Scanner and law enforcement question.

[klown]

I just passed my tech exam Sun.. And I am planning on installing my mobile scanner in the truck. I know that is now legal for me to carry my scanner in the truck, but if I got pulled over and had the local P.D. coming through at the same time would I be in any trouble. Shoul I turn the scanner off, or is it legal to monitor police radio? Thanks, in advance.

 

[geoff5093]

I would obviously turn it off, or at least to a different channel if you get pulled over. Depending on the state you live in though, I think you should be fine.

 

[ibagli]

Though you would most likely be legally in the clear, it wouldn't help you in any way. Best turn it off just to save yourself the pain in that case. Besides, you know your own info already, so you know what would be coming across.

 

[hoser147]

Agreed

 

[902]

Why invite trouble? Just turn it off.

Or be prepared to possibly be detained for a while until you fully satisfy:
Who?
What?
Where?
When?
How?
Why?

 

[scanjunkie]

Just be careful how you go about it. If your scanner is installed low in the vehicle, reaching down to turn it off could cause alarm for the officer. As soon as you were to see the lights in your rear view, turn the scanner off, and when you stop your vehicle place both hands on the steering wheel in plain view. There's a good chance the officer will ask what you were reaching for when he was stopping you...just be honest with him/her. "I just leaned over to turn off my scanner so it wouldn't be distracting for you."

Overall, your best bet is to obey the traffic laws and not get pulled over to begin with, but if that fails, then go to plan B! Good luck!!

 

[CharlesDom]

You're all a bunch of wussies

I carry my Pro-528 everywhere I go. Sometimes I'll go to a restaurant and sit next to cops on purpose, and they don't say anything but they obviously notice that it's there. This has happened on more than one occassion.

I was eating a steak breakfast so he got a little nervous when I picked up the knife, he gave me that look. lol

It's perfectly legal to carry a scanner and you shouldn't be afraid just because a cop is next to you or sees you with it. If he/she asks you a question, then tell them the truth. You're not hiding anythning are you? You're not breaking the law, it's just a hobby and I'm nosey as hell, I like knowing what's going on in my community. I'm also x-military so they probably might not tell me too much anyway.

 

[jparks29]

I carry my Pro-528 everywhere I go. Sometimes I'll go to a restaurant and sit next to cops on purpose, and they don't say anything but they obviously notice that it's there. This has happened on more than one occassion.

I was eating a steak breakfast so he got a little nervous when I picked up the knife, he gave me that look. lol

It's perfectly legal to carry a scanner and you shouldn't be afraid just because a cop is next to you or sees you with it. If he/she asks you a question, then tell them the truth. You're not hiding anythning are you? You're not breaking the law, it's just a hobby and I'm nosey as hell, I like knowing what's going on in my community. I'm also x-military so they probably might not tell me too much anyway.

Those officers you mention are probably thinking you're an annoying moron, but don't say anything because it's not against the law.

The thought of 'what a jackass' crossed my mind reading your post...

People like you are what make others think scanner listeners are a bunch of crackpots...




carry on....

 

[PJaxx]

Sometimes I'll go to a restaurant and sit next to cops on purpose, and they don't say anything

They're probably afraid their silent giggles about you would show if they said anything.

I was eating a steak breakfast so he got a little nervous when I picked up the knife, he gave me that look.

Why on earth would a cop, or anyone else, get nervous if you use a knife to eat a steak? "That look" was probably more related to your first sentence, above.

I'm also x-military so they probably might not tell me too much anyway.

Huh???

 

[iMONITOR]

These threads are hilarious! You're so paranoid about carrying a scanner, or having a scanner in your car, when there are cops around. Unless there are specific laws against it, where this occurs, it's no different than having an iPOD. :roll:

You'd never survive if you were carrying a handgun around cops!

 

[flecom]

i was having lunch once and i use an M-RK as my ham portable, the same radios the cops use (mine was VHF tho, they are on 800) the cop walked by and asked if he could see it, so i handed it to him, the only thing he said was "wow, it looks so new!"

i actually ended up giving him a new 800mhz duckie i had in the car since they one on his public safety mic was all sorts of screwed up lol and i had a few extra anyway... hey you never know, good to have some good cop-karma lol

 

[ScanDaBands]

I was eating a steak breakfast so he got a little nervous when I picked up the knife, he gave me that look. lol

Yea I'm sure he got nervous ...............you can't be serious. :lol:

He probably gave you the "look" because you were staring at him.....I don't know if it's just me but I cannot stand someone sitting there staring at me when I'm eating I really feel like telling them to go "fly a kite" (fluff for go @#$% yourself)

 

[ScanDaBands]

You'd never survive if you were carrying a handgun around cops!

