POLICE PATROL POLICE

COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

By:

AUDIE HARRISON B. ROJAS

POLICE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

What is Communication?
 Communication is the exchange of information between
individuals, for example, by means of speaking, writing, or
using a common system of signs or behavior. It is the act of
giving or sending information. It refers to the transfer of
thought or idea from one person to another. It is the process
of sharing ideas, information, and messages with others in a
particular time and place.

What is the Nature of Communication?

Communication is a vital part of personal life and is
also important in business, education, and any other
situation where people encounter each other.
POLICE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
What is the purpose of communication?
 Communication integrates the managerial functions and
they are specially needed to;
 1.To establish and disseminate goals of an organization

 2.Develops plans for their achievements

 3.Organize human and other resources in the efficient

and effective way
 4.Select,develop,and appraise members of the
organization
 5.Lead, direct and motivate and create a climate in
which people want to contribute
 6.Control performance
EVOLUTION OF COMMUNICATON
 Cuneiform was one of the first forms of writing and was
pictographic, with symbols representing objects. It developed as a
written language in Assyria (an ancient Asian country in present
day Iraq) from 3000 to 1000 BC.

 The oldest known examples of script-style writing date from about

3000 BC. Was Papyrus sheets (a kind of early paper made from
reeds) from about 2500 BC have been found in the Nile Delta in
Egypt bearing written hieroglyphs, another pictographic-
ideographic form of writing.

 The Chinese writing system is called logographic because the

full symbols, or characters, each represent a word. Cuneiform
and Egyptian hieroglyph eventually incorporated phonetic
elements.


 THE EVOLUTION OF ORAL
COMMUNICATION

 In primitive times, the pounding of hollow

logs or the beating of animal skin drums was
used to convey a message. Later man discovered
that when he cut the tip from the horn of an
animal and blew through it, the sound carried for
quite a distance. We find its use mentioned
throughout the Bible, and it was certainly the
main warning instrument used in the “Hue and
Cry” even into the twelfth century. In the
Orient, the brass gong and finally the bell,
became the warning instrument.
 In Western civilization, until very recently, the church
bell, high in the steeple, not only called the people to church
services, but warned the town or village of imminent dangers.
The American Indian used smoke signals, bird calls and
drums in his effort to communicate and send out warnings
 In the history of Anglo-American police patrol, the horn was
replaced by the hand-bell and rattle, and then finally the
metal whistle.

Semaphore systems (visual codes) of flags or flashing

lights were employed to send messages over relatively short but
difficult-to-cross distances, such as from hilltop to hilltop or
between ships at sea. In the early 1790’s the French scientist
and engineer Claude Chappe persuaded the French
government to install a system of towers that used semaphore
signals to send visual telegraphs along approved routes
throughout the country. The system was copied in Great Britain
and the United States.
DEVELOPMENT OF POLICE
COMMUNICATIONS
 Police communications are the backbone of police tactics. Without proper communications, the
modern police department would be lost. When police vehicles were first used, there were no radio
communications as we know it today. The system of notifying patrol vehicles of emergencies and calls
for service was handled by the installation of red lights at the major intersections of the town or city.
When headquarters wanted to contact a police car, they would pull a switch that would send power to
the red lights at the intersections.
 A brief history of the development of police communication is as follows:
 1877 – The Albany New York Police Department installed five telephones in the mayor’s office
connected to precinct stations. Police saw the value of the telephone and how promptly it was utilized as
a tool of law enforcement.
1880 – The Chicago Police Department installed the first “Police Call Box” on a city street. Only
officers and “reputable citizens” were given keys to the booth. Before this time a signal box was used that
would signal the emergency without voice communications.
1928 – On April 7, 1928, the world’s first workable police radio system went on the air. The Detroit
Police Department went on the air as station W8FS. The transmitter was installed on Belle Isle in the Detroit
River, and the receiver was installed in cruiser No.5.
 1931 – The first police motorcycle was equipped with a radio by the Indianapolis Police Department
in September, 1931.
 1935 – Because the police departments did not understand the government restrictions, they (at first)
refused to obey them and police radio men from all over the country banded together to form the APCO
(Association of Police Communications Officers) recently changed to the (Association of Public-
Safety Communications Officers)
1939 – Daniel E. Noble, of Connecticut State College, developed the first FM (Frequency
Modulation) mobile two-way transmitters and receivers for the Connecticut State Police. This was
to bring about a change in the whole mobile radio picture.
 THE CONCEPTS OF
COMMUNICATION

