Please, call out your stops BEFORE you're stopped

[Sabre]

So everybody in the area I work in calls out stops on the radio after they have the vehicle stopped. Why do we revert to this practice? :confused: Is it because we like to nab a vehicle immediately, get it stopped, get situated, then figure out where we are and call it out?

On my last shift, and more than a few other times, I heard on the radio the words "Foot chase!!!!" break the total silence that had existed on the radio for several minutes prior, sans any other information, and then a whole bunch of unintelligable garble. Maybe there was a "north", "south" or other cardinal direction thrown into the mix. So everybody on county main knows that a chase is on, and we're all ready to come help. But nobody knows where the eff you are!!!!

Luckily, all the chases I've heard have ended in "Okay...*heavy breathing*...one in...*heavy breathing*...custody...*heavy breathing*....We're...*still panting*...just south of...*sounds of near hyperventilation*...such and such intersection", rather than "Help! :eek: Shots fired!!! Heeelllppp!!!".

I don't want to have to hear somebody in a fight, and not be able to come. Please, please please call your stop before you're stopped.

Every time I hear it, I know exactly what's going on. Officer finds a violation and gets into a mad dash to stop the violator. Flicks the lights on *Ha! Gotcha!* he thinks to himself as they come to a stop. Officer is all ready to get stopped, run the plate, log the stop on his daily report, sigh and relax a bit, get all situated, then call out the stop. That's how they all go, right? You get a car stopped and the befuddled driver meekly awaits your approach.

But this one goes different. Car slams on brakes and *poof!!!* driver and pax are off to the races!!! *Hmmm, this isn't what I'd planned* thinks the officer, and he's off after them. Trying to figure out where exactly he is and what direction he's going while running full-tilt after unknown suspects and trying to articulate that on the radio *now* rather than when he was supposed to.

Listen, I know I'm new at this, but maybe that gives me a clearer perspective. Call out your stops *before* you stop. You've got time. You can follow that car for a while. At least then, if something happens, and all you can articulate on the radio is "[callsign] HELP!!!!" help will be on the way.

I think I'm the only officer I know that still calls out my location and plate before I activate my lights.

Why do we fall into the activity described above?

[LA Cop]

We often don't where I work because there is too much radio traffic going on for everyone to voice every stop over the radio. So we more often than not use the MDT. But it's tough to type as you're stopping the car, so you wait until you've made contact.

More dangerous, I agree. But I'd get yelled at if I voiced every stop. Unfortunate reality in the busy city.

[Five-0fromSoCal]

We often don't where I work because there is too much radio traffic going on for everyone to voice every stop over the radio. So we more often than not use the MDT. But it's tough to type as you're stopping the car, so you wait until you've made contact.

More dangerous, I agree. But I'd get yelled at if I voiced every stopped. Unfortunate reality in the busy city.

We dont either for the same reasons. Alot of times my partner and I dont want anyone knowing where were at. I know its more dangerous, its just the way we do it. There would be way too much radio traffic.

[Frank Booth]

They should put flare guns in police cars for just such an emergency, but the cops would probably use up all the flares screwing around......

[KenW.]

I used to have to use a dispatch center that discouraged calling yourself out on anything unless you wanted backup.

Thank goodness those days are over.

My current dispatch won't give you service on plates or DLs unless you go out. We don't all have MDTs.

[1042 Trooper]

They should put flare guns in police cars for just such an emergency, but the cops would probably use up all the flares screwing around......
Flares are fun for sure - especially shooting at shift partners from across the intertstate about 3:00 AM when their about half asleep! But up here we also score big when we get a box of M-80 shotgun rounds from Game and Fish. They us them to scare wildflife away from the road.

Somehow, with all the terrorizing I did with mine, whenever I really needed one for the legitimate purpose, I was fresh out! :D

[1042 Trooper]

Calling out everything is indeed a luxury one has in less congested radio traffic. The guys in huge cities give up this and also, the ability to actually do preventative policework, answering calls constantly. Safety is a high price to pay to get this job of all jobs, done. A real paradox.

