In 1985, when Hurricane Gloria knocked out power and telephone service, amateur radio operators responded to provide storm reports and supplement the overloaded police system. A simulated loss of the police communication system used amateur radio opeators assigned to the police dispatch center and in patrol cars with officers. When the department's communication system was modernized, an amateur radio operating position was included in the police console. Amateur operators working in cars with auxiliary police officers also provide a means of increasing manpower and deterring crime on occasions such as Halloween. Many other cities also have found radio amateur operators (HAMS) a valuable resource. Hams set up communications between an airplane crash site in Detroit and the emergency operating center, helped handle message overflows during the Pope's visit to Texas, provide fire patrols, operate a mobile communications van in California, and provided warning of a tornado in Arkansas. Hams also have been involved in police video and computer communications systems and have offered invaluable help during fires, parades and other public events, floods, and other emergencies. Photographs.