What is Interpersonal Communication

A face-to-face at the same and in the same place
daily communication. The most basic form of
interpersonal communication is a dyad (an
encounter or conversation between two people).
Communicating well in a dyad requires good
conversational skills. Communicators must know
how to start and end the conversation, how to make
themselves understood, how to respond to the
partner’s statements, how to be sensitive to their
partner’s concerns, how to take turns, and how to
listen.
THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS
In the aggregate communication may be defined as the process by which senders
and receivers interact in given social contexts by the following:
1.encoding ,
2.transmission,
3.medium,
4.reception-, reach the senses of the receiver and are conveyed to the brain for
interpretation.
5.decoding-The process of interpretation occurs when the individual who has
received the stimuli develops some meaning for the verbal and nonverbal symbols
and decodes the stimuli
6.feedback.

-The word medium comes from the Latin word medius, meaning middle or between.
It is a channel – such as a radio, book, or a telephone – is called medium; media is
plural.

The Sender- Communication starts with the sender who has the idea or thought,
which is then encoded in a way by which both the sender and the receiver will
understand
THE RECEIVER-The person to whom a message is directed is
called the receiver or the interpreter. In order to comprehend the
information from the sender, the receiver must first be able to
receive the sender's information and then decode or interpret it
FEEDBACK-The communication process reaches its final
point when the message has been successfully transmitted,
received, and understood. The receiver, in turn, responds to the
sender, indicating comprehension. Feedback may be direct, such
as a written or verbal response, or it may take the form of an act
or deed in response
NOISE. This can be any sort of interference that affects the
message being sent, received, or understood. It can be as literal
as static over a phone line or esoteric as misinterpreting a local
custom.
Noise as a problem in communication can be external (a
physical sound) or internal (a mental disturbance), and it can
disrupt the communication process at any point.
 WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT CHANNELS IN
COMMUNICATION

Word Processed Documents:

Presented on paper or screen.
Advantage: Word has many different tools, so if you want to make a
poster for example then it would be much more sufficient than other
text documents.
Disadvantage: Unlike Google Docs, word is not collaborative,
therefore communication regarding the document may be difficult.

Email:
Electronic Message.
Advantage: It allows people to communicate quickly, and its free.
Also you can send images and documents as well as written
messages.
Disadvantage: Too complicated for some people to understand.
Web Pages:
Written in HTML or another scripting language.
Advantage: Public access so very easy for people to communicate.
Disadvantage: You have to pay for a server to host the page, also its
a liability.
Presentations: A slide show that can be viewed with or without a
presenter.

Advantage: They can be interactive, and they're easy for people to

understand.
Disadvantage: Without a presenter, some people might not understand
the content.
Podcast:
A method of publishing audio files on the internet.

Advantage: Auditory learning, some people learn better with audio than
written communication.
Disadvantage: Not everybody knows how to use them.
Video Conferencing:
Advantage: Its like an actual conversation, face to face, as well as audio.
Disadvantage: Connection can cause issues.

 The Telephone –it is a device that would transmit the
human voice over wires instead of electrical clicks or other
signals. The telephone network has also provided the
electronic network for new computer-based systems like
the: internet; facsimile transmissions; and world wide web.
 The Radio – the earliest systems for sending electrical
signals through the air via electromagnetic waves was
called wireless and later radio.
 The Television –it is the transmission of visual images by
means of electromagnetic waves.
 The Computers – the earliest computers were machines
built to make repetitive numerical calculations that had
previously been done by hand. Computer networks can
carry and digital signals, including video images, sounds,
graphics, animations, and text.
Mobile phone
This is a very recent mode of communication which is
already utilized by private and commercial entities. The
Police and the Military are also using this as one of the
major alternatives of communication.

Text Messaging also known as Short Message

System (SMS). It is a method of communication
allowing cellular, or mobile, phone users to exchange
brief notes, typically up to 160 characters in length.
Now, you can send as much as 450 characters.
Channels of Communication:

Verbal Channels – one-on-one conversations,

telephone conversations, radio dispatch, interviews,
meetings, news conferences and speeches are the most
common verbal channels of communication.