An Adam unit helps of course, with back up standing next to you.

[Sabre]

I guess I didn't think of areas where the radio is so congested that you don't have an opportunity to call. That sure sucks.

[Andersondeputy]

I work for a University PD and our campus while not small is spread out over a wide area. I may be on our campus at one street and then have to travel 6 more blocks before I am on our "property" again. If I start to stop a car and he heads off campus I have to hurry and get him stopped not because it matters (South Carolina campus police are State Constables) but because my admin has a panic attack if the stop is on a city street.

[Prangler]

Well, I dont call out stops till I know they are stopping. Why call something out and say I am attempting a stop and Main and 1st...I wait til I see them stopping, then I am Central copy a stop, main and first, red ford, plate ***DDD. Make contact, come back pill in my daily, then issue or verbal.

What does irratate me is when I hear central copy a stop..yada yada yada, then, I have made my approach...I am secure. I cant stand that, call out your stop before you get out of the car. Emergency traffic...dont make a stop unless the violations is BIG..DUI (confident) 90 in a 25. Then get on the LEIN channel...someone that you can tell, dosnt have to be main channel.

[cstelz]

We often don't where I work because there is too much radio traffic going on for everyone to voice every stop over the radio. So we more often than not use the MDT. But it's tough to type as you're stopping the car, so you wait until you've made contact.

More dangerous, I agree. But I'd get yelled at if I voiced every stopped. Unfortunate reality in the busy city.


We had a deputy killed on a stop, recently. He put the stop out on the MDT, put himself "code 4" on the MDT, then nothing was heard. They found him with a GSW to the head.

In a busy area, though, you're in a bind. Most CHP I've talked to tell me they don't call out their stops, either.

[hbliam]

CHP doesn't put themselves out because they use a common dispatch. I'm sure a CHP Officer can clarify but I believe all over Southern California goes through one dispatch center.

What I have learned to do is put myself out at say "Main and 1st" and then after the guy actually gets stopped and we are all situated I can change my location to a more accurate address if needed.

RE: five-ofromsocal: Why wouldn't you want anyone knowing where you are at?

[Wile E. Coyote]

Sabre, I'm with you on this one. If radio traffic's busy, you can follow the car until you get a chance to call it in. I wouldn't want to be out runnung if no one knew where I was. Like hbliam said (you posted while I was writing) call the stop just before you light them up and correct it if you end up too far off. If they run, you've already got the channel.

If I saw someone else on a stop that hadn't, I'd call "out with unit X at 1st & Main." No one ever got bent about that since it wasn't diming out that they hadn't called it themselves; for all anyone knew we got out with something at the same time. If I got the 4, I just cleared and dispatch still had the other car marked out there.

Maybe it's different with MDTs and GPS, but we had to know where every other car was all the time. (And no, I'm not that old, the computers were just a place to put your lunch on while writing paper since they couldn't get them working for two years.) Made for a good FTO game though. There were usually about 12-20 cars out depending on the shift & day.

FTO: "Where's 9?" (area car limited to a beat)
Rook: "I dunno."
FTO: "Where's T-3?" (traffic car that could be anywhere)
Rook: "I dunno."
FTO: "Wouldn't you want them to know where you are?"
Rook: "Yeah."
Tx: "9-3?"
Unit 9: "9"
Tx: "What's our 10-20?"
9: "5th and Main on a stop."
FTO: "See, he cares about you. You must not like him though. Too bad, since he'll be your FTO next phase. Better have him meet you and buy him a cup. BTW, dispatch has called you four times now; you gonna answer?"

Call it & stay safe everyone.

[MattG]

I couldn't imagine not calling out a stop. At tops on a traffic stop it takes me 10 seconds to get out the plate and location.

If ten seconds is all it takes for me to get help to save my life or catch the POS that just shot me and is now driving away like nothing happened I will follow that car all day until I can call it out.

[hbliam]

I couldn't imagine not calling out a stop. At tops on a traffic stop it takes me 10 seconds to get out the plate and location.

