Chester County (PA)

The Borough of West Chester maintains and operates 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 recieve-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 is exclusively used by the West Chester Police Department. In December 2006, the system began full-time operations in APCO P-25 digital mode.

West Goshen Township uses a 1 channel VHF-High Band radio system for dispatch and talk-around. This system is used exclusively by West Goshen Police Department. This system is used for dispatch operations during weekday hours (generally between 07:00 and 23:00 Monday through Friday), however when the department is self-dispatched, there are occasions when the county TRS is utilized. During all other times when the department is dispatched by the county, the county TRS is utilized.

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

Most Municipal Police Departments
Chester County Park Rangers
All Fire Companies
All EMS Squads
Comm 1

West Chester Borough

West Chester Police Department

West Goshen Township

West Goshen Police Department (part-time)

Police Districts

01 - West Chester Borough - Self
02 - Malvern Borough - East
03 - Kennett Square Borough - West
05 - West Grove Borough (Merged with New Garden Twp. PD to form Southern Chester County Regional Police)
06 - Oxford Borough - West
07 - Atglen Borough (patrolled by Christiana PD Lancaster Co) - West
08 - Parkesburg Borough - West
09 - South Coatesville Borough - West
11 - Downingtown Borough - West
12 - Honey Brook Borough - West
14 - Spring City Borough - Central
15 - Phoenixville Borough - Central
16 - Coatesville City - West
17 - North Coventry Township - Central
18 - East Coventry Township - Central
21 - East Vincent Township - Central
25 - West Vincent Township - Central
26 - East Pikeland Township - Central
27 - Schuylkill Township - Central
28 - West Caln Township - West
29 - West Brandywine Township - West
30 - East Brandywine Township - West
32 - Upper Uwchlan Township - Central
33 - Uwchlan Township - Central
34 - West Pikeland Township - Central
36 - West Sadsbury Township - West
37 - Sadsbury Township - West
38 - Valley Township - West
39 - Caln Township - West
41 - West Whiteland Township - Central
42 - East Whiteland Township - East
43 - Tredyffrin Township - East
44 - West Fallowfield Township - West
45 - Highland Township - West
47 - East Fallowfield Township - West
52 - West Goshen Township - Self*
54 - Willistown Township - East
55 - Easttown Township - East
60 - Southern Chester County Regional PD - West
61 - East Marlborough Township - West
62 - Kennett Township - West
65 - Birmingham Township - Central
67 - Westtown-East Goshen PD - Central
68 - West Nottingham Township - West
75 - West Chester University PD - Self
76 - Lincoln University PD - Self
77 - Coatesville VA PD - Self
78 - West Chester Area School District - Self
79 - Coatesville Area School District - West
81 - PA Fish & Boat Commission - Self
82 - Marsh Creek State Park - Self
83 - Warwick County Park - Self
84 - Hibernia County Park - Self
85 - Nottingham County Park - Self
86 - Springton Manor County Park - Self
91 - Chester County Detectives - County**
92 - Chester County District Attorney's Office - County**
93 - Chester County Sheriff's Office - County**
94 - Chester County Prison - Self

(*) West Goshen PD self dispatches 0700-2300, then switches to Central overnight

(**) Uses any county channel depending on location

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
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
D15 - Radnor (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 (TowerDirect's Phoenixville Operations use MICU 65)
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 @ West Whiteland Fire Co.
89 - Elverson EMS
189 - Elverson EMS @ Honey Brook Fire Co.
93 - TowerDirect EMS @ Twin Valley Fire Co.
193 - TowerDirect EMS @ Honey Brook Fire Co.
M325 - Friendship (Royersford) Fire Co EMS (Montgomery County)
M329 - Goodwill 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 - Acellor Mittal 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

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

External Links