Written Channels – includes notes, memos, letters, e-

mails, faxes, reports, manuals, bulletins, policies and
the like. Written communication has the advantage of
being permanent but the disadvantage of being slower
and usually more expensive.
Barriers to Communication

- time
- volume of information
- tendency to say what we think others
want to hear
- prejudices (sender and/or receiver)
failure to select the best
- strained sender-receiver relationships
Special Problems in Communicating

Communication security

Interference on the line

Communicating with those of the opposite gender

Communicating with the elderly

Communicating with non-english speaking

Communicating with those from a different culture

POLICE COMMUNICATIONS

“Police communications are the backbone of police tactics. Without proper

communications, the modern police department would be lost.”
The Police Radio Dispatcher – The radio dispatcher is the
personnel in a police communication center or coordinating center
tasked to receive and transmit radio messages. Before a policeman
or civilian can become a radio dispatcher, he must be trained
formally or through an OJT. The dispatcher is also called radio
coordinator and radio operator.

Basic Qualifications of a radio dispatcher or operator

Ability to speak clearly and distinctly at all times

Ability to reduce rambling and disconnected material into concise

and accurate messages.

Ability to think and act promptly in emergencies.

Ability to analyze the situation accurately and to take an effective

Voice Qualities of Effective radio dispatcher

Loudness or volume – depends on the size of the

human voice box

Pitch or voice frequency – the level of the voice

depends on the number of cycles per second
emitted by the speaker(high pitch is not pleasant
and clear in talking through mike.)

Timbre – the quality of a speech sound that comes

from its tone rather than its pitch or volume.
Voice requirements of effective radio dispatcher

Alert – give impression of alertness, being enthusiastic and interested in

the person calling.

Pleasant – create a pleasant office image with voice with a smile since
pleasantness is contagious.

Natural – use simple straightforward language; avoid repetition of

mechanical words or phrases; avoid technical terms and slang.

Distinct – speak clearly and distinctly; move the lips, tongue and jaw
freely; talk directly to the telephone.

Expressive – a well modulated voice carries best over the mike; use
normal tone of voice; not too loud nor too soft; vary the tones to bring out
the meaning of sentences and add color vitality to what you say.
THE ABC’S OF RADIO TRANSMISSION

1.Accuracy. It is the correctness and truthfulness of what is being

communicated. The major cause of inaccuracy is haste and impatience.
2.Brevity. This means using few words. Due to the expanding volume of
radio traffic, it is essential that there be no unnecessary or repetitious words
in the transmission. The use of police code can help maintain brevity.
3.Courtesy. It is necessary for rapid and efficient service. Courtesy begets
courtesy. Anger begets anger. The courtesy in police communications is more
of a form of respect than expressed words. It can be shown in the tone of
voice.
Clarity, the second C. It can be best obtained through two main
areas:
Semantics – the science of meanings as contrasted with phonetics, the
science of sound. Proper semantics would be transfer of thoughts or ideas
between people through communication without a loss or perversion of the
original meaning or intent.
Phonetics – is the science of sounds. It is the understanding of a
communication through the proper sounding of words. There are three main
areas of phonetics that hinder good police communications;
-radio interference and distortion;
-poor pronunciation;
-similar sounding words and letters.
ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
In security work, oral and written communication refers
to the means used in communication. This can be a
telephone, teletype, radio, TV, facsimile and internet. Choice
of channel depends on the type of messages or information to
be sent but, by and large, the operator are fixed or pre-set for
use by technical personnel.

