"Same Bat Channel"

Due to the numerous police agencies in the county where I work, we have several different channels available depending on what part of the county you're working and agency you work for.  

We motor cops wear gloves as part of our "safety" equipment.  I usually turn my portable radio on before I disconnect my "umbilical cord" from the motorcycle.  Needless to say the channel selection knob is right next to the knob which turns the portable radio on and off.

There have been a few times where I've accidentally had my gloved hand also brush against the channel selection knob enough to change the radio channel I'm supposed to be on..... "car 54 where are you" type of situation.

So I contact the driver and have our usual quick chat before I walk back to scratch out a rag (ticket).  We routinely request a warrant / driver license check via our radio.

Being on the wrong channel can be handled several ways.  We have one bitter sounding female dispatcher who is fantastic at doing her job and is really a nice person.  She has a way of keeping us in line by being usually short and blunt about things, such as the following radio conversation,

Me: "Mary (cop phonetics for "motorcycle") 18, 10-29 (cop code for the warrant / driver license check)."

Dispatcher: (sarcastic tone) "Mary 18 you're on channel 5!"

Me: "Uh 10-22 (cancel or in this case never mind), I'll be switching back to channel 4."

So everybody on channel 5 heard the dispatcher "front" me off so every cop who was on that channel heard her nasty sting, keeping me and others in our place.  I'll never bad mouth a dispatcher.  They do one hell of a job every day and I'm truly thankful that we have people that are capable of performing such an important task.

I've experienced other occasions where this has happened, but with a nicer outcome.... here's an example;

Me: "Mary 18, 10-29 on one."

Kind Dispatcher:  "Go ahead Mary 18, be advised you're on channel 5."

Me: "Mary 18, I copy.  Just wanted to see how you're doing.  How are you doing?"

Kind Dispatcher: (Laughing) "I'm fine, thanks.  And you?"

Me:  "Dandy!, life is good."  Mary18, 10-22 on the '29' and I'll be switching over to channel 4, thanks."

Kind Dispatcher: (laughing even harder) "10-4 (message received), switching back to channel 4."

Indulge me by reading one more.

Me: "Mary18, 10-29 on one."

Kinder Dispatcher: "Mary18 go ahead." 

Me: "Last of 'Pidasso', first of 'Stew', Date of Birth 2-30 of 75, white male."

Kinder Dispatcher: "Mary18, 'Pidasso' returns 10-26 (no warrants) with a valid class C driver license.  Mary18, FYI your on channel 5."

Me: "Mary18 I copy, just stopping by for a visit.  I'll be switching back to channel 4, thanks."

Kinder Dispatcher: (laughing) "10-4."

Now I'm back on channel 4 and everybody is probably none the wiser, or so I thought.... until I clear my traffic stop.

Me: "Mary18, I'll be clear on a moving citation."

Channel 4 Dispatcher: "Mary18 clear on a cite.  By the way, welcome back to channel 4."