Radio Traffic
The Williams County Sheriff's Office provides Emergency Communications support and Public Safety Answering Point (911 Answering) to all county agencies. All law enforcement agencies operating within Williams County utilize the following radio communications system. A code list, known in our system as signals, made up of three digit numbers is utilize at option although all bold entries must be known and utilized when it is not appropriate to use plain speech in front of the public or possibly monitored radio channels.
Law Enforcement Dispatch is known as "Justice" and all units are assigned a radio number for each department. WCSO Units utilize the 300 series of numbers as 100-200 are reserved for the radio code system.
SYNTAX: Unit/Station Talking, Unit/Station being Called, Message/CODE
Dispatch will wait to be acknowledged when calling unit to assign a call. Once unit is on a call or actively on the air they may not wait to be acknowledged. Units calling dispatch do not need to wait to be acknowledged unless running a records check. When requesting a records check notify the dispatcher that you are going to run data or 147/149 as appropriate and when they are prepared with the proper computer system ready they will tell the unit to proceed. Units will be asked to acknowledge before a read back is given. If a unit is asked if they are 150 or given code 150 they should acknowledge with standby or indicate they are secure or 150 when away from earshot of suspects and then dispatch will proceed.
(Signal 150 indicates that a record return has hit on a possible wanted subject, suspended/invalid license, registration, terrorist watch list, etc.)
Examples:
- "Justice to 320" – "320" – "320 respond for a noise complaint 100 Main ST, Priority 3." – "320 responding" – "10:52"
- "320 Justice, On Scene" – "11:03"
- "320 Justice, Unfounded 138" – "11:23"
- "318 Justice, Signal 107 Parking lot of McDonalds 3 Main Street, Priority 3."
- "310 Justice, Signal 131 that occurred at an unknown time while on vacation, priority 4?" – "310 Justice, affirmative you can hold priority 4 until that sector car is available."
Priority Codes
| Code | Urgency | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Priority 1 | Life Threatening | This is the most emergent response status and is used for things like active incidents that are violent or potentially violent.
Examples: Active Assailants, CPR in Progress, Weapons Displayed, Calls with Immediate Life Threats |
| Priority 2 | Urgent/Emergent | Calls for service that are urgent for safety matters but may not yet involve a complete life threat. Violent Domestic Incidents that are in progress. Burglary/Robbery in progress. Weapons displayed. High priority medical emergency. Uncertain circumstances. Deputy/Law Enforcement Officer safety concern. |
| Priority 3 | Routine | Routine calls that do not require a response beyond normal travel. (No Lights/No Sirens) |
| Priority 4 | Cold Calls/Information | When directed by a supervisor, these incidents will be held until system status allows for a unit to handle these incidents. These incidents may also be handled via the phone, solely by the Emergency Communications Center, or closed out without dispatch by a supervisor. |
Signal Codes
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| 100 | Emergency Radio Silence |
| 101 | Call ____________________ |
| 102 | Take Home Unit Out of Service to/ Residence |
| 103 | Take Home Unit on Call (call/page by dept phone) |
| 104 | Report to/Request to go to/At Station (Based on Context) |
| 105 | EMS (Request/Cancel/Refer to Ambulance) [Designate ALS or BLS on request.] |
| 106 | Boating Accident/Water Rescue (Afloat) |
| 107 | Accident/Unknown No Injuries |
| 108 | Accident with Injuries |
| 109 | Airplane Accident |
| 110 | Water Rescue/Drowning/Beach Emergency (Shore Based) |
| 111 | Disorderly Person |
| 112 | Fight in Progress |
| 113 | Emotionally Disturbed Person |
| 114 | Domestic Argument |
| 115 | Fire Type Incident |
| 116 | Hit and Run |
| 117 | Peddlers/Soliciters |
| 118 | Hazardous Materials Incident |
| 119 | Intoxicated Person |
| 120 | Suspicious Person/Vehicle |
| 121 | Prowler/Stalking |
| 122 | Burglar Alarm |
| 123 | Missing Person |
| 124 | Stolen Vehicle |
| 125 | Medical Emergency |
| 126 | Special Detail (Unavailable) [Traffic Post/Funeral/Security] |
| 127 | Escort/Courtesy Transport |
| 128 | Robbery |
| 129 | Burglary |
| 130 | Officer Needs Assistance |
| 131 | Larceny |
| 132 | Assault |
| 133 | Homicide |
| 134 | Suicide |
| 135 | Injured/Dead Animal |
| 136 | Prisoner Transport |
| 137 | Unit Unavailable |
| 138 | Back in Service/Available/Back in Assigned Area |
| 139 | Meal Period |
| 140 | Personal Relief |
| 141 | Subject in Custody |
| 142 | DWI - Test Required |
| 144 | 144 Meet at ___ |
| 145 | Conducting Traffic Stop |
| 146 | Request Supervisor |
| 147 | Check Wants Only |
| 149 | DMV Check/License & Registration |
| 149 | Computer Slow or Down (CAD/NCIC/NLETS/DMV/Records) |
| 150 | Secure for Radio Traffic (Possible Records HIT/Wanted Subject) |
| 170 | Major Disturbance - Request Assistance |
| 171 | Bomb Threat |
| 172 | Major Security Threat |
| 173 | Suspicious Package |
| 174 | Major Disaster/Terrorist/Criminal Incident Notification (Nationwide) |
| 199 | Extreme Medical Emergency/Cardiac Arrest |
| 200 | Dead Body/EMS Terminated Efforts/Patient Deceased |