Friday, March 23, 2012

PDT's Down for a Week Now

We've noticed that when we're lucky enough to get a car with a computer in it recently, 8 times out of 10 the PDT doesn't function.

Now we hear word that the network or "host" is down?

Just mentioning this to McViolenceZone, it's awfully hard to do name checks, plate checks, automated contact cards and such without a functioning PDT. Hope you're at least a little understanding when you drag the bosses over the coals next week.

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59 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

That's no excuse.

3/23/2012 12:35:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

City didn't pay Verizon bill again.

3/23/2012 12:46:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

In my district, we have numerous PDTs with repair requests attached to them, just sitting and gathering dust for weeks in the radio room. It is my understanding the mail couriers are the ones who are supposed to take them to where ever they go to get serviced. Clearly, they've conveniently managed to not see them there for months. Heck, it doesn't matter, though. The probably laid off all the PDT techs and didn't pay the bill for replacements parts, anyway.

3/23/2012 12:56:00 AM  
Anonymous JAFO said...

How can you function without a PDT?? This is crazy.

Seriously, that equipment should be working.

Where is FOP? Wouldn't bad equipment be a union grievance, if nothing else?

Why buy PDTs if they don't work?

So you guys just rely on your radio? Welcome to the 1950s.

Where is the Chicago media on this one? This should be leading story news - "Many CPD drive in the dark with no PDTs".

Not a LEO, JAFO

3/23/2012 01:01:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

HAHAHAHAAAAHHAAAAHAAAA!!!!!HAHAHAHAAAAHHAAAAHAAAA!!!!!HAHAHAHAAAAHHAAAAHAAAA!!!!!HAHAHAHAAAAHHAAAAHAAAA!!!!!HAHAHAHAAAAHHAAAAHAAAA!!!!!HAHAHAHAAAAHHAAAAHAAAA!!!!!HAHAHAHAAAAHHAAAAHAAAA!!!!!
Maybe Old Rhamie can get fatten another buddy up with some cases of $$$$$$$$$$ (taxe payers money) to try and bandaid them.

3/23/2012 01:22:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

McGeneralisimo would say you are wrong it's no where near 8 out of 10 PDTs do not function. It's only about 4 out of 5, we can live with that.

3/23/2012 02:37:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey SCC! You forgot to mention we're also unable to do reports. Having to go into the station to do them.( if your lucky enough to find acomputer that works, , and isn't already in use)
Once was assigned to a car with a PDT that wouldn't let me log in. Was dispatched to do a DOA at the hospital. Went on air requesting a car with a working PDT to swing by.
The sector Sgt. came to my location and attempted to assist me logging in. When he was finally convinced that the problem was indeed with the PDT, and not me, the dispatcher was told to send a car with a functioning computer to my location. Forty minutes later a unit arrived ( from the next watch ) and I was able to complete my report.
All total over two and a half hours out of service, and two cars later. I completed my report.

3/23/2012 02:48:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Don't parasites require a host?

3/23/2012 04:28:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

At least you have some PDTs. None of the vehicles at O'Hare have them.

3/23/2012 04:47:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Jonathan Lewin is a police officer, not a tech guru.

Why doesn't the Department outsource their tech needs to a company that knows what they are doing? Our Department computers are a mess.

3/23/2012 05:15:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

was having problems with i-clear on the pdt's. but nothing recently..

3/23/2012 06:49:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

4:28-bravo!!

3/23/2012 07:14:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yes boys and girls, you can function as a police officer without a pdt, it can happen. I'ts not a safety issue, therefore the union will not be looking into it! Where do you guys come up with this stuff? It is definately convienent and required to do reports. So it is an efficient piece of equipment, one required to be efficient, that is all. You whiners really don't get it.

3/23/2012 07:19:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You got a gun and a pen. You can do police work. You don't need some box to tell you when dude is wrong.