WALKIE – TALKIES
The slang term for the two-way radio systems developed
by Motorola in the 1930s designed for home and police radios.
Today, it is known as two-way hand held radio (HHR) or
radio transceiver.
Features and Advantages of Walkie-talkies:
1. Portable and easy to operate;
2. The foot patrolman can both send and receive messages
quite easily; and
3. Enables patrol officers to call for immediate assistance.
ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
TYPICAL RADIO TRANSCIEVER
1. To communicate between two points, there should be a
station transmitter and receiver which must be of
the same frequency to communicate.
2. If the two transmitters and the two transceivers of the
two stations are operating on the same frequency, it is
referred to as “simplex operation”.
3. If the transmitters are using different frequencies this
is referred to as “duplex operation”. As can be seen,
in duplex operation, the two stations can talk at the
same time without interruption, unlike that of simplex.
POLICE RADIO (AND TELEPHONE)
LANGUAGE
The following are keys terms that help you understand and observe proper radio
and telephone procedures:
 TRANSMISSION : A communication (formal message) sent by one police unit
and intended for reception by another police unit.
 ANSWER OR FEEDBACK : A transmission made by a station called in
response to the call received.
 CALL SIGN : A call sign is a word, or a combination of words, intended for
transmission by voice means and it identifies the command, unit, or authority
of the radio station.
 NET CALL SIGN : The collective call sign that represents all the radio stations
operating together on a particular radio net.
 NET CONTROL STATION : A radio station appointed by higher authority to
direct and control the operation and flow of all traffic handled on the radio net.
 PROWORD : A pronounceable word or phrase that has been assigned a
meaning to speed up message handling on radio nets that use radio and
telephone.
 ABBREVIATED PLAINDRESS MESSAGE : A message that has certain
elements of the message heading omitted for speed of handling. Anyone or all of
the following may be omitted: precedence, date, date-time group, and group
account.
 RECEIPT : A communication sent by the receiving operator indicating that the
message or other transmission has been satisfactorily received.
 ACKNOWLEDGMENT : A separate message originated by the addressee to
inform the originator that his message has been received and is understood.
RADIO VOICE PROCEDURE
1. The station calling should give its name first, then the
name of the station being called.
2. The base operator should keep proper logging of all
activities of the mobile units.
3. Operator must know all the stations in the net.
4. Courtesy should mention in order to have pleasant
atmosphere in the net. Never broadcast words that
indicate irritation, disgust or sarcasm. Relation with
other operations must remain cordial at all times.
5. Formal message for transmission should be recorded
and transmission should be recorded and transmitted
exactly as received.
6. If after calling a station or car twice no reply is
received, sign off the air. Then call again in about a
minute. Never fill the air incessant calls.
SOME TERMINOLOGIES IN RADIO
CONVERSATION
1. ROGER – Confirmed, Okay.
2. OVER – Statement is finished and expecting for an answer.
3. OVER & OUT – Message is finished, end of conversation.
4. LOUD & CLEAR – Good Reception.
5. COMING BY OR 5 BY 5 – Coming in clear or good
reception.
6. ALPHA COME BACK – Requesting for another
conversation.
7. ALPHA, BRAVO – Bravo is calling alpha for radio
communication.
8. DO YOU READ ME OR DID YOU COPY? – Do you
understand me?
9. BRAVO COME IN – The party who is calling is given
permission to relay his message.
10. CHARLIE – Asking whether message is correct
11. WHAT IS THE READABILITY OF MY SIGNAL? Asking
for clearness of the signal.
OTHER AIDS TO BETTER
COMMUNICATIONS
In addition, Payton recommends the following for the
better radio (two- way transceiver) communication:
1. Don’t assume anything. Matters are not all of a serious
nature. Make sure that it is plainly stated, and all the
important facts are included.
2. Don’t make extra long transmissions. Taking breathing
spells may allow someone cut in (break in) in case of
emergency. It will be easier on the person who is copying
(receiving) the message.
3. Don’t hang your hat on the mike. Sometimes the weight
of the hat will depress the mike button, and two things can
result: interference with other message transmissions; and
everything the officers says to his partner will be broadcast.
4. Don’t shout into the mike. If the voice transmissions are
weak, turn up the volume.
5. Pronounce the words slowly and distinctly. The
normal speaking rate is 40 and 60 words per minute.
OTHER AIDS TO BETTER
COMMUNICATIONS
6. Proper use of the microphone. Keep the microphone
about 2-3 inches away from the mouth in order to maintain
a proper modulation level, and speak across the face of the
microphone.
7. Keep your voice as emotionless as possible. This is
because a monotone voice has the greatest intelligibility.
8. Be impersonal. A police radio station is not licensed for
person-to-person communication, so personal names should
not be used. Refer to the person being called by his radio
call number or car number.
9. Use the Standard Phonetic Alphabet. Since numbers
are often confused when spoken over the radio, use the
Standard Phonetic Alphabet for Numerals developed by the
Bell Telephone Company. Always use “zero” instead of “oh”
for the Number “0”.
1. Wun 4- Fo- wer 7- Sev-ven 0- Zero (never oh)
2. Too 5- Fie-yiv 8- Ate
3. Thuh-ree6- Siks 9- Nie-yen
RADIO PHONETICS ALPHABET
When necessary to identify a letter of the alphabet, the
standard phonetic alphabet should be used. This helps to prevent
the receiving operator from copying your words incorrectly. Bs, PS,
Ts, and other letters that sound alike can be confusing when heard
on radio telephone nets.
PHONETIC PHONETIC
LETTER EQUIVALENT LETTER EQUIVALENT
A ALPHA L LIMA
B BRAVO M MIKE
C CHARLIE N NOVEMBER
D DELTA O OSCAR
F FOXTROT P PAPA
G GOLF Q QUEBEC
H HOTEL R ROMEO
I INDIA S SIERRA
J JULIET U UNIFORM
K KILO
RADIO PHONETICS ALPHABET

