Chester County (PA)

Conventional Public Safety Radio Systems

The Borough of West Chester maintained and operated a 4-channel conventional UHF radio system built by Motorola, with a primary transmit tower located in East Bradford Township, a back-up transmit tower located to the rear of the Municipal Building, and three receive-only sites located on the West Chester University campus, the Embreeville complex in West Bradford Township, and the Chester County Prison complex in Pocopson Township. The system was exclusively used by the West Chester Police Department. In December 2006, the system began full-time operations in APCO P-25 digital mode. West Chester Borough Police now utilizes the Chester County P25 trunked system for their operations.

West Goshen Township used a 1 channel VHF-High Band radio system for dispatch and talk-around. This system was used exclusively by West Goshen Police Department and used for dispatch operations during weekday hours (generally between 07:00 and 23:00 Monday through Friday), however when the department was self-dispatched, there are occasions when the county TRS is utilized. West Goshen Township Police have since switched over to Chester County dispatch full-time.

Most of the remaining law enforcement agencies in the county use specifically assigned channels on the county TRS for car-to-car communications. Only Downingtown (VHF-Hi) and Uwchlan Twp (UHF) are confirmed to be using conventional frequencies for talk-around.

Most fire companies within the county use a set of 800 mhz conventional frequencies for fire-ground operations, however a few companies still use privately licensed channels for that same purpose (among the companies confirmed to have active "private" company channels are East Whiteland, Goshen, Downingtown, and Longwood).

County Conventional Repeaters

In concert with the county TRS, there are 3 VHF-High licensed repeaters that rebroadcast dispatcher-only communications on the law enforcement side of the system, one for each of the police dispatching districts (East PD, Central PD, and West PD). As of 2008, all three repeaters are no longer utilized.

On the Fire/EMS side, dispatch paging can be heard on 160.185. All fire and EMS calls are dispatched on this channel. Also, there are 2 conventional VHF-High repeaters that simulcast both field and dispatch users. The Central and East fire groups are simulcast on one channel, while the West Fire group is simulcast on the other channel.

The Chester County Sheriff's Office also has an 800 mhz conventional low-power repeater that simulcasts its respective county TRS talkgroup; this frequency can be heard from within a few blocks of the Chester County Justice Center in West Chester.

Dispatch Centers

Chester County Department of Emergency Services

• All Municipal Police Departments except West Chester Borough
• Chester County Park Rangers
• All Fire Companies
• All EMS Squads
• Comm 1

West Chester Borough

• West Chester Police Department

Police Districts

Chester County's cities, boroughs and townships have a geographically-based numeric identifier, which is the basis for the county's police department numbering scheme. Boroughs (01-15) start with West Chester, the county seat, and are numbered clock-wise from the eastern edge of the county (Malvern) to the northern end (Phoenixville). Chester County's only incorporated city, Coatesville, is assigned #16. Townships are numbered from north-to-south, then east-to-west along each "row" of townships, starting with North Coventry (17) in the far north to London Britain (73) in the southeast.

East Police

02 - Malvern Borough
42 - East Whiteland Township
43 - Tredyffrin Township
54 - Willistown Township
55 - Easttown Township

Central Police

14 - Spring City Borough
15 - Phoenixville Borough
17 - North Coventry Township
18 - East Coventry Township
21 - East Vincent Township
25 - West Vincent Township
26 - East Pikeland Township
27 - Schuylkill Township
32 - Upper Uwchlan Township
33 - Uwchlan Township
34 - West Pikeland Township
41 - West Whiteland Township
52 - West Goshen Township
65 - Birmingham Township
67 - Westtown-East Goshen Regional Police (Serving Westtown Township/67 and East Goshen Township/53)

West Police

03 - Kennett Square Borough
06 - Oxford Borough
08 - Parkesburg Borough (Also serving Atglen Borough/07 and Highland Township/45)
11 - Downingtown Borough (Also serving East Caln Township/40)
12 - Honey Brook Borough
16 - Coatesville City
28 - West Caln Township
29 - West Brandywine Township (Also serving Wallace Township/31)
30 - East Brandywine Township
36 - West Sadsbury Township
37 - Sadsbury Township
38 - Valley Township
39 - Caln Township
44 - West Fallowfield Township
47 - East Fallowfield Township
60 - Southern Chester County Regional Police (Avondale Borough/03, New Garden Township/60 and West Grove Borough/04) - West
61 - East Marlborough Township
62 - Kennett Township
68 - West Nottingham Township

Self-Dispatched

01 - West Chester Borough (Also serving East Bradford Township/51)
75 - West Chester University Police
76 - Lincoln University Police
77 - Coatesville VA Police