3/23/2012 07:43:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

aira reporting also has many problems--- many reports lost when you are almost done with them requiring you to go to station to complete the report--- two hours on criminal damage to property reports isn't going to work with our downsized police department---

3/23/2012 08:08:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I was spared for logging on to the pdt with the wrong car number!!

3/23/2012 08:33:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I remember a time when we work the streets without computers!

Old school coppers do just fine without that low bid junk!

Just get your crayon and misc. Cards out and write down the next five jobs on the back of the cards, the old dispatcher!

Da Pelon

3/23/2012 08:55:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

super mac was on ch-11 last night bragging about how all the gang info is available to beat officers via computer "we gather it up and push the info out to the beat officer" via pdt???..what a jerk!!

3/23/2012 09:12:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Damn, How did we survive in the patrol cars before we had PDTs?

3/23/2012 09:39:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

How can you function without a PDT?? This is crazy.

Run plates and do name checks over the radio.
How do you think things operated before computers were used on the job?
Get your crayon and paper out and take these five jobs.

3/23/2012 09:44:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Behind our desk is a printer that is not working properly. There's a note on it with a ticket number and the date the repair was requested: 12 Dec 11. The printer still doesn't work and has not been repaired.

3/23/2012 09:48:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Didn't a Daley operative supply that junk?

3/23/2012 10:39:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

" JAFO said...
How can you function without a PDT?? This is crazy..."


I remember a PROUD Chicago Police Department.

Everyone carried a sturdy reliable no non-sense revolver. (Maybe a Colt Model 1911, snub nosed revolver, Browning Model 1935 or even a .25 cal Baby Browning in a handcuff case.)

No ASPs or O.C. Spray, just a wooden baton.

No computers, we had Beat Boxes and Incident Reporting Guides.

We had radios, with P.O's as dispatchers and Call Takers, who we knew and often used to work with. They sat Call Taker-Man on the Zone and Call Taker. No cell phones, we had Call Boxes, I still have my key.

We had problems, we rotated shifts but we had camaraderie.

Some way things were better.

Sic Semper Mordis (Still Has a Bite) motto of the Loyal Order of Dinosaurs.

3/23/2012 11:25:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I got a new car sometime in July. Within 2 weeks the brand new pdt was not working. The "2" "W" "S" "X" "Tab" and "Caps Lock" buttons didn't not work. I pulled the pdt and put a ticket on it. March is almost over and I still haven't gotten the pdt back.

3/23/2012 11:45:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What ever happened
To the slogan "the city that works"? Is that still being stated or is Rahm working on a new campaign like "the city that works when I tell them to because I'm the fucking mayor".

3/23/2012 11:57:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

PDTS ALWAYS GO DOWN AND ARE SLOW EVERY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS!coincidence...crime is down!not!

3/23/2012 12:04:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What do you need a PDT for to handle a DOA, I might be old but last I checked It was still a hospitalization case report and dead body removal form, both of which are still paper reports.

3/23/2012 12:27:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i turned my pdt off two years ago and never turned it on again. back to pen and notebook. it was very liberating you should try it.

3/23/2012 12:28:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It's a good thing I never use the PDT for anything more than a tray to hold my lunch. The bare minimum is the only way to survive in this backwards department. Being productive is counterproductive.

3/23/2012 12:45:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

First Class City First Class Police Dept Bring On NATO!

3/23/2012 02:23:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Was it the switching over and upgrading to Windows ME ? Analog technology in a digital world, if it's just parts, then thanks Hubie, that Motorola $$$ oversight was really a big help.
Let's see if cutting the OEMC overtime helps paying the cellular data plan.

3/23/2012 04:28:00 PM  
Blogger sharky said...

If you have any piece of equipment in the station needing repairs, and the repair ticket is more than 7 days old, re-order the repair. All tickets are du mped after 7 days, closed out as if problem solved, whether or not anyone ever came out.

