The NAPCO

NAPCO was founded in 1938 and originally included Northern California and Reno, Nev. Brower McMurphy was the chapter's first president and frequency coordinator. Since that time dozens of dedicated public safety personnel have held those offices and played invaluable roles in the chapter's success. Many members of NAPCO and the Southern California... chapter (California Public-Safety Radio Association, CPRA) have led and participated in technical, operational and project committees that have shaped many of the improvements within the public safety communications landscape locally and nationwide. As with most chapters, recruiting colleagues for elected chapter office and other positions is a challenge. NAPCO is fortunate to have not only a group of active members, but also retirees, who consistently give their personal time and expertise to aid the chapter in its efforts. An excellent example is our senior frequency advisor, Art McDole, who has served an uninterrupted 43 years in frequency coordination. Art has been a member since 1949. When he joined the organization, APCO was known as Associated Police Communications Officers, and the officers/members built their police mobile radios. (When you see him, ask Art where they got the aluminum for the chassis.) Art is a one-of-a-kind pioneer, and NAPCO is grateful to him. NAPCO currently has more than 380 active members who represent public safety agencies serving more than 14 million Californian residents and visitors. Our membership encompasses the northern 48 counties of California. The San Francisco Bay and Sacramento metropolitan areas comprise the more urban population centers in our chapter, but the chapter also has rugged, vast rural terrain, miles of coastline, vistas with tall mountains, wide valleys, large deep lakes that are home to many watercraft, national parks, pristine forests, distinct recreational areas and suburban expanses. We also have many miles of highway, which may occasionally see one or two speeders. All of this topographical diversity ...Read More