If ten seconds is all it takes for me to get help to save my life or catch the POS that just shot me and is now driving away like nothing happened I will follow that car all day until I can call it out.

I think everyone would love to have the chance to properly call out their stops. Sometimes you don't have the 10 seconds or the guy doesn't stop where you think he is going to. If you call it out after he stops then you are sitting in the car for 10 seconds which is dangerous on it's own.

[1042 Trooper]

On those occasions where I had to get out fast, I always jotted down the plate on my dash pad. At least all the other guys would know who got me.

Then we got dashcams and that took care of that! I just stated the plate so my body mic caught it.

[SomeRandomDude]

I just call out the plate and the description prior to the stop. You can squeeze that in about a minute before the actual stop. Then you just advise on the final location and put yourself 10-6. That might be what a lot of people have stated above, but that's how I do it. But then again, I'm only on a military base. I'm sure LASO's Century Station is insane compared to us, but I'm glad this topic is out and I'm able to learn from it.

[Five-0fromSoCal]

RE: five-ofromsocal: Why wouldn't you want anyone knowing where you are at?[/QUOTE]

Not always. For various reasons though. The radio would be tied up though, if everyone called out their t/s's. When I worked regular patrol, we did put out our stops on our mdt's more often though.

[FNA209]

I work for a University PD and our campus while not small is spread out over a wide area.

.....

If I start to stop a car and he heads off campus I have to hurry and get him stopped not because it matters (South Carolina campus police are State Constables) but because my admin has a panic attack if the stop is on a city street.

I know what you mean. We were continuily arguing about stopping them in a safe area as opposed to making the stop on campus in an area where, due to road conditions, the stop may create a traffic hazard.

I finally won that battle by sending one e-mail in which I asked for clarification on the issue. The e-mail asked if the policy was to make the stop regardless of the safety involved. Funny thing, admin refused to answer in writing. Now, we stop where it's safe. If that ends up being three blocks from campus, oh well.

And, as to the topic, we call out most stops prior to actually stopping the car most times. One of the benefits of a low activity PD.

[Taylor1430]

Typically what I do is pick up the mic....hit my lights and then call the stop. Calling it after lights are activated but before vehicle comes to a stop.

[nebraska_deputy]

The last department I worked at didn't want to you to call out stops at all. The chief deputy told me if your so afraid that you have to call out your stops then maybe you shouldn't be doing them. :mad: As for running background checks and drivers history's on potential suspects, they would tell you only on extreme circumstances. :eek:

For the most part my last department is a lawsuit waiting to happen, but that's hows its been since Noah landed his arch and that's how it will always be by golly (Or so I was told). My current department requires you to call out all of your stops and run everyone, which is great! :) The only thing is I normally wait till I have the vehicle totally stopped. I have found in the area I work in now people tend to drive a mile or more before they will stop.

[PeteBroccolo]

I know that it is safest to call the CommCentre and advise them of my location and the "client's" licence plate and vehicle description, but our over-30-year-old trunked radio system is rather slow to respond, and the CommCentre handles all traffic for about 300 on-duty personnel for an area at least twice that of Texas, making instantaneous call-backs very rare.

I generally rely on my in-car video/audio recording system and MWS for recording the stops and checking the plates and occupants after I have stopped the "client".

Fortunately, our radio system is being replaced very soon by an encrypted digital system, and my Force encourages calling in for officer-safety. Our Training Academy in particular teaches such calling-in, which my wife and I appreciate since we have a son half-way through Basic Cadet Training now. The new Cadet likes to verbally poke the old Constable by chastising me when I tell him that I do not often call-in.

I agree with Sabre - call in, and if it makes the CommCentre upset with the increased workload, and the Admin gets upset, push the Admin to change policy, get new gear and hire more CommCentre operators. Be safe while on shift, and make it home on your own power, not carried in a box!

[Sabre]

Typically what I do is pick up the mic....hit my lights and then call the stop. Calling it after lights are activated but before vehicle comes to a stop.