PHONETIC
LETTER EQUIVALENT
V VICTOR
W WHISKEY
X XRAY
Y YANKEE
Z ZULU
V VICTOR
W WHISKEY
X XRAY
Y YANKEE
Z ZULU
APCO TEN CODES
Ten-codes, properly known as ten signals, are
code words used to represent common phrases in voice
communication, particularly by law enforcement and in
Citizens' Band (CB) radio transmissions. The codes,
developed in 1937 and expanded in 1974 by the
Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-
International (APCO), allow for brevity and
standardization of message traffic. They have
historically been widely used by law enforcement
officers in North America, although some departments
have controversially attempted to prohibit their use.
APCO TEN CODES
Official Ten-Code List
Association of Public Communications Officers (APCO)
 10-0 Caution
 10-1 Unable to copy -- change location
 10-2 Signal good
 10-3 Stop transmitting
 10-4 Acknowledgement (OK)
 10-5 Relay
 10-6 Busy -- stand by unless urgent
 10-7 Out of service
 10-8 In service
 10-9 Repeat
 10-10 Fight in progress
 10-11 Dog case
 10-12 Stand by (stop)
 10-13 Weather -- road report
APCO TEN CODES
 10-14 Prowler report
 10-15 Civil disturbance
 10-16 Domestic disturbance
 10-17 Meet complainant
 10-18 Quickly
 10-19 Return to ...
 10-20 Location
 10-21 Call ... by telephone
 10-22 Disregard
 10-23 Arrived at scene
 10-24 Assignment completed
 10-25 Report in person (meet)..
 10-26 Detaining subject, expedite
 10-27 Drivers license information
 10-28 Vehicle registration information
 10-29 Check for wanted
 10-30 Unnecessary use of radio
 10-31 Crime in progress
 10-32 Man with gun
 10-33 Emergency
APCO TEN CODES
 10-34 Riot
 10-35 Major crime alert
 10-36 Correct time
 10-37 (Investigate) suspicious vehicle
 10-38 Stopping suspicious vehicle
 10-39 Urgent -- use light, siren
 10-40 Silent run -- no light, siren
 10-41 Beginning tour of duty
 10-42 Ending tour of duty
 10-43 Information
 10-44 Permission to leave for ...
 10-45 Animal carcass at ...
 10-46 Assist motorist
 10-47 Emergency road repairs at
 10-48 Traffic standard repair at
 10-49 Traffic light out at ...
 10-50 Accident (fatal, personal injury, property damage)
 10-51 Wrecker needed
APCO TEN CODES
 10-52 Ambulance needed
 10-53 Road blocked at ...
 10-54 Livestock on highway
 10-55 Suspected DUI
 10-56 Intoxicated pedestrian
 10-57 Hit and run (fatal, personal injury, property damage)
 10-58 Direct traffic
 10-59 Convoy or escort
 10-60 Squad in vicinity
 10-61 Isolate self for message
 10-62 Reply to message
 10-63 Prepare to make written copy
 10-64 Message for local delivery
 10-65 Net message assignment
 10-66 Message cancellation
 10-67 Clear for net message
 10-68 Dispatch information
 10-69 Message received
APCO TEN CODES
 · 10-70 Fire
 10-71 Advise nature of fire
 10-72 Report progress on fire
 10-73 Smoke report
 10-74 Negative
 10-75 In contact with ...
 10-76 En route ...
 10-77 ETA (estimated time of arrival)
 10-78 Need assistance
 10-79 Notify coroner
 10-80 Chase in progress
 10-81 Breathalyzer
 10-82 Reserve lodging
 10-83 Work school xing at ...
 10-84 If meeting ... advise ETA
APCO TEN CODES
 10-85 Delayed due to ...
 10-86 Officer/operator on duty
 10-87 Pick up/distribute checks
 10-88 Present telephone number of ...
 10-89 Bomb threat
 10-90 Bank alarm at ...
 10-91 Pick up prisoner/subject
 10-92 Improperly parked vehicle
 10-93 Blockade
 10-94 Drag racing
 10-95 Prisoner/subject in custody
 10-96 Mental subject
 10-97 Check (test) signal
 10-98 Prison/jail break
 10-99 Wanted/stolen indicated