Police Dispatch Failure Prompts Tactical Alert

A tactical alert was issued Monday night when the city’s police dispatch radio system--and its automatic backup system--failed for about 90 minutes, but officers were able to communicate through their patrol car computers and delays were minor, police said Tuesday.

“The citizens were in no danger,” said Officer Mike Partrain, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department. “It was just a glitch.”

He said the failures were caused by a frequency drift in the microwave transmission system used to relay radio traffic between dispatchers and patrol cars.