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7/29/2013 TCSO Dispatch

Call 9-1-1 First!

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picard-facepalmIt happened again!  Someone called someone else who called someone else, who called 9-1-1!  SMH

An armed robber walked up to a food stand, brandished a firearm, and demanded cash.  The clerk didn’t understand English, and the bad guy ran off.  Rather than call 9-1-1, she called her boss, who called someone else, who called the police!

While all this was going on, an armed suspect was making his get-away, and since nobody bothered to tell anyone the description of the robber, we have no way to spot him while units are enroute.

RULE #1 – Call 9-1-1 first!  It doesn’t matter what language you speak, we can get a translator on the line quicker than you can call someone else, tell them what happened, and then have them call.

Another Hayward City Hall fountain

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Fans of Stargate Atlantis will find the design of this fountain a bit ominous! “Hallowed be the Or’i”

Want to piss off a dispatcher? Act like you’re the only unit on the radio!

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05162013

We have procedures officers in the field are supposed to follow on the radio.  They are designed to allow the quickest, most efficient transfer of information possible.  It really gums up the works, and creates needless stress, when radio traffic is not conducted according to those procedures.

Last night, the 4th of July, was one of those nights that will have me cursing the name of a particular unit for a long time.  Those in the know will probably figure out who I mean just from their own knowledge of the departments and personel involved, but I’m not going to name names (or unit numbers!) (even though my “about” blurb says the guilty will be hung out to dry!  It is my job, so I have to be minimally diplomatic in this rant.  I may still hear about it from upper echelons).  I’m going to hope it’s simply a training issue, and not a case of “I’m the most important thing on this radio channel, and you better be able to handle what ever I do regardless of how many other things are going on!”.

How can any unit in the field not realize that there are 20-25 units on the same radio channel, it’s a national holiday, it’s hot as hell, and their dispatch center is a small room in the basement of the jail building?  Are you not listening?  You just key up and start talking?  Really?

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A neighbor gets nosy…

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Back in December I was forced to evict a relative from my home.  Long story, but after six months of legal actions and $500, he was gone.  I set up a webcam in a bedroom window to keep an eye on things, since he tried several times to come back.

Today, I had a visitor check out the camera close up.

Screen Shot 2013-06-29 at 3.36.02 PM

Maybe he wasn’t being nosy, but rather was looking for a way to get inside and cool off, as it was 106 degrees outside!  Poor guy…  keep a-knockin’, but you can’t come in!  Sorry!

Dispatching at warp speed

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Photo on 6-25-13 at 1.24 AM #2
Dispatching at warp speed. “Sub-space channels open, Captain!”

I think I’m a bit insulted!

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So the previous post has a video, in which I talk about having the perfect face and appearance for radio.  Watching it from my website, I noticed the ad that was embedded.  This of course reflects the Internet’s current scheme of targeting ads to users based on either some clever algorithm and slick NSA style tracking software, or a coven of crones stirring a caldron of vile liquid (I’m not sure which!).  I wonder if this particular ad is age-based, and if so, just how much data-mining are they doing??
Screen Shot 2013-06-22 at 7.15.57 PM

Oh, Internet, how poorly you understand me!

Video killed the radio star, take 2

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Video killed the radio star

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A long time ago, in a universe far, far away…

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jimmiejoe1974-75

From my junior year at Mt. Whitney High School, 1974-1975.  I remember that kid, but it’s hard to recognize him.

Gerald Ford is President, Harvey Milk has yet to win elected office, the fall of Saigon is imminent.  Visalia’s population is 65,000.  Apple Computer is a year away.  99.9% of phones have a cord.

He is 17, in serious denial, and is trying to find girls alluring.  It’s not working.

Quick!  I need a time machine!  I need to talk to this kid!

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