3/23/2012 04:54:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Radio transmissions have been terrible for several months now, lots of static and low volume, foot pursuits are almost impossible to hear/understand. Safety issue should be addressed along with the PDT's. Zone 12 has been using CW6 for a couple days now.

3/23/2012 04:57:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love when you don't have a PDT and have to drive into the station to hopefully find a working PDT,THEN a douchebag SGT calls you and asks why you've been down for 25 minutes on a case report.

3/23/2012 07:14:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yes boys and girls, you can function as a police officer without a pdt, it can happen. I'ts not a safety issue, therefore the union will not be looking into it! Where do you guys come up with this stuff? It is definately convienent and required to do reports. So it is an efficient piece of equipment, one required to be efficient, that is all. You whiners really don't get it.

3/23/2012 07:19:00 AM

In one sentence you say that the police can function without a pdt and in another sentence you say that it's required to do reports. Well which one is it genius? If I have to run into the station everytime I need to do a case report because the pdt doesn't work properly, then we might as well scrap the fucking pdt's and go back to doing everything on paper. Also, it is not an "efficient" piece of equipment. It is an inefficient piece of equipment because it hardly ever works properly. In other words, the pdt's are broken, unmaintained pieces of shit.

3/23/2012 07:16:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What do you need a PDT for to handle a DOA, I might be old but last I checked It was still a hospitalization case report and dead body removal form, both of which are still paper reports.

3/23/2012 12:27:00 PM

You obviously are old and you need to check again because a hospitalization case report is now done in AIRA on that miraculous thing called a computer. It has been for well over a year now. Very few reports are still done on paper in patrol but some that come to mind are missings, traffic crashes, curfews, and animal bites. Even contact cards have to be entered on the pdt now. So you see, it is kind of difficult to function as a patrolmen without one nowadays.

3/23/2012 07:23:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You guys run plates for what?

Half the Zones are never around and the other half are down on this or that BS call.

3/23/2012 07:25:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I called the data help desk just to see if the network was down. I just got the run around no one could give me a straight answer. Then went to A1 to get the mount tested along with the PDT. They said everything checked out ok. I explained what had been occurring for two weeks. The techs called someone in charge and low and behold several towers were off line. I thanked them for finally giving me a reason why cad is down. Now why didn't OEMC didn't tell us is beyond me. Goes to show you that this city is so disorganized and lack of communication within agencies.

3/23/2012 07:26:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

How can you function without a PDT?? This is crazy.

Run plates and do name checks over the radio.
How do you think things operated before computers were used on the job?
Get your crayon and paper out and take these five jobs.

3/23/2012 09:44:00 AM

And some jagoff with a scanner can eavesdrop.

3/23/2012 07:29:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Any of you guys ever been out of state and spoken to a cop or state trooper and see their in car computers? Looks like fucking star wars compared to ours

3/23/2012 09:03:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I bet the all cameras still work.....

3/23/2012 09:18:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Johnatan Lewin And his side kick Capt Ryseck had this big rush to get all PDT's made as they put it NUETRAL so any colr PDT would work, Thius Capt is the biggest GOOF walking around, and when all of his technical SHIT fails during NATO, Lewin will throw him way under the GREYHOUND BUS, Rysick has these plans to be a Commander, not going to happen, you see baoys and girls the easiest way for the GPS to work is when your PDT is logged on, Oh they can track you , but it's harder and they don't have the bodies to do it.

3/23/2012 09:20:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
What do you need a PDT for to handle a DOA, I might be old but last I checked It was still a hospitalization case report and dead body removal form, both of which are still paper reports.

3/23/2012 12:27:00 PM

yeah you are old, DOA is in AIRA now.

3/23/2012 09:38:00 PM  
Anonymous Unit 121 said...

What's a PDT?

3/23/2012 09:50:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Jonathan Lewin is a police officer, not a tech guru.

Why doesn't the Department outsource their tech needs to a company that knows what they are doing? Our Department computers are a mess.

