Had anyone else been told Monday Allentown PD is off line?

[nosoup4u]

The Express Times is doing an article on this. It will be out either later today or tomorrow. I had the opportunity to be interviewed and to state the case why they should not be encrypting day to day radio traffic. I will post the links when it comes out.

[knsjulian]

Originally Posted by nosoup4u

Just Police. The existing VHF patches are going to be renamed Interop 1 & 2.

Do you know if they are encrypting the current EDACS system or going to a provoice digital system. I am hearing conflicting information about it. What patches are you referring to. Ones on the current EDACS system? I see they encrypted the two vice talk groups and another police ops one that I never knew they even had.

[knsjulian]

Allentown Police Department switches to encrypted radios; communications will not be publicly accessible | lehighvalleylive.com

[JoeyC]

And a quote from the article

City officials say the change was made to increase officer safety and enhance operational security, particularly by preventing criminals from listening to radio traffic on commercially available scanners and smartphone apps.

Yep, streaming has nothing to do with encryption.

[rdale]

Good catch... I agree that quote makes it obvious streaming wasn't the issue. Scanner listeners have obviously been causing problems there, and this is the result.

[One13Truck]

As I've said previously crime is skyrocketing in that area and all over in NEPa. But not once in my life do I ever recall hearing that the criminals had scanners or were listening to a smartphone app while committing their crimes. Did it happen and wasn't mentioned? Maybe. Did they do it without getting caught doing it? Possibly. Most criminals aren't that bright to do something like that. To me the rationale they're using to go to encryption is a joke. Why not just come out and say "The technology is available for us to do it so we went and did it so to everyone that wanted to listen, bite us".

[mule1075]

And encryption has nothing to do with streaming and this is not a joke it really does not if you want to think that great that is your opinion.If the agency or agencies want to encrypt so be it that is their choice right?This conversation has been going on for years before the internet was even around and we had to talk by phone or mail.Hold on a sec i got to lock my phone on a talkgroup so i know what is going down.Oh wait i cant.

Originally Posted by JoeyC

And a quote from the article



Yep, streaming has nothing to do with encryption.

[Septa3371CSX1]

I personally feel that primary dispatch channels should be unencrypted. If the officers feel the need to switch to a secure / encrypted means of communication for an incident then they should have the option to switch communications to an encrypted tac channel. Keeping the regular dispatch channel unencrypted allows the public to know where the police are going, what kind of calls they are responding to, etc. It is also useful when mobile as it gives us (the public) a heads up on accidents, chases, and other incidents. I know whenever I'm out and about and hear a call go out that is near to my location, I keep a look out and try to avoid any trouble spots if I know something is going on. I'm also ready to call in or flag down an officer and pass along any relevant information to a call they are on. Encrypted dispatch is only going to hurt the relationship between the public and the police.

[JoeyC]

Originally Posted by mule1075

And encryption has nothing to do with streaming and this is not a joke it really does not if you want to think that great that is your opinion.If the agency or agencies want to encrypt so be it that is their choice right?This conversation has been going on for years before the internet was even around and we had to talk by phone or mail.Hold on a sec i got to lock my phone on a talkgroup so i know what is going down.Oh wait i cant.

If you bothered to read the article you would see these are not MY words. Yes, it is my opinion (and many others) that streaming contributes to encryption. No it is not the only reason. Why is it difficult for some people to add two and two together?

[radio17]

Originally Posted by nosoup4u

Just Police. The existing VHF patches are going to be renamed Interop 1 & 2.

Where are these VHF patches? I can't seem to find them in the database.

[nosoup4u]

I just realized these weren't in the database. I just submitted them.

158.790 186.2 Interop 1 (Used to be Police Dispatch Trunk Simulcast)
159.090 186.2 Interop 2 (Used to be Police SCOPE Trunk Simulcast)
155.040 186.2 EMS (EMS Dispatch Trunk Simulcast)

[knsjulian]

So what are these: 158.790 186.2 Interop 1 (Used to be Police Dispatch Trunk Simulcast)
159.090 186.2 Interop 2 (Used to be Police SCOPE Trunk Simulcast)

going to be used for now? Are they for other agencies to be able to communicate with allentown police if needed?

I agree that dispatch shouldnt be encrypted but I can understand them using encryption channels if needed. NYPD is the biggest police department in the country and they dont encrypt their channels.

[nosoup4u]

Those 2 VHF freqs have always been around and simulcasted APD Dispatch and Scope. That allowed the area PD's to talk to APD. Same goes with the EMS VHF patch, that is how Mutual Aid EMS calls into the Comm Center.

If you have a scanner that will show radio ID's, The ID for the EMS VHF Patch is 853, Police Patch ID's are 851, 852 and 854.

[knsjulian]

Ok, However we can not pick up any of the police talk group ids cause they went to a encrypted system. Even though some of the talk group ids are listed in the database as analog they are still not able to be picked up on the scanner.

[Steveradio]

Allentown VICE has been using the system for some time now, since the system went on the air along with few other agencies like FEMA. Seen a picture of the protable radio being used but no mobile radios yet.

[radio_runner2003]

Originally Posted by Septa3371CSX1

Sounds like some officials in Allentown are concerned not so much that criminals have scanners but rather smart phones with streaming scanner apps. This is becoming a common trend in many places as agencies switch to digital encrypted systems thinking it will help keep criminals out of the loop. The problem is it doesn't really solve any problems other than the ability for criminals to listen in. This switch won't solve the crime problem in Allentown it will only serve as a way to keep town watches, freelance reporters, hobbyists, etc from being able to keep an ear on what is going on.

Anyone know where Allentown got the money to make this switch?

That is the point they don't want people to listen in.. It is easier to hide how bad it is when people don't know what is going on. Nothing to do with officer safety and everything to do with image.