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Author Topic: How would a patrol cop describe...?  (Read 9545 times)

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MTH

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How would a patrol cop describe...?
« on: November 17, 2012, 09:42:52 AM »

Hi.
The scenario is that someone (New York City) hears shots and calls 911 (yes someone did call even if it's NY  >:D ) and a patrolman responds and finds three people lying on the ground. Two have been shot and are dead and one's been knifed and is almost dead. What words would the cop use to radio in the situation other than some numerical code that my readers won't understand? Would he call them victims or say he's got two dead and one needs an EMT or?

Mickey
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Old Bill

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Re: How would a patrol cop describe...?
« Reply #1 on: November 17, 2012, 10:33:05 AM »

OK, Mic.  I'm just shooting from the hip here...but unless the scene was in the middle of the night or a deserted warehouse district, I would think before the first officer arrives, SOMEONE would probably have seen people in need of medical attention and called it in.  (Yes I do remember the incident where everyone saw an assault on a woman and NO ONE called for help, but I like to think times have improved greatly since then.)  Otherwise in answer to your ? I would think the officer would call for EMT immediately and the EMTs would determine if the M.E. or Coroner is needed.  Officers have been known to ASSUME someone is dead only to find they aren't.  Besides, what's the rush, they aren't going anywhere...only joking, of course.  I'm sure others can give a better answer...good luck.

Old Bill

If the live one is a politician, shoot him too and be done with it.  If any one questions it, tell them he said he was alive but who can believe a politician.  >:D
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linda

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Re: How would a patrol cop describe...?
« Reply #2 on: November 18, 2012, 04:48:53 PM »

Great answer Old Bill.  (And I agree with the suggestion for the politicians.)

Mickey, I'd guess that NY does this the same way, but officers only advise that they have a dead body through the numeric code.  In other words, if I get there and have two bodies that are obviously dead, I advise dispatch that I have " two Signal 12's," and ask for dispatch to have the ambulance 'step it up' on the additional subject.  I would ask that she have Homicide or whatever assist units that I need contact me on my cell or on one of the 'talk' channels. 

Part of the reason for not announcing the death on the radio has to do with the fact that we aren't the only ones who monitor police radios.  Newsmen, civilians, etc.  all can have access to our police channels now.  (Talk channels aren't as easy to get access to.) Your location would have been on the radio and now you're advising that you have a dead body prior to notifying the victims' families, or having a chance to locate possible suspects.  It's not information that you want out there until you're ready to release it.

And, as Bill says, unless the person has been dead for some time and there's no question about it, we always have the EMTs declare death and the time of death when they get there.  It's what they have the equipment and training for.

Good luck, Mickey.

Linda
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MTH

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Re: How would a patrol cop describe...?
« Reply #3 on: November 18, 2012, 06:08:12 PM »

Thanks, Linda. I appreciate your quick reply. I'll figure out a way to make that work. Darn reality! Makes it hard for
us creative types  ;)

Mickey
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Lance Charnes

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Re: How would a patrol cop describe...?
« Reply #4 on: November 22, 2012, 11:48:04 AM »

If you don't already have them, you can get the NYPD radio signal codes here: http://www.n2nov.net/nypdcodes.html.
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linda

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Re: How would a patrol cop describe...?
« Reply #5 on: November 22, 2012, 11:08:18 PM »

Mickey,

I checked the list of codes that Lance sent and didn't see a code for a dead body/deceased person in there.  So, I'm even less certain of how NYPD would do it. 

Jim Doherty works in the Chicago area, but he's done a lot of research for his articles and books.  Maybe he could help you.

And Sgt243 answered a question on NYPD procedure in another post, maybe he could help you out.

Linda

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Bob Mueller

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Re: How would a patrol cop describe...?
« Reply #6 on: November 23, 2012, 12:45:11 AM »

I seem to recall thinking that NYPD used the term "expedite" when asking someone to step it up.

Offhand, I'd guess that he'd say something about "three 10-54s, and expedite."

I tried emailing Jim Doherty the other day and haven't heard back from him. I don't think he's visited here in several months.
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MTH

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Re: How would a patrol cop describe...?
« Reply #7 on: November 28, 2012, 05:28:39 PM »

Thanks everyone for your replies. I guess I'm going to have to work around the issue. There's going to be a lot of bystander noise which will prevent my MC from hearing exactly what the patrolman says on his radio.

Mickey
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Dave Freas

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Re: How would a patrol cop describe...?
« Reply #8 on: November 29, 2012, 10:35:44 AM »

Hi, Mickey.

Maybe you could let your creative side out in his thoughts?

Bruce stepped from his patrol car.  Three stiffs.  *****, he thought, not tonight.  Not after that pile-up on the LIE and the old man dead in his apartment.  He checked for pulses.  Two of the bodies were goners, morgue meat.  The third--damn, a pulse, not much of one but it was there.  Detective time.  He reached for the mike clipped to his epaulet.

Dave
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MTH

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Re: How would a patrol cop describe...?
« Reply #9 on: November 29, 2012, 11:28:04 AM »

I wish I could do it like that. It would work really well, but it's the last few paragraphs of a short story (I finally figured out an ending for "the Rooming House") where I have only done one POV up to the last part of the story so I can't really give one now.

Mickey
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