Countywide

81 - Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission
82 - Marsh Creek State Park
83 - Warwick County Park
84 - Hibernia County Park
85 - Nottingham County Park
86 - Springton Manor County Park
91 - Chester County Detectives
92 - Chester County District Attorney's Office
93 - Chester County Sheriff's Office
94 - Chester County Prison

(**) Uses any county channel depending on location

Pennsylvania State Police Coverage

Avondale Barracks

46 - Londonderry Township
48 - West Marlborough Township
56 - Lower Oxford Township
57 - Upper Oxford Township
58 - Penn Township
59 - London Grove Township
63 - Pocopson Township
64 - Pennsbury Township
66 - Thornbury Township
69 - East Nottingham Township
70 - Elk Township
71 - New London Township
72 - Franklin Township
73 - London Britain Township

Embreeville Barracks

09 - South Coatesville Borough
10 - Modena Borough
13 - Elverson Borough
19 - Warwick Township
20 - South Coventry Township
22 - Honey Brook Township
23 - West Nantmeal Township
24 - East Nantmeal Township
35 - Charlestown Township
49 - Newlin Township
50 - West Bradford Township

Police Radio Identifiers

Police Radio IDs

Adam - Chief/Officer in Charge/Lieutenant
Boy - Bicycle Patrol
David - Detective
Frank - Foot Patrol
George - Animal Control
King - Canine
Mary - Specialized Unit
Paul - Patrol Officer/Patrol Car
Paul/Robert - Park Rangers
Sam - Sergeant/Supervisor/Sheriff
Tom - Traffic Control & Enforcement
Robert - School resource Officer
X-Ray - Motorcycle

Police Sectors

These identifiers are used by larger departments (i.e. West Chester, Phoenixville, Coatesville, Schuylkill Twp, East Whiteland Twp, Tredyffrin Twp, and Westtown East Goshen Regional). The remaining departments use non-sector specific identifiers either for police units or individual officers (West Goshen uses badge numbers, which are usually numbered in the 30s and 40s, but do not appear to correspond to specific sectors).

01-09 - Roving
10-19 - North
20-29 - South
30-39 - East
40-49 - West
50-59 - North-East
60-69 - North-West
70-79 - South-East
80-89 - South-West
90-99 - Central

Specialized Units

Some departments in the county use the following identifiers for specialized units:

50-59 - (M)ary units/Specialized details or units
60-69 - (D)avid units/Detectives
70-79 - (F)rank units/Foot patrols 
80-89 - (T)om units/Traffic Enforcement/Safety units
90-99 - (B)oy units/Bike patrols or (K)ing units - K-9 officers

West Chester Police Ten Code

10-01 PRIORITY RADIO/TRANSMIT EMERGENCIES ONLY
10-02 Busy on Station; limit transmissions
10-03 Go ahead with message
10-04 OK - Message received
10-05 Off duty
10-06 Busy/Stand-by
10-07 Out of Vehicle at (Location)
10-08 In Service/Resuming
10-09 Repeat last message/unreadable
10-10 Protection of money
10-11 Call your home
10-12 Return to your home
10-13 Meet at (Location)
10-14 Report expolsives at (Location)
10-15 Assist Officer - EMERGENCY ONLY
10-17 Vehicle stop (Location, license plate, vehicle description, # of occupants)
10-19 Return to/en-route to/arrived at station
10-20 What is your location
10-21 Call via landline
10-22 Disregard last message/cancel request
10-25 Food, Coffee, etc
10-26 Prepare to copy
10-27 Does not conform to procedures
10-28 Request Reg/VIN check
10-28S Request Operator/Suspension check
10-29 Request NCIC - Wanted/stolen*
10-29N Negative NCIC Response
10-29P Positive NCIC Response
10-34 Officer at home on call
10-35 Domestic Disturbance
10-36 Furnish Correct Time
10-37 Intoxicated Operator/Person
10-38 Weapon
10-40A See complainant at (location) in reference to ...
10-41 Fire call
10-41A EMS call
10-42 Visitor/prisoner present; can't talk
10-42F Female in car (give mileage)
10-42P Prisoner in car/arrest made
10-45 Motor vehicle accident
10-45PD Accident/Property damage w/no injuries
10-45PI Accident/Personal injury
10-45F Accident/Fatal
10-45HR Accident/Hit and run
10-45M Accident/Other than vehicular
10-46 Escort
10-47 Animal complaint
10-49 Burglary
10-54 Requesting tow truck
10-60 Uneccesary use of radio
10-65 Traffic violation/citation Issued
10-67 Alarm @ (location)
10-67A Alarm has been reset
10-80 Traffic detail
10-82 Disabled vehicle
10-88 Warrant, paperwork, package, etc.
10-90 Arrived at scene
10-91 Assignment completed
10-92 Situation under control
10-93 Unit (#), turn radio - message not not to be heard by passenger/prisoner
10-95 BACKUP UNIT (#) @ REF: (?)
10-97 Transmission received loud and clear
10-98 OK on your last request
10-99 Change your location, unreadable

