Encryption in Berks Co.
All the PD talk groups are encrypted on the "muffled" $60million Berks 700 Phase 2 system. I've been listening to Public Safety comms since I was 10 yrs old. Listening in gave me great respect for not only the PD, but everyone working in Public Safety. I work in security at the local dept. stores and wharehouses in the area. When a broadcast for a shoplifter in the area would be given, I would relay the description to the other guards so they could keep a lookout for them possibly entering our stores. Now we're in the dark in that respect. When there were missing people reports in the area, I would relay that info to the guards also. I live about 2 blocks from the local Turkey Hill and several other convenience stores; when they were held up and I was home, I would go out on the front porch and watch for anyone suspicious going by. The local PD new if my car was out front and they went past, they knew the actors more than likely didn't come down my way and they could concentrate their efforts more towards the City of Reading. Now they don't have that option. I really think they do not realize how many law abiding citizens listen in and want to help out. It's really a shame that they think more criminals listen in than do the law abiding public. One local PD Chief said he wants his officers to be safe and not have their location given away by someone listening in. Well, if I'm going to rob someplace, I wouldn't depend on the scanner to let me know where they are at, I would have lookouts driving around telling me realtime where they are and I would know ahead of time by keeping track of how many PD cars they have and how many are out and about. If ever I am injured in an accident involving a chase that I could have avoided by being able to listen in and avoid it; as much as I like helping the PD out, I would file a lawsuit against the agency. As much as the PD are worried about criminals listening in; I want to listen in to avoid those areas and be safe. Back to Berks Co. Phase 2 system; one of the reasons for this system was so all the agencies involved in an incident could intercommunicate. Now, with the PD being encrypted, FD and EMS still have to go through the Dispatch to contact the PD involved in the incident. Last year the FBI and local PD special ops units conducted a large scale drug intercept operation. 90% of the FBI comms were in the clear. After the arrests were made, the local newspaper pointed out that by listening in on the actors cell calls, they were able to bring the operation down. Now you would think that if the next group that would take over would stop using their cell phones for the dealings after seeing the news article and try alternate ways of operating; but no, they still used their cell phones and the 2nd group was taken down months after the first group were arrested. Another words the criminals aren't too smart, so I doubt that by listening in, especially within a trunk system with dozens of tgid's, that they would be able to avoid being caught.
Happy Monitoring, Rich Kramer
N3VMY - KAG 0096 - KPA3CI
