PTR-Jason wrote:The talk groups are there. but I do not think they are used at all, but they are there.
The EDACS talkgroups for VHF and CLEMARS etc. may even be "hard patched" where the patch is turned on at a maintenance terminal, and even the dispatchers have no control over it.
PTR-Jason wrote:BUT with the new system, if it ever comes on board, I do not know how easy patching would be.
It will be easy.
PTR-Jason wrote: In RSO dispatch they are able to dispatch Riverside PD if needed, with the flip of a switch, they will take all the 911 calls. RSO West will also take all the calls for RSO Desert if needed and vise versa in the event a comm center goes down.
RSO can only take the 911 calls. Since they don't have access to RPD's radio system, they would have to pass calls by telephone to RPD dispatchers. This backup system is intended to protect against 911 problems, not loss of RPD's dispatch center.
PTR-Jason wrote:But back to topic, yes talk groups are there, but unless of something like a city being blown off the map literally, they will never be used. It is all down with patches now, when the officer does not even have to do anything at all, just key up and talk and they can talk to someone on 800 EDACS when they are on VHF. It is all done between the two dispatch centers.
I'm not quite sure what you're saying there. The EDACS system is capable of allowing an RSO deputy on 800 to talk to an agency on VHF or UHF via the console patches. If the patches are nailed up all they time, then a deputy could talk on VHF without dispatcher intervention.
In addition to that capability, all agencies in Riverside County have an EDACS radio at their dispatch centers, so the patching could take place at that agency, and under their control.