[Scan-DC] New PGPD Cell Phones

[Andy Long]

Alan,

I can tell you that Montgomery County's newest TRS incarnation uses cell 
phones with the Zello app that integrates with the radio system.  It's a 
push-to-talk app that anyone can use, but it appears they've got a 
government version that allows direct (private/secure) communication to 
others with the app, or communication into the radio system as a normal 
unit would operate using the cellular telephone network.  It's all based 
on Voice-Over-IP technology.  There was a document floating around last 
year or perhaps 2021 from the MoCo government on how to use the new 
TRS--It covered radio operation, cell phone operation, and when to use 
Zello, etc.  Based on that knowledge, it's very possible that PG County 
is using the same or a similar solution.

Andy

KE8QHA

On 8/9/2023 2:08 AM, Alan Henney wrote:
> Does anybody know more about these "new PGPD" phones?
>
> Sounds like PGPD has newly "issued" cell phones.  From the sounds of it,
> this may be their way of encryption/privacy or maybe it's the cell system
> officer communication that was talked about a year or two ago (just
> guessing, I really don't know).  Maybe it's a newborn type of Nextel like
> mentioned in the Dec 2020 webpage:
>
> https://insights.samsung.com/2020/12/30/why-smartphones-are-essential-law-enforcement-officer-technology-in-2021/
>
> I mention this because of a call that went out for someone possibly
> attempting suicide by handgun.  The dispatch is at the link below, and what
> caught my interest was the transmission by 34J near the end where 34J says
> "I rather have one of the officers with these new cell phones that we have,
> I need direct comms between an officer and the subject rather than going
> through you".
>
> Interesting ...
>
> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KFFQDM6uVBsjuviplvMckE4SLqxei4zi/view?usp=sharing
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