Fire/EMS Stations

East Fire

2 - Berwyn
102 - Berwyn EMS @ E. Swedesford Rd. Substation
3 - Paoli
103 - Paoli EMS @ Echo Lake Senior Living
4 - Malvern
5 - East Whiteland
15 - Chester County HazMat Team
51 - West Chester - First West Chester Fire Co
52 - West Chester - Goodwill Fire Co
53 - West Chester - Fame Fire Co
54 - Goshen
55 - Good Fellowship EMS
56 - Goshen - Hershey's Mill Substation
155 - Good Fellowship EMS @ Goshen Fire Co.
255 - Good Fellowship EMS @ Downingtown Pike
355 - Good Fellowship EMS @ West Chester University QRS
455 - Good Fellowship EMS @ West Whiteland Fire Co.
555 - Good Fellowship EMS @ West Whiteland Twp
D15 - Radnor (Delaware County)
D46 - Rocky Run Fire Co (Delaware County)
D59 - Concordville (Delaware County)
D41 - Newtown Square (Delaware County)
D104 - Riddle EMS (Delaware County)

Central Fire

6 - West Whiteland
33 - Honey Brook
45 - Alert - Downingtown
46 - Minquas - Downingtown
146 - Minquas EMS @ Thorndale Fire Co.
47 - Lionville
48 - Glen Moore
49 - East Brandywine
61 - Kimberton
62 - Ridge
63 - Liberty - Spring City
64 - Norco
65 - Phoenixville
67 - West End - Phoenixville (EMS Only)
68 - Valley Forge
69 - Twin Valley
73 - Ludwigs Corner
77 - Friendship Diving Rescue Unit
83 - Friendship EMS (Montgomery County) - Spring City Station
84 - Goodwill EMS of Pottstown (Montgomery County) - Norco Station
87 - Uwchlan Ambulance
187 - Uwchlan Ambulance @ Upper Uwchlan Twp
89 - Elverson-Honey Brook Area EMS/Elverson substation
189 - Elverson-Honey Brook Area EMS/Honey Brook substation
93 - TowerDirect EMS ALS Chase Car @ Twin Valley Fire Co.
193 - TowerDirect EMS ALS Chase Car @ Honey Brook Fire Co.
M325 - Friendship (Royersford) Fire Co EMS (Montgomery County)
M329 - Goodwill (Pottstown) Fire Co EMS (Montgomery County)

Notes:

• West End - Phoenixville (Ceased fire suppression services in 2010)
• Friendship Fire Company of Phoenixville, Station 66 (Ceased fire suppression services in 2010)

West Fire

8 - Keystone Valley
21 - Union of Oxford
22 - West Grove
23 - Avondale
24 - Kennett
25 - Longwood
125 - Longwood EMS @ Kennett Fire Co.
27 - Cochranville
31 - Sadsburyville
35 - Wagontown
36 - Po-Mar-Lin
37 - Modena
38 - Thorndale
39 - West Bradford
41 - Washington Hose - Coatesville
43 - West End - Coatesville
44 - Westwood
144 - Westwood EMS @ Wagontown Fire Co.
244 - Westwood EMS @ West Brandywine Township Bldg
344 - Westwood EMS @ Sadsburyville Fire Co.
75 - Cleveland-Cliffs Steel Coatesville
76 - Coatesville VA
94 - Southern Chester County EMS
L46 - Christiana Ambulance (Lancaster County)
L49 - White Horse (Lancaster County)
L52 - Christiana Fire Co. (Lancaster County)
D59 - Concordville (Delaware County)
L88 - Wakefield Ambulance (Lancaster County)

Fire Tone Outs

• Chester County Fire Tone Outs (wiki)
• Chester County Pager Tone Excel sheet (Updated 5/2015)

Related DB Pages

• Chester County (PA) DB Page View the corresponding database page for this article.
• Chester County (PA) TRS DB Page Current Project 25 Phase II System
• Chester County (PA) TRS DB Page Deprecated LTR MultiNet System

Related Wiki Pages

• Chester County
• Chester County Emergency Services
• Mid-Atlantic Digital Radio Network