Hams bust cops on unofficial chat channel

Radio hams in Indianapolis are taking credit for getting city police in that city to stop using unofficial extra radios on which the cops reportedly used language that might make a sailor blush.

Jack Parker, W8ISH, has the details:

Dozens if not hundreds of Indianapolis Metro Police Officers have been busted for using Amateur Radios illegally to rag chew while on duty.

According to a report aired on an Indianapolis TV station,
complaints to the FCC from local radio hams lead to a shake down of all Metro Police vehicles. Amateur Radio operators reported hearing foul language and improper usage of Amateur Radio frequencies by Metro Police officers.

This prompted the department to do a three-day inspection of cruisers, ordering everyone with an unlicensed radio to remove them..

Department PIO Lt. Jeff Duhamel had this to say:
"Apparently, there has been a problem with some language, which is a violation of the FCC regulations. The chief has decided that the officers should pull them out of their vehicles."

Amateur radio repeaters were rife with reaction to news of the police radio crackdown.

First Ham:
"They were talking on blogs like they were using ham radios like they were on ham radio frequencies. Well that wasn't the case. Still they're transmitting and talking on frequencies they are not licensed to use. It doesn't matter if they were licensed twenty years ago they are not
licensed now and they should not be using them period."

Second Ham:
"They are not type accepted. So they have a type acceptance problem. So far that is the only thing I've seen that's inappropriate other than the report of language which is not appropriate on any frequency."

Local hams are expected to monitor the success of this crackdown and report further violations.

While some bloggers are advising Indianapolis hams to keep a low profile for a while, others point out that the officers are the ones that are likely worried. Now they know that there are thousands of ears listening to their every word on what they thought was their unofficial chat channel - ears with tape recorders ready to send more complaints to the
FCC.

Jack Parker, W8ISH
Indianapolis
Amateur Radio Newsline