Hutchinson Police now encrypted

Status
Not open for further replies.

jasonkw

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2010
Messages
118
Location
Kansas
Tried listening to Hutch PD today. A couple of units are still in the clear, but now even dispatch is encrypted. Reno County Sheriff is headed this direction as well. A couple of units are encrypted with them as well.
 

jasonkw

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2010
Messages
118
Location
Kansas
Update:
I called the paper here and they made some calls. Dispatch is now in the clear again. I was told there are some units on special investigations that are encrypted all the time. Apparently they all use the same talkgroup.

Edit: After listening for a bit, most of the units are still encrypted. Dispatch is still in the clear.
 
Last edited:

kenabos

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Oct 12, 2011
Messages
22
Try contacting your local officials directly. This is the response I got from the Butler county sheriff when I asked his thoughts on encryption prior to the last election.

"As for encryption on the radios, our agency has that ability and only uses it when there is a need for officer safety. The SWAT team has an encrypted channel used when actively engaged in an operation. This is for the same reason. Now from time to time, an officer may inadvertently depress the encryption button on their radio. When a supervisor recognizes this, they are alerted to take it off of encryption. Typically we have nothing to hide from the public. In fact, there have been occasions when the citizen listening to the scanner will have valuable information and call it in making our job easier. We always encourage the public to get involved by providing information about criminal activity to law enforcement.

I hope this answers your questions. If you need additional don't hesitate to call me.

Sheriff Kelly Herzet"

And thanks for reminding me. Butler county Emergency Management is also encrypted and when I sent the director an e-mail asking why, he wrote back something to the effect of duh I dont know anything about that I just push the button and talk. I need to write a letter to the county commissioners. (as of right now EM is working on a grass fire and I just dont understand why that or severe weather information needs to be encrypted.)
 

scanningisfun

Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2010
Messages
689
Try contacting your local officials directly. This is the response I got from the Butler county sheriff when I asked his thoughts on encryption prior to the last election.

"As for encryption on the radios, our agency has that ability and only uses it when there is a need for officer safety. The SWAT team has an encrypted channel used when actively engaged in an operation. This is for the same reason. Now from time to time, an officer may inadvertently depress the encryption button on their radio. When a supervisor recognizes this, they are alerted to take it off of encryption. Typically we have nothing to hide from the public. In fact, there have been occasions when the citizen listening to the scanner will have valuable information and call it in making our job easier. We always encourage the public to get involved by providing information about criminal activity to law enforcement.

I hope this answers your questions. If you need additional don't hesitate to call me.

Sheriff Kelly Herzet"

And thanks for reminding me. Butler county Emergency Management is also encrypted and when I sent the director an e-mail asking why, he wrote back something to the effect of duh I dont know anything about that I just push the button and talk. I need to write a letter to the county commissioners. (as of right now EM is working on a grass fire and I just dont understand why that or severe weather information needs to be encrypted.)

It would be a real waste of money if the EMA used hardware encryption especially. They probably are just using ADP, but I would have to ask.

Jacob
 

jasonkw

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2010
Messages
118
Location
Kansas
I originally thought the officers did not realize they were encrypted. For a while, an officer would be encrypted on the car radio, and the handheld would be in the clear. That is no longer the case, as the same units that are encrypted in the car are encrypted on the handheld. It is usually about half of the officers on duty. I just wish I could lock out the encrypted units on my PRO 106. I guess I should have bought the Uniden instead.
 

bear780ks

Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2009
Messages
931
Location
Central KS
I Guess I could take try and Talk to Some one I know in the S.O. Dept. :roll:

But what itches my Ear is when this System was being set up Bill Guy and other High Officials Announce that the Departments were Going Digital, He said He wanted the Citizen's Involved And be able to Listen to the System as Citizens have for many Years around here.They even set up A Web Site for the people to Listen too the traffic that don't have the funds for Digital capable Radios.

Well to me why go the effort to set up a Public web site to monitor Police, Fire, Ems, Why say..We want the Citizens to be Involved when Now there is possible talk of more transmissions going in the direction of encryption..

For all the citizens Including the officers family Looking at this they can't be Involved in helping with Law enforcement and the officers if there unable to listen to what is taking place it's basically like Watching black N white television with No sound.:(




I'd Say the one to ask maybe on this.. is Bill Ask if this is for sure the Direction the Co. And the City is going) Hopefully it's something there going to use on a Sparingly basis..

I found this Info and the Site to Listen online @ Bill Guy - Reno County, Kansas
 
Last edited:

n0lqt

Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2005
Messages
571
Location
Howe, TX
The "800 MHZ Scanner link on Reno County's website just takes you to the Radio Reference Audio section.
 

jasonkw

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2010
Messages
118
Location
Kansas
I had a message to call the Hutchinson News today. They interviewed me about the encryption for a story they are working on. They have had several people calliing in asking about this issue.
 

bear780ks

Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2009
Messages
931
Location
Central KS
Well if you can Jason let us know what's happening) I heard some ENC on S.O. earlier today right now there in the Open because of the Storms approaching Hope it's not another Tuesday I'll take the Rain and Thunder but the Hail can stay in the Clouds and move on. :) Ra
 

bear780ks

Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2009
Messages
931
Location
Central KS
It's a Very Good Article Jason it shed's allot of light and helped me Understand some things.. And I'm wondering if i need to Possibly Update my Scanners Software I have a 396 and the software that is Currently on it is ( 1.10.00

I sometimes wonder if i have the Digital Setting set up Correctly When i got it i had the Frequencies put in it and i started using it I didn't do any adjustments with that at all..
 

bear780ks

Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2009
Messages
931
Location
Central KS
Thinking about this some More I'm wondering if it would Help to Update the Firmware UpMan Mr.Paul could you Read the above Article Sir and shed some Lite if the Update is needed).