I'll admit, I indeed to something kind of similar, truthfully. I'll call out "[callsign] traffic stop", then put my thumb on the light switch. As soon as dispatch comes back with "go ahead" and I know I have thier attention, I'll hit the lights and notify them of the plate and location.

I recall a story told by one of our academy instructors regarding the worst bitt-whippin' the instructor ever had:

He was investigating a hit-and-run and located a suspect vehicle at a residence. Fortunately, he had the fore-sight to tell dispatch that he was making contact at that address.
To make a long story short, he proceeded to get into a fight inside this residence with the suspect, his wife, and his kids. He didn't fare so well. He managed to yell "Help!" once on the radio. Then he had to hold out until dispatch could do radio checks on every unit in the city to figure out who it was who needed help. Good thing they had his location, huh?

[LA Cop]

I get what you're trying to say, but trust me there are a host of other issues that come into play. I don't have the luxury to follow a car as long as it takes to put the traffic out. I want to stop the car where I want it, not to let them take me down some dark alley or into a high crime apartment complex.

I can understand how on many dispatch channels it's just your local units and the dispatcher so you can call everything out. Unfortunately in LA County, one dispatcher usually handles several stations AT ONCE so you could have Century, Palmdale and West Hollywood all on the same dispatch.

It's not that you can't find a break to voice that traffic, it's that if EVERYONE did that, then there would be absolutely no free air, so if one guy starts doing it, it's kind of like saying F-U, I know you all want to call out your stops, but I'm actually going to do it because my safety's more important to me. If everyone started doing that, things would fall apart real quick.

I know it sucks, and OF COURSE I'm not disagreeing that you should put out traffic for every stop. But that's just the way it is. Our department should provide us with shotgun ammo, but they don't. Buy your own. Oh well. We're working on a limited budget given the size of the department.

My solution is that I call out any stop that gives me particular cause for concern (an Escalade with 4 gangbangers, etc) over the radio. I pick and choose my battles. Yes, I know you never know who's going to be the one that attacks you, but all I can do is play the odds game right now.

Welcome to LA County.

[Ruh]

Meh...life doesn't always work out the way we want. I don't always call my stop before I pic a location because 9/10 times the person doesn't stop where I want them to stop. I do however always (well 99.9% of the time) call out my stop before I make contact. Sometimes it just doesn't work out...like someone calls out on a stop and then runs 5 subjects right as I am finding a car I want to stop.

As far as the guy yelling help and dispatch having to figure out who it was...that sucks. Lucky for me everytime I key up a mic (either my portable or my cars) they know its me or the car I started my shift with.

[Taylor1430]

Our radios (both portable and in car) show who is keying up but not the location. I agree about picking the battles. Our GO's state that we call out every stop, however many officers don't. When I'm working daywork, I often will not call out traffic on the major roads in our city (unless spidey sense is tingling). If its at night or somewhere off the beaten path, it definately gets called out.

[1042 Trooper]

Our department should provide us with shotgun ammo, but they don't. Buy your own. Oh well. We're working on a limited budget given the size of the department.

Welcome to LA County.
Holy Buckshot, Batman! Has the LASO gotten so poor since I left there (1981) you REALY HAVE TO BUY YOUR OWN SLUGS / BUCKSHOT?

ARE YOU F*CKING KIDDING ME? :eek: :eek: :mad: :mad:

Somehow, I don't think Pete Pitches would have made you buy your own. What's next, buying you own gas for patrol?

[LA Copper]

My department is pretty busy too, but we are taught to always broadcast your location whenever stopping a vehicle. I must say that after 18 years on the street, I totally agree with it. If the sh-t hits the fan and you didn't put yourself out at a certain location, you're gonna wish you did!

If you stop a car and you're not able to get on the air right away, there's no law saying you have to walk up on the car immediately. Or, for those of you who might broadcast your location prior to making the stop and then the guy continues on for another block or two, at least you're in the vicinity if something happens and the troops have to go looking for you. That's a lot better than the troops having no idea where you are.

[KenW.]

if the dispatch channel won't clear, I'll switch to the service channel and do it there.