True............anybody that's that worried shouldn't be carrying a gun in the first place. Just as bad as drinking and guns in my opinion.......and not to hijak the thread but you best not be nervous if you have to protect yourself with that gun - you might not succeed....

 

[902]

(snip)it's just a hobby and I'm nosey as hell, I like knowing what's going on in my community.

Hey - that's my line. I also add, "If I know something is happening somewhere, I try to get as far away from it as I can!"

 

[bcd396towner]

Hey - that's my line. I also add, "If I know something is happening somewhere, I try to get as far away from it as I can!"

I take my scanner everywhere I go!, I don't give a crap if a cop is around, u can listen to it why would it bother them?

I get asked a lot of question's about my radio people act like they've never seen a radio there whole life!

When I went to Florida and Las Vegas I see no one I mean no one in CA or FL LV carrying a radio except at a airport lol\

Im the only one with a cool 396T! ha ha ha suck's to be those people without one!

Remember u have a right to listen! Also why in the hell would people care about ur radio? when they don't know anything about scanner's lol

 

[kma371]

I just passed my tech exam Sun.. And I am planning on installing my mobile scanner in the truck. I know that is now legal for me to carry my scanner in the truck, but if I got pulled over and had the local P.D. coming through at the same time would I be in any trouble. Shoul I turn the scanner off, or is it legal to monitor police radio? Thanks, in advance.

Well, here's a real response to your actual quesiton.

You don't list where your from and laws vary from state to state so it's hard to really answer the question. I work in law enforcement and I really wouldn't care if you had a scanner in the car. There are no laws preventing you from having one in a vehicle in California. You wouldn't be in any kind of trouble for listening to the same frequency I was operating on either.

 

[bcd396towner]

Well, here's a real response to your actual quesiton.

You don't list where your from and laws vary from state to state so it's hard to really answer the question. I work in law enforcement and I really wouldn't care if you had a scanner in the car. There are no laws preventing you from having one in a vehicle in California. You wouldn't be in any kind of trouble for listening to the same frequency I was operating on either.

I don't see why the law would bother me either I listen to police fire wherever I go!, I never put my radio down. I even take it with me to the northridge mall valencia mall etc.

If we were doing something illegal like listening to cordless phone's and cell phone's than that's illegal. But as of now no scanner's get cordless and cell.

No cop has ever ever come up to me in the mall and said u have to put that radio away lol

I took my radio to vegas right on the strip listening to casino's and hotel's, and not one cop came up to me I hope this help's u

 

[SCANdal]

You're going to get yourself in trouble one day and won't even know why...

But as of now no scanner's get cordless and cell.

396,

That's not true.

SCANdal

PS
Thank you, kma371, for trying to restore order to the thread.

 

[Stick0413]

Just be careful how you go about it. If your scanner is installed low in the vehicle, reaching down to turn it off could cause alarm for the officer. As soon as you were to see the lights in your rear view, turn the scanner off, and when you stop your vehicle place both hands on the steering wheel in plain view. There's a good chance the officer will ask what you were reaching for when he was stopping you...just be honest with him/her. "I just leaned over to turn off my scanner so it wouldn't be distracting for you."

Overall, your best bet is to obey the traffic laws and not get pulled over to begin with, but if that fails, then go to plan B! Good luck!!

You said it the best. Turn it off right when you notice you are going to be pulled over. If you have to reach down to do so make sure you keep your hands in plain view and when the officer asks say I was turning my scanner off not to distract you. Most LEOs would appriciate you for doing that. It really doesn't matter what state you are in since you have your Ham Ticket. If it is illegal for non hams to carry one in your state then have your states law along with your Ham license with you at all times. This could help stop confusion from an LEO that doesn't know the whole law.

 

[com501]

You said it the best. Turn it off right when you notice you are going to be pulled over. If you have to reach down to do so make sure you keep your hands in plain view and when the officer asks say I was turning my scanner off not to distract you. Most LEOs would appriciate you for doing that. It really doesn't matter what state you are in since you have your Ham Ticket. If it is illegal for non hams to carry one in your state then have your states law along with your Ham license with you at all times. This could help stop confusion from an LEO that doesn't know the whole law.

This is always good advice. Besides, why annoy the officer with feedback from your scanner when he is transmitting?