispatchers to pinpoint crews closest to you in an emergency. Collier County purchased the technology in 2007 for $1.45 million.
Two and a half years later, about half of the radio receivers are installed.
The goal is to track more than 3,600 county employees with radios.
The tracking system will not only tell the county where a first responder is located, it will also track whether emergency radios are working correctly.
"When I left in 2008, I knew it wasn't even close to doing anything," said Mark Bachelor, a former communication installation manager, who used to work for the company hired to install Safepoint.
He says he was fired for questioning the company's installation procedures.
Bachelor claims the equipment sat in a warehouse untouched for almost two years.
Collier County telecommunications manager John Daly says that not true.
"It was not sitting in a warehouse for two years. Some of it was stored for eight to ten months," said Daly.
Daly says there are several reasons why Safepoint's installation got delayed.
"We had two other upgrades taking place with the radio system. We did develop some resource demands," said Daly.
Daly says the county also needed to complete its new communications center and find places to put Safepoint's receivers.
Bachelor questions the timing of the purchase because the county wasn't ready to install it.
"To me, it's gross mismanagement of county money," he said.
Daly disagrees. He says once installed, it will make first responders and those they serve, safer.
Safepoint is scheduled to be fully operational in about 60 days. Count on NBC 2 to make sure it's working.

http://www.nbc-2.com/Global/story.asp?S=12000637

The radios can be described with one acronym: SNAFU

Will somebody from the command staff please take a stand to resolve this problem? The normal channels of properly reporting the problem to the Comm Sup fell on deaf ears and ended after the first two months because NOTHING or little WAS DONE.

Unlike some of the deputies who do this profession for some kind of status, I am willing to pay the ultimate price for the safety and protection of my brothers and sisters and the people of this county. Most of us do this on a daily bases without giving it a second thought. If you think this statement is off base or I have some kind of death wish you are mistaken. I have a family at home who worries about me at night and depends on me coming home every morning.

Some people treat this profession as just another job and haven’t faced the gravity of a life or death situation because this is Naples and the Boogie Man doesn’t come around here as much as some other places. He will be back though and you should face the realization that you may have to look him in the face and make a decision with life altering consequences.

I am not looking for empathy or some sort of hero status because I made the decision to be in this profession. The only thing I ask from my agency in exchange for my dedication is for you fix a problem which may greatly reduce my life expectancy. I believe most of us have demonstrated service to others; now it’s time for you to give service to self (us). Please fix this problem before a tragedy happens.

You may find this interesting reading as we stuggle to hear ourselves.


COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA Comprehensive Annual Financial Report
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat
Operations Center, as well as the purchase of new 800 MHZ equipment and radio locator systems. Collier County also borrowed $12000000 through the State ...
http://www.myflorida.com/.../county....20part%201.pdf