Do as I say not as I do
- Thread starter Hoover
- Start date
BushwoodGirl
Member
Not saying whether right or wrong, but...
MARYLAND CELL PHONE LAW FACT SHEET
" What exceptions are allowed?
Phone calls placed to 9-1-1, ambulance, hospital, fire, or law enforcement agencies are allowed, as are calls made by emergency and law enforcement personnel. A driver is allowed to turn a handheld phone on or off and to initiate or terminate a call. "
Freefaller
Active Member
Overblowing your case aren't you
Spending "Billions" to upgrade the communications system?
The Local police did not write the law, the legislature in Annapolis did that. I suppose your complaint should be aimed at them, don't you think?
Our local cops use their personal phones all the time for communications. Believe it or not, it's more secure. Anyone with a computer can monitor the police radio right now but can't track cell phone calls. All of this is done at the expense of the deputies because most of the agencies do not supply phones or pay for cell service. I'm not sure if that's true for all agencies but I know it is for some.
You also forgot to mention that every time you see them driving off duty that they're speeding.
Spending "Billions" to upgrade the communications system?
The Local police did not write the law, the legislature in Annapolis did that. I suppose your complaint should be aimed at them, don't you think?
Our local cops use their personal phones all the time for communications. Believe it or not, it's more secure. Anyone with a computer can monitor the police radio right now but can't track cell phone calls. All of this is done at the expense of the deputies because most of the agencies do not supply phones or pay for cell service. I'm not sure if that's true for all agencies but I know it is for some.
You also forgot to mention that every time you see them driving off duty that they're speeding.
Clem_Shady
New Member
Sounds pretty sleazy and ripe for abuse if you ask me.
All of their communications should be recorded to protect the rights of the citizens they serve.
Freefaller
Active Member
Stfu
I didn't ask you.
I didn't ask you.
BushwoodGirl
Member
Not sure who you were responding to... all of the above??
I didn't take TPD's post as saying anything against LEOs, but just asking why we are still spending so much on Radio Communications, if cellular is the preferred method of communciation.. I personally don't know enough about how each is used in this arena to comment on that..
Freefaller
Active Member
Surely you jest
When the post starts out with "I don't usually complain about our police officers", I would consider this a complaint. We spend money on radio communications because that is how most police communicate with dispatch as well as each other. If the emergency dispatcher needs to broadcast a lookout for a bank robber or a shooter somewhere, they do it on the radio so that ALL ON DUTY POLICE can hear the call . I don't think they want to make individual cell calls to the officers personal phones. Now imagine a scenario where a deputy is headed to a domestic violence call (a 10-16) where there is a violent felon. Another deputy who can't respond to that call knows that that particular person has a history of violence with the police. He can now make a call to the officer who is responding to the call and let that officer know what he/she is headed into. Just for officer safety if nothing else. He can also do it without warning the felon. If it were broadcast over the radio, anyone with a computer or a scanner can hear it. Why do you seem to have a problem with police using their cell phones?
There is an idiot above who thinks that the police use of cell phones is ripe for abuse and thinks that everything should be recorded. I don't think the public has the "RIGHT" to monitor police communications. For example, Charles County Sheriffs have an encrypted system that can't be monitored with a scanner.
When the post starts out with "I don't usually complain about our police officers", I would consider this a complaint. We spend money on radio communications because that is how most police communicate with dispatch as well as each other. If the emergency dispatcher needs to broadcast a lookout for a bank robber or a shooter somewhere, they do it on the radio so that ALL ON DUTY POLICE can hear the call . I don't think they want to make individual cell calls to the officers personal phones. Now imagine a scenario where a deputy is headed to a domestic violence call (a 10-16) where there is a violent felon. Another deputy who can't respond to that call knows that that particular person has a history of violence with the police. He can now make a call to the officer who is responding to the call and let that officer know what he/she is headed into. Just for officer safety if nothing else. He can also do it without warning the felon. If it were broadcast over the radio, anyone with a computer or a scanner can hear it. Why do you seem to have a problem with police using their cell phones?
There is an idiot above who thinks that the police use of cell phones is ripe for abuse and thinks that everything should be recorded. I don't think the public has the "RIGHT" to monitor police communications. For example, Charles County Sheriffs have an encrypted system that can't be monitored with a scanner.
So you're saying they only use their cell phones for police business?
BushwoodGirl
Member
I don't have a problem with police using their cell phones... There was no judgement intended in my post about the law allowing them to.. Just stating that the Maryland law does allow them to.. and hadn't really thought about it all before...
