[MIham] Fw: Hams Assist in Manhunt!

[James French W8ISS]

Thought I would pass this along. It came from the local SATERN leadership.

James W8ISS

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Subject:    Fw: Hams Assist in Manhunt!



The Jim Wades WB8SIW in the story is a SATERN member.

---------- Forwarded Message ----------

15 July 2003

NEWS STORY............MICHIGAN RADIO AMATEURS ASSIST IN CRIMINAL
INVESTIGATION AND
MANHUNT.


On July 6, a Michigan radio amateur by the name of Scott Woodring (KC8JNG)
shot and killed a
Michigan State Police Officer during a routine arrest on a warrant for
solicitation of a minor, resulting
in a tense standoff with law enforcement.  Mr. Woodring was a member of the
Christian Identity
movement, an organization that promotes racist and antisemetic views along
with an anti-government
agenda.

On Monday, July 7, after a standoff that had continued from the previous
day,
Mr. Woodring escaped during a law enforcement shift change, resulting in a
nearly
week-long manhunt for the suspect throughout Western Michigan.

Shortly after the escape of Mr. Woodring, James Wades (WB8SIW), the
Michigan Section
Emergency Coordinator / State RACES Officer requested that the Newaygo
County Emergency
Coordinator establish an intercept operation in the area of Fremont to
identify any possible
transmissions from the suspect.  This request was based on the fact that
Mr. Woodring had utilized
Amateur Radio frequencies and equipment to communicate with fellow members
of the Christian
Identity movement.  Mr. Woodring was also known to have recruited a number
of like-minded
individuals into the Amateur Radio Service and may have purchased two-meter
FM transceivers for
use by fellow members of his organization.

Operators were asked to monitor seldom used frequencies both within and
adjacent to the VHF
Amateur Radio allocations.  An additional announcement was broadcast to
Emergency
Coordinators and selected RACES personnel throughout Michigan requesting
information on any
transmission heard from Mr. Woodring.

On Friday, July 11 at 5:18 PM, Mr. Bill Hubbard (WD8MKG) of Holton,
Michigan reported an
intercept of communications between Mr. Woodring and another radio amateur
located in Fremont,
Michigan.  This was promptly reported to the SEC shortly thereafter.  This
information was
transmitted verbally to Michigan State Police Operations Desk at 5:39 PM.
A follow-up facsimile
was transmitted to MSP Operations from the West Branch MSP Post at
approximately 6:20 PM.

MSP Investigators subsequently requested assistance from the Department of
Defense and Federal
Communications Commission in order to establish radio direction finding
capabilities.  When help
was not forthcoming, a call was placed to the SEC requesting these
capabilities through the Amateur
Radio Service.

A radio direction finding team was dispatched from Kent County RACES,
arriving at the MSP
command post shortly thereafter.  This team was placed under the
supervision of the District 6
Emergency Coordinator, Mr. Tom Vandermel (KB8VEE).  Subsequent assistance
was obtained
from RACES members in Ottawa and Muskegon Counties.

In addition to those resources in the immediate area, a team from Kalamazoo
County RACES was
placed on standby along with a Civil Air Patrol team from the Mt. Clemens
area.  These later teams
were not utilized due to the distances involved and the fact that adequate
staff was available in
nearby Counties.

The radio direction finding activities continued until approximately 5 AM
on Sunday, July 13 when
Mr. Woodring was located based on a tip from a local resident.  He was
subsequently shot to death
when he leveled an assault rifle at officers and refused to comply with
directives.

RACES members provided 494 staff-hours to the operation, most of which were
contributed during
the 36-hour period when radio direction finding activites were being
conducted.  Michigan State
Police officials expressed genuine appreciation for the efforts of the
Amateur Radio teams.
Considerable positive feedback has been received from a variety of senior
officers who now have
an "expanded" view of Amateur Radio capabilities.