Police-Scanner.info’s Scanner Blog

The Police-Scanner.info Scanner Blog is back on a new domain!

The new domain address is:

www.PoliceScannerBlog.com

The contents on this blog here will remain for archival purposes.

12/12/08, 6:05AM - As the year comes to an end, I would like to take this time to remind you all to visit the Officer Down Memorial Page and remember the 125 Officers Killed in the Line of Duty in 2008 (as of 12/11/08). Unfortunately, this number will rise as there is still twenty days left in 2008.

The Officer Down Memorial Page, Inc., (ODMP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring America’s fallen law enforcement heroes. More than 19,000 officers have made the ultimate sacrifice in the United States and it is with great honor that the ODMP pays a lasting tribute to each of these officers by preserving their memories within its pages.

All who visit the ODMP will be deeply moved by the countless stories of selfless courage and heroism exhibited by officers who lost their lives while serving and protecting the citizens of this great nation.

2008 Line of Duty Deaths (LODD) By the Numbers:
(as of 12/11/08)

+ Top-3 Line of Duty Death by Cause: 

38 - LODD by Automobile Accident
35 - LODD by Gunfire
11 - LODD by Vehicular Assault

+ Top-3 Line of Duty Deaths by Month:

19 - LODD in September
14 - LODD in January, June, August, & October
12 - LODD in November

+ Top-3 Line of Duty Deaths by State

13 - LODD in Texas
10 - LODD in California
 8  - LODD in Florida

+ More By the Numbers:

11 - Number of Average Tour of Duty Years
39 - Number of Average Officer’s Age
14 - Number of Female Officers Killed in the Line of Duty
 1  - Number of “911 Related Illness” Deaths (new entry added this year)

 
Officer Down Memorial Page - http://www.odmp.org/

Related Links:

+ National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund

I’M BACK! Hello to all my faithful visitors and new arrivers. I hope my return finds all of you safe and healthy. It’s been awhile since this site was updated, five months to be exact! Let me start by saying that I was not sure if I was gonna continue updating this site or just leave it up as a archived relic. After many months of contemplating the decision to end this site because of the many factors in play, to which I will spare you the details (no, I was not in jail), I have decided to not only keep this site (my pride and joy) alive, but to expand it. 

That said, there are some great things to come in mid-September and early October. This includes a huge Bulletin Board Discussion Forum for police scanner and public safety scanning topics. There will also be a “Police Scanning Community” page that will include Police Scanner Yahoo Groups!, Police Scanner Newsgroups, Police Scanner Webrings, Police Scanner Magazines, Regional Scanner Meeting Clubs, Police Scanner Repair Services, Scanning-related Books and more! 

In addition, this scanner blog with be updated on a regular basis with scanner-related articles, news, and other police scanner-related information and topics, the way I originally intended. So stick around cause there is much more to come!

That’s it for now, as always, stay safe!

Ruben Flores
Your “happy to be back!” Webmaster

This past weekend, I came across a blog on the Los Angeles Times Website that, well, is very sad to say the least. The blog, “the Homicide Report”, lists a running archive of all murders that occurr to-date here in Los Angeles County, CA. WOW! I know that all these murders go on and have even heard many of them over the scanner, but just reading about them is so sad. And it’s not just Los Angeles, it’s happening all over the United States - the senseless killing of another human. This when the murder rate in Los Angeles is supposedly down by almost 50%. Huh? 

+ LATimes: The Homicide Report
This the coroner’s official weekly list, combined with information from law enforcement. Homicides reported in 
previous days are updated here, and archived.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/homicidereport/

+ U.S. Dept. of Justice - Bureau of Crime Statistics
Statistics about - Crime and victims, Drugs and crime, Criminal offenders, The justice system in the United States, Law enforcement, Prosecution and more.
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/

 
Nobody Pays List Price Anymore, Why Should You!

So much for updating this blog every couple of days…

Sorry. I’m trying to get used to remembering that I run this blog now. I’m still trying to catch up on updating the audio page on PSI. I been busy with PoliceScanners4Less, trying to get that site running smoothly. It’s just me running all three sites and being a single father with three teenage daughters does not help…  

Anyway, I’ve decided to delay the audio update on PSI until May 1st. I’ll keep you posted.

Items of Interest: 

In all my years of listening to police and fire communications, there have been several occasions where I have heard a call involving a family member or friend - fotunately nothing serious. This one has got to be one of the worst things to hear on a scanner - a mother hears a fatal accident over the scanner involving her son:

+ “Four teens are killed in Leicester car crash”
http://shorterlink.com/?GXE1D2

Regarding the tragic shootings at Virgina Tech last week, some students learned there was a gunman on the loose over a police scanner that someone had before the school put out warnings:
 
+ “Killen resident on Tech campus during shooting”
http://shorterlink.com/?K7Z6MK

And finally, an amendment to Michigan state law MCL750.508 regarding mobile scanner use. The amendment removes the penalty for having a scanner equipped in a vehicle, but making it illegal to commit a crime while in possession of a scanner. According to the ECPA of 1986, it is already illegal to use a scanner to commit a crime. This bill establish enhanced criminal penalties for a person who uses a scanner in the commission of a crime. 

+ “2005 House Bill 4544 (Enhanced penalty if police scanner used in crime)”
http://www.michiganvotes.org/2005-HB-4544

More information and resources on scanner laws can be found at:

+ Police Scanners & the Law
http://www.police-scanner.info/scanning/police-scanner-laws.htm

That’s it for now, type to you soon. As always, stay safe and happy scanning!

-RF

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Hello everyone! Welcome to Police-Scanner.info’s Scanner Blog! I am Ruben Flores, Police-Scanner.info’s Webmaster. Here is where I will regularly post articles, news, and other police scanner-related information and topics - even my own rants. I hope to update this page every few days or as events dictates.

In other stuff, I just got my first digital scanner, the BCD396T, a couple of weeks ago and must say I very happy with the scanner, but not too fond of digital radio transmissions. Digital is supposed to be crisp and clear. I personally do not think so. I have been recording some digital scanner audio files and will put them up this weekend so you can hear for yourself.

Below are a couple of interesting articles I recently found:

+ “Crash biker had drugs in undies, helmet scanner“

+ “Sound of scanner yields pot, $30,000“

This one was not scanner-related, but was an interesting read:

+ “Dozens Arrested For Posing As Police“

and don’t forget to visit our official scanner sales site for great deals on police scanners: 

PoliceScanners4Less.com

Well, that’s all for now - type to you in a couple of days…