And actually I wasn't jesting... since I'm not in LE or Emergency response, I don't know which tools (radio communcations, wireless intranet, internet, cellular) are used in the various scenarios..
But now, you do have my curiosity up.. is there a reason that LEOs couldn't use hands free devices to make those cell phone calls ? (Once again, this is just a question, not meant to pass judgement.)
Thanks!!
TPD
the poor dad
My point was why do we need so many forms of communication for our emergency personnel? Lets pick one and stop wasting taxpayer money. If all police cars and officers are equipped with cells and laptops, why continue spending money on radios that only seem to get us 70% coverage and tech support for 8 years before becoming obsolete?
TPD
the poor dad
Citizen's arrest for not staying in the lane of travel?
Freefaller
Active Member
Freefaller
Active Member
How childish can you be
Let me say again, police departments do not provide cell phones or pay for the cell service for officers. (There may be some exceotions but I'm not aware of any)
You've got to be kidding. Have you really given this any adult thought? Imagine that a deputy has to get into a foot pursuit with someone who is armed and just raped your wife. Now, imagine, we've taken his radio from him. I can hear it now." Stop, Police, Stop while I dial my phone and call for help" or "Stop while I go back to my car to access my laptop". Police can not do their job without proper communications. Their safety depends on it and we owe it to them to provide them with the proper equipment. Saying that we need to eliminate police radios is just , well, idiotic.
Laptops provide a way for communications that can't be monitored by the general public. A huge safety issue. Also, it allows officers to know where other officers are located and what they're doing, if they're available for backup or whatever. It allows them to check others status at a glance without havinng to tie up radio traffic.
Let me say again, police departments do not provide cell phones or pay for the cell service for officers. (There may be some exceotions but I'm not aware of any)
You've got to be kidding. Have you really given this any adult thought? Imagine that a deputy has to get into a foot pursuit with someone who is armed and just raped your wife. Now, imagine, we've taken his radio from him. I can hear it now." Stop, Police, Stop while I dial my phone and call for help" or "Stop while I go back to my car to access my laptop". Police can not do their job without proper communications. Their safety depends on it and we owe it to them to provide them with the proper equipment. Saying that we need to eliminate police radios is just , well, idiotic.
Laptops provide a way for communications that can't be monitored by the general public. A huge safety issue. Also, it allows officers to know where other officers are located and what they're doing, if they're available for backup or whatever. It allows them to check others status at a glance without havinng to tie up radio traffic.
PrepH4U
New Member
Please tell me this was in response to Clem...
You have earned points now don't blow it by trying to appear superior by calling everyone idots or their thoughts are idiotic. Otherwise you will sound just like him.
Calm and cool....
I am not at all familiar with police communications procedures. With that said, let me now say that on the ambulance(I am a active member of 2 rescue squads, so I am very familiar with communications procedures for the ambulance), sometimes we need to be given information by our dispatchers that needs to stay secure. When there is info like this, it CANNOT be broadcast over the radio, because then anyone with a scanner will hear the info. For that reason, if there is info we need that has to stay secure, we will call our dispatcher on the phone, and then they will give us the info. We need this info sometimes before we get to the scene. Maybe we need a doorcode, or in rare instances, need the patient's name before we get there, or when we get to the hospital if we were unable to obtain the name any other way. This info, again, CANNOT be broadcast over the radio. This is why we have the use of cellphones while on the road. My assumption is the same rule applys for the police. 
Freefaller
Active Member
To clarify for you
You can't be pulled over for being on your cell phone in MD. It is not a primary offense. The Police have to have another reason to stop you, then you can be ticketed for the cell phone use. I say again, it's not the police who pass the laws. Your complaint should be addressed to your representatives in Annapolis! They are the ones who passed the law and who made our first responders exempt.
You can't be pulled over for being on your cell phone in MD. It is not a primary offense. The Police have to have another reason to stop you, then you can be ticketed for the cell phone use. I say again, it's not the police who pass the laws. Your complaint should be addressed to your representatives in Annapolis! They are the ones who passed the law and who made our first responders exempt.
Freefaller
Active Member
To: preph4u
That response was just for him.
Point taken!
Please tell me this was in response to Clem...
You have earned points now don't blow it by trying to appear superior by calling everyone idots or their thoughts are idiotic. Otherwise you will sound just like him.
Calm and cool....
That response was just for him.
Point taken!