Sometimes the sounds that come from the Little Guy it sounds Like it's angry And I hear every once in a While the Dispatcher's KHP and and our Local Dispatcher telling the Units you went Digital re-advise your Traffic what is the cause for that..

Back on my 396 the P25 might need some Adjusting but I'm still learning things as i go with this little Guy and i don't know for sure if what it's set at is the right level for Monitoring this System) But it shouldn't be that hard to find out i Guess..

Thanks Ra
 
Last edited:

jasonkw

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2010
Messages
118
Location
Kansas
I did some checking and there was an update for my PRO-106. I updated, and it has made no difference. Dispatch is in the clear, along with maybe 1 or 2 units. All the others are encrypted. I have noticed that there are more HPD SUV's now. I wonder if the radios in the new vehicles are installed with the encryption turned on.
 

bear780ks

Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2009
Messages
931
Location
Central KS
It could be Jason) I thought as Well they might have a switch on there Walkies I'm Looking to see how the Motorola's are Set up I'll send some Info you Way Via ( Direct Message )
 

rankin39

Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2004
Messages
367
Location
Western Leavenworth Co., KS
Ah yes. Today's radios are in many cases waaaay smarter than their users. It's entirely possible that they don't even know what's encrypted and what isn't. My Leavenworth Co. talkie is annoyingly complex. I originally returned it to Emergency Management when I could only access statewide talk groups and lacked the county TGs. It turned out I had simply (if "simply" is the proper word) neglected to turn one unmarked knob to its proper setting. And I've been licensed in radio for over 50 years. My cellphone has outsmarted me on numerous occasions too. Soon, we're all going to need a 12 year old to explain to us how to use our communications gear.

Bob, WoNXN
 

bear780ks

Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2009
Messages
931
Location
Central KS
I think We need to update the Thread and Say Both P.D. and S.O. are Using Encryption

Now both Dept.'s are munching on the ENC. Cookie :roll: ) First it was P.D. Some of the PD Officers and that is a very Few you can Hear but most of them you cant NOT! :evil: unless they flip the switch off) While Dispatch is Wide Open..

Now on the S.O. Side you can Hear all of the Officers and Dispatch is ENC and when they ENC. it makes one Hell of Sound on my 996 :mad: I'm not Happy with that and i'm not really enthused how there'ye Carrying this on what i think should be an Open Dispatch) I think they could change the approach there using and it's got to be Upsetting to the Listeners as it Really is with me I'v only Listen for Last 25 and maybe they used other Methods of keep things in the Dark in the past but now they have a new Tool to Play with and there really putting it Use..

But I guess all we can do is Live with what we Have.. :( or Listen to something Else Maybe the Oldies Channel for Instance) buy a $500.00 Dollar Scanner to Listen to Our Community and then really Can't.. Wow
 
Last edited:

mancow

Member
Database Admin
Joined
Feb 19, 2003
Messages
6,908
Location
N.E. Kansas
It's strange how it worked out that the smaller counties and agencies have jumped on the 800 P25 train. The rest of most of us in the middle ground are still too large to afford it so we keep using what we have. About one county out of the Metro KC area is analog and then the digital bandwagon starts.
 

bear780ks

Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2009
Messages
931
Location
Central KS
Yea I know..

Well i'm Listening right now M.C. to the Sedgwick Co. System that covers the Co an Wichita and this system has been Going since the early 90's and i have to say the sound from it and how the Co. handles how they Use it. It steps way further than many system's that I'v heard..

A couple things i like is how the County has the Patrols set up) Like West Patrol, East Patrol and North Patrol and finally South Patrol) It is set up to were you can Monitor the Area that you'd live in Say Like if I live in the North and West Area i could monitor Just that Area but if I needed to monitor others i could)

And i Like the way the Count make Use of Spider for there Warrant Checks, Another thing the officers use as Much as Spider is there Common channels To me it's Just better organized than and they don't have to use ENC. Unless it's a really have to Case) Heck i even heard some open traffic on there Narc. Channel and they use to Encrypt it but it's been more Open these Days..


Course with the New System The Co. is going to be Moving too things might change in a Subtle way and then things could Move Like they are Here but over there they Have More Media Following there Traffic and so that might Factor in more..
 
Last edited:

jasonkw

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2010
Messages
118
Location
Kansas
Hutchinson has had a rash of burglaries lately. I don't know if this is part of it or not.

Reno County Sheriff dispatch is in the clear right now. The units are in the clear as well.

I have also noticed since the story ran, the use of encryption has increased. I could usually hear at least a couple of units in the clear. It is rare to hear one now.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top