3/23/2012 05:15:00 AM

------------------------
Wouldn't really say Jonathan Lewin is a police officer.

3/23/2012 10:40:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Jonathan Lewin is a police officer, not a tech guru."


A. P.O., Really?!?! A Tech guru, I’d settle for Geek Squad right now./
Somebody should outsource Jonathan Litwin, like maybe to 007 or 004 but they have enough troubles already.

Tell him about a problem and he tells you to put it through channels.

Your the head of the Department you *$&$#^#!

How about the computers in the prisoner processing rooms. They were never upgraded in 10 years and some nights only one or two out of seven work.

We did put our complaints through channels, but calling 4-DATA get little if anything ever done.

3/23/2012 10:49:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I don't know what zone you guys are on, but this is a safety issue.. With the weather getting hot, I'm lucky to get on the air to ask for a call back or another car without walking on somebody. If I'm tying up the air with name checks, and VIN info, I'm taking away the opportunity for another officer to call in an emergency.

3/23/2012 10:57:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What do you need a PDT for to handle a DOA, I might be old but last I checked It was still a hospitalization case report and dead body removal form, both of which are still paper reports.

3/23/2012 12:27:00 PM

Wrong. Hospitalizations are done in Aira.

3/23/2012 11:10:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

And some jagoff with a scanner can eavesdrop.

What is your point? Scanners were around back then, before we had computers in the cars.

3/24/2012 12:57:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

If I have to run into the station everytime I need to do a case report because the pdt doesn't work properly, then we might as well scrap the fucking pdt's and go back to doing everything on paper.

Who cares if you have to go to the station every time and enter the report there. The city is the one who wants everything on the computer, don't sweat it. If it takes you 45 minutes to do the report, so be it. Sheesh.

3/24/2012 01:10:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

\I don't know what zone you guys are on, but this is a safety issue.. With the weather getting hot, I'm lucky to get on the air to ask for a call back or another car without walking on somebody. If I'm tying up the air with name checks, and VIN info, I'm taking away the opportunity for another officer to call in an emergency.

3/23/2012 10:57:00 PM


Somebody breaks in to call an emergency, you stop your transmission, simple as that.
Before in car computers, there were a LOT more police officers on the street, and it was busier.
Worked in zone 6 & 10, where it was not uncommon to have multiple emergencies occurring at the same time, two foot chases going on simultaneously, persons shot, vehicle pursuits, and still we managed to be able to eventually get in once the air cleared and do what we wanted to do.

3/24/2012 01:41:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
JAFO said...
How can you function without a PDT?? This is crazy.

Seriously, that equipment should be working.

Where is FOP? Wouldn't bad equipment be a union grievance, if nothing else?

Why buy PDTs if they don't work?

So you guys just rely on your radio? Welcome to the 1950s.

Where is the Chicago media on this one? This should be leading story news - "Many CPD drive in the dark with no PDTs".

Not a LEO, JAFO

3/23/2012 01:01:00 AM


In the 1950's they relied on a call box. When I came on we got one radio for a two man car. It was brick sized and many an offender felt it come into contact with their noggin.

We had no PDT's. No in-car computers at all and most days it took 10 minutes at least to run a plate. This crap equipment nonsense is nothing new. It has been going on for a long time. The cars were in worse shape years ago and people couldn't see the pathetic dim blue lights on top. Coppers wrecked cars very frequently.

Police carried revolvers and still seemed to shoot their share of bad guys. Soft lead hollow point bullets were all that was allowed. Jeez, complaining about PDT's now seems like nonsense, at least you can carry some good weapons and ammunition.

3/24/2012 09:15:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is a classic case of how an outside contractor could do a better job. Hear me knocking???

3/24/2012 03:52:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"...Police carried revolvers and still seemed to shoot their share of bad guys. Soft lead hollow point bullets were all that was allowed. Jeez, complaining about PDT's now seems like nonsense, at least you can carry some good weapons and ammunition.

