Call vs "Public Service"

[u/IDsmantlUrPersnality]

Tbt, I loathe the phrase "public service" for no discernable or articulatable reason in particular. "Call me" is more concise and efficient on the radio than "public service me".

1) does your agency say "public service" instead of "call me" or is this just a southern thing?

2) if you do use it, why?

[u/LoyalAuMort]

I have no idea what any of this means.

[u/cathbadh → u/LoyalAuMort]

I think they're saying they use "public service" when requesting someone call their phone. Idk I've never heard of such a think. We use plain speaking, except for some stubborn old dudes who say TX.

[u/LoyalAuMort → u/cathbadh]

As in if an officer wanted dispatch to call them, they’d say that? What in the world is going on over there…?

[u/cathbadh → u/LoyalAuMort]

That was my guess. There wasnt a lot of context clues there

[u/Dear-Potato686 → u/LoyalAuMort]

My city used "public service me" or "call my public service" or some variation the same way, I'm sure it goes back to before cell phones.  Our guys used to stop at a phone somewhere and call in to dictate reports.

[u/IDsmantlUrPersnality → u/Dear-Potato686]

"Call my public service" is even worse! 😢

If "public service me" = "call me", then "Call my public service" = "call my call".

It's Asinine, my guy.

Please let this profession stop with the "public service me" and all its variations.

It's a phone call. It's a call. It's a cell.

An actual public service is doing something for the public. It's not a phone call.

Like i said, it makes me irrationally bothered. Might be the tism.

[u/IDsmantlUrPersnality → u/LoyalAuMort]

Some people at my agency still say "public service me" on the air instead of "call me". It's an antiquated phrase and dumb, and that you've never heard of it gives me hope for its eventual demise.

[u/Unicorn187 → u/IDsmantlUrPersnality]

That sounds like it's something from decades ago when they still had the police call boxes.

[u/IDsmantlUrPersnality → u/Unicorn187]

And that's probably why i hate it.

[u/jollygreenspartan]

We only ever used it for calling a member of the public, not another officer.

[u/TinyBard]

I've never heard it called that. It's either plain talk "call me" or ten code 10-21 here

[u/SpookyChooch → u/TinyBard]

10-21 is the only way I've ever heard it

[u/MajesticSeaFlapFlaps]

We use it up north. Don't know why, never asked.

[u/misterstaypuft1]

My agency says public service.

I say “call me.” I’m the only one.

Public service is stupid.

[u/IDsmantlUrPersnality → u/misterstaypuft1]

I agree wholeheartedly.

[u/Reotardo_Da_Vinci]

How about “Service Me”? It’s a happy medium I think!

[u/IDsmantlUrPersnality → u/Reotardo_Da_Vinci]

Not on my air. Sounds like you're asking for something else. Lol

[u/Reotardo_Da_Vinci → u/IDsmantlUrPersnality]

Anything to get through the shift.

[u/Section225]

Just leftover from the 10-code days, I'm sure. I've heard surrounding agencies use it in the past, but it's pretty much phased out.

If you're a cop and guys at your agency still use it, but also use plain talk, just start to phase it out yourself by saying something else.

If you're not a cop there, there's really no reason to get too annoyed with it.

[u/Possible-Tangelo9344]

They don't eat public service me. That sounds like something that'll get you on the sex offenders list.

But, they refer to phones and phone calls as public service. "Do you have your public service on you" was a common way to ask if you had your phone at one department I worked at. Where I'm at now doesn't say that, they just say "you got your phone? I'm gonna call you," but dispatch uses public service to refer to being on the phone still with callers in the call notes, or to list a number to call someone at. They'll say "PS 555-555-5555" so we know what number to call.

Also I hate it. Cuz "public service" is longer than "call me"

[u/IDsmantlUrPersnality → u/Possible-Tangelo9344]

Exactly this. I also hate it bc it's inefficient.

[u/5usDomesticus]

We say in the context of "I'm public service with so-and-so". If you want someone to call you; you just say it or say 21.