Are Boston Police Scanner Threatening Officers' Safety?

[RonnieUSA]

Are Boston Police Scanner Threatening Officers' Safety? : US : Latinos Post

Although social media is a useful tool when it comes to breaking down the borders of transparency, there comes a time when too much info - like data about an investigation - can jeopardize the safety of others. This is one of those times.

Not looking good.

 

[WayneH]

I'm approving this thread permitted there are no encryption FUD posts or complaints about what Broadcastify is doing to the scanner community. Please discuss that in the Tavern Rants forum

 

[zerg901]

I am sure the news media would never try to boost their profits by gaining special access to police radios while locking out the public. Or would they?

 

[searingxheretic]

I am of the opinion that things got out of hand this go-round. People were taking information from scanner feeds and posting it on twitter and Facebook. The media is just as guilty. Last night John King was reporting facts live on CNN while holding a smartphone with an ear bud attached. What do you suppose he was listening to? I know it wasn't broadcastify, the site was down at the time lol.

Sent from my cm_tenderloin

 

[eg153wftx]

you want news go cnn fox msnbc..... i want my rr.

Drunk, but true pissed off Texan...

 

[nbarco]

I was listening to both the Boston feed and the MSP D until they went off the air. With almost 20 years of law enforcement under my belt, I can tell you that there was nothing that would have impeded law enforcement efforts. In fact, much of it cleared the sensationalist medias inadequacies and biased commentary.

 

[searingxheretic]

I was listening to both the Boston feed and the MSP D until they went off the air. With almost 20 years of law enforcement under my belt, I can tell you that there was nothing that would have impeded law enforcement efforts. In fact, much of it cleared the sensationalist medias inadequacies and biased commentary.

That is true, but the tactical channels being broadcast on other sites were a threat to the officers. The information they were discussing was being posted, almost in real time on twitter.

Sent from my cm_tenderloin

 

[kma371]

I am of the opinion that things got out of hand this go-round. People were taking information from scanner feeds and posting it on twitter and Facebook. The media is just as guilty. Last night John King was reporting facts live on CNN while holding a smartphone with an ear bud attached. What do you suppose he was listening to? I know it wasn't broadcastify, the site was down at the time lol.

Sent from my cm_tenderloin

I agree with you. With all these highly publicized criminal incidents we have had recently (specifically Dorner & Boston) it's getting too much. I doubt the Boston guy was listening to the radio traffic, but everyone else was. With information heard, they began spreading inaccurate information that jepordizes investigations.

I don't think streaming these types of incidents is a good idea and something needs to be changed.

 

[ScanWI]

I don't think it helped several people. I woke up to find my feed, Broadcastify - Watertown WI Police and Fire , at over 400 and reaching 8000 by 10pm, never-mind the fact that they were listening to Watertown, WI not MA.

 

[SCPD]

Re: Are Boston Police Scanner Threatening Officers' Safety?

You bet they are!!

 

[searingxheretic]

I don't think it helped several people. I woke up to find my feed, Broadcastify - Watertown WI Police and Fire , at over 400 and reaching 8000 by 10pm, never-mind the fact that they were listening to Watertown, WI not MA.

Lol! I saw that actually and laughed at the time. I think most of those people were using the mobile app (the state doesn't list prominently). When I went onto the mobile app at that time, there were over 800 people in the chat room for your feed. I guess that shows the intelligence level of the mobile app users.

Sent from my cm_tenderloin

 

[rdale]

Re: Are Boston Police Scanner Threatening Officers' Safety?

You bet they are!!

Specifically how? Any evidence that any officer was harmed due to the streaming feeds? Opinions are nice, but I've yet to see one bit of proof to show that the feed threatened officer safety.

 

[kma371]

Specifically how? Any evidence that any officer was harmed due to the streaming feeds? Opinions are nice, but I've yet to see one bit of proof to show that the feed threatened officer safety.

From Boston PD Twitter:
WARNING: Do Not Compromise Officer Safety by Broadcasting Tactical Positions of Homes Being Searched.

Good enough for you?

 

[Rick1959]

Re: Are Boston Police Scanner Threatening Officers' Safety?

You bet they are!!

Wrong. I simply cannot recall a criminal apprehension where the perpetrator(s) were in possession of a scanner or for that matter a wireless phone with an app that permitted the suspects to monitor police activity. I can however, certainly recall, incidents where scanner owners provided invaluable information to law enforcement agencies.
There are however, innumerable documented incidents of criminals utilizing hand held VHF-UHF transceivers. Where’s the hue and cry to criminalize possession of the transceivers? To take it to another level, how about the fishermen transmitting on GHFS frequencies?
One site didn’t pull the Boston PD stream, shame on them. The other sites pulled the stream when it became apparent it was the appropriate thing to do. Think, before you post.

 

[wogggieee]

I don't think it helped several people. I woke up to find my feed, Broadcastify - Watertown WI Police and Fire , at over 400 and reaching 8000 by 10pm, never-mind the fact that they were listening to Watertown, WI not MA.

I saw that! Was mildly amusing.

 

[lowboy654]

This site does not allow Tac channel stuff to be used here, it's part of the end user RULES.

Feed Provider Terms of Service - The RadioReference Wiki

 

[kma371]

Huh? There was just an incident within the last month where three guys were caught using a scanner app to steal cars.

http://forums.radioreference.com/mi...itor-police-chatter-they-broke-into-cars.html

Wrong. I simply cannot recall a criminal apprehension where the perpetrator(s) were in possession of a scanner or for that matter a wireless phone with an app that permitted the suspects to monitor police activity. I can however, certainly recall, incidents where scanner owners provided invaluable information to law enforcement agencies.
There are however, innumerable documented incidents of criminals utilizing hand held VHF-UHF transceivers. Where’s the hue and cry to criminalize possession of the transceivers? To take it to another level, how about the fishermen transmitting on GHFS frequencies?
One site didn’t pull the Boston PD stream, shame on them. The other sites pulled the stream when it became apparent it was the appropriate thing to do. Think, before you post.

 

[coolrich55]

I'm sure everything will be encrypted soon enough but with this incident I bet it will move the process even faster. I even heard one guy on the radio show on weei call in and telling "everyone run out to your local radioshack buy a scanner and program in 460.350". Guess the guy doesn't know what a scanner app is lol. For those of us that think of scanning as a hobby, we are basically shooting ourselves in the foot in my opinion.

 

[W6SDF]

I think repeating (tweeting or any other social media) info gleaned from a scanner is already illegal...just like the gun controversy, why aren't they enforcing existing law?

 

[KB7MIB]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux i686; U; en-US) Gecko/20081217 Vision-Browser/8.1 301x200 LG VN530)

The Communications Act of 1934 prohibits a person from disclosing what they hear to anyone who is not a party to the transmission. Now tweeting your family & friends that there's a bad accident somewhere & they should avoid that road is one thing.