3/24/2012 09:15:00 AM"

Bsck in the 1950's to about 1973-74 we had .38 Special 158 gr. Round Nose Lead ammo. Then it was .38 Cal +P Lead Hollow Points, better but not really all that great. Todays ammo is better at stopping power but you still need the basic combat under stress marksmanship and that is very lacking.

Back then, most cops had a secondary gun. I loved my Colt .45 Combat Commander and another popular gun of that era was the .45 Long Colt Revolver.

Stay Safe, shoot straight, always tell the truth.

3/24/2012 04:04:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What do you need a PDT for to handle a DOA, I might be old but last I checked It was still a hospitalization case report and dead body removal form, both of which are still paper reports.

3/23/2012 12:27:00 PM
You have to do the report in AIRA NOW either on the street( if your lucky enough to have a working PDT in your squad! ) or in the station.
Try handing in ANY paper reports( other than those that are unavailable in AIRA ),and enjoy when the supervisor ands it back to you and you try to answer all of the ADDITIONAL information that is needed to fill out the electronic version of the same report that not on the paper report that you've completed or in your notebook either !
Without it AIRA will not accept the report.
Supervisors have refused to accept paper reports,( paper jobs or otherwise) in my district, even when we have no computer in the veh. Some detectives refuse to even look at a handwritten case report, and won't respond until it's in AIRA.
I wouldn't say your old,. Maybe it's just been a while since you worked a beat car.
Bottom line: Car tied up! And Hheaven help you if you run into OT and try to drop a slip For time, OR money

3/25/2012 01:58:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

If I have to run into the station everytime I need to do a case report because the pdt doesn't work properly, then we might as well scrap the fucking pdt's and go back to doing everything on paper.

Who cares if you have to go to the station every time and enter the report there. The city is the one who wants everything on the computer, don't sweat it. If it takes you 45 minutes to do the report, so be it. Sheesh.

3/24/2012 01:10:00 AM

I don't care about it. I was simply making the point to a previous poster that a functioning pdt is necessary now because you need it to do reports and enter contact cards. I'm not sweating anything. I agree with you. I'll stay in the station all night if the department doesn't want to give us proper working equipment.

3/25/2012 11:22:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

In the 1950's they relied on a call box. When I came on we got one radio for a two man car. It was brick sized and many an offender felt it come into contact with their noggin.

We had no PDT's. No in-car computers at all and most days it took 10 minutes at least to run a plate. This crap equipment nonsense is nothing new. It has been going on for a long time. The cars were in worse shape years ago and people couldn't see the pathetic dim blue lights on top. Coppers wrecked cars very frequently.

Police carried revolvers and still seemed to shoot their share of bad guys. Soft lead hollow point bullets were all that was allowed. Jeez, complaining about PDT's now seems like nonsense, at least you can carry some good weapons and ammunition.

3/24/2012 09:15:00 AM

Yeah yeah yeah, and in the 1950's if some shit head looked at you cross eyed you could knock his teeth out of his head with your baton, leave him laying in the street, and go eat your free lunch at the diner 5 feet from where you left the shit head laying and nobody would care. In other words, times have changed... ALOT. Try beating an offender in the noggin with your brick sized radio in this day and age and see what happens to you. You'll be on You Tube 5 minutes later and you'll be in prison the following week. PDT's are a necessary piece of equipment for an officer to do his job today. It would be like the department telling you in the 1950's or 1970's in your case, to write a report and then give you a broken pen and a torn up blank report.

3/25/2012 11:31:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You would be supprised on much money has been spent on AIRA.

Even more supprised on how much was supposed to be spent on fixing AIRA but was diverted to "Special Projects".

3/25/2012 02:49:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

you're showin' your age. Anyone with an I-phone or Android can eavesdrop these day.

3/26/2012 05:46:00 AM  

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