Chula Vista, CA. - Robbers use scanner app

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mm

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Yeah and robbers also use guns, knives, baseball bats and screwdrivers but you won't see them outlawed.

Unfortunately scanner hobbyist don't have a High priced D.C. lobbyist being paid millions a year either to protect their interest so who knows what ridiculous law some politician up for re-election will come up with in the future.
 

ff-medic

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Police investigating a robbery found an online scanner monitoring application running on a cell phone in the suspects car.

Woman charged in Apple store robbery | SignOnSanDiego.com

Using a radio scanner in the commission of a crime..Is this not a federal offense? The Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986, Title 18 of the
United Stated Code? Chapter 119?

Plus if any FCC statutes?


FF - Medic !!!
 
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902

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Scanner Freaks! - Page 3

Tyler Texas - scannerist busts perps who shot Highway Patrolman
I like "scanner rat." Some of those people read like they are so burnt they are of no use to anyone, including themselves. These posts were 6 years ago. Hopefully they've retired and are policing kids off their lawn or someone gave them the rubber gun and desk they desperately needed.

I doubt the FCC will get involved in prosecution ("enforcement" is limited to rules compliance and they're not a law enforcement agency, per se), but the U.S. Attorney for the area might if the case is brought to the office's attention.
 

northscan23

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There needs to be a law that bans law enforcement chatter from being broadcasted online. A day does not go by where I don't hear about criminals using the "Scanner Apps" trying to pull something off.". Also robberies and break in's are defienately the kind of calls that the law enforcement need to go to "blackout mode" on the radio channels. Broadcast the fire/ems but law enforcement should be a internet broadcast "no-no".
 

ts548

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There needs to be a law that bans law enforcement chatter from being broadcasted online. A day does not go by where I don't hear about criminals using the "Scanner Apps" trying to pull something off.". Also robberies and break in's are defienately the kind of calls that the law enforcement need to go to "blackout mode" on the radio channels. Broadcast the fire/ems but law enforcement should be a internet broadcast "no-no".

Don't need a law, just encrypt your system. Problem solved.
 

neondesert

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There needs to be a law that bans law enforcement chatter from being broadcasted online. A day does not go by where I don't hear about criminals using the "Scanner Apps" trying to pull something off.". Also robberies and break in's are defienately the kind of calls that the law enforcement need to go to "blackout mode" on the radio channels. Broadcast the fire/ems but law enforcement should be a internet broadcast "no-no".

Yeah, that's the ticket another law will solve the problem. :roll:

These "criminals" using "Scanner Apps" are as dumb as fence posts. Have you ever really tried to follow calls with one? The inherent delay of an internet feed combined with the fact that the user has no control over the source makes them a poor substitute for a scanner. I don't think that law enforcement needs to worry about them. Now if the criminal is using a scanner then that's another story...provided they have the brains to know how use one.
 

JoeyC

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What is needed instead of new laws or overall encryption is some actual thought on the part of those providing the means for this to happen (streamers). Hobbyists dismantling their hobby one agency at a time all for a quick thrill today.
 

rdale

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JoeyC it's clear you aren't very knowledgable about scanner apps, so let's keep the thread on topic.
 

JoeyC

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JoeyC it's clear you aren't very knowledgable about scanner apps, so let's keep the thread on topic.

rdale its pretty clear you aren't knowledgable about the reality of scanner apps and the police. So butt out if you don't have anything useful to say.
 

hpycmpr

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The largest problem with feed type reception that I see is people going to the scene of an event and disrupting the scene for the fun of it. The Los Angeles area has had problems with gang members showing up at otherwise benign situations and making a major incident of it. That wasn't a significant problem before streaming.
I just checked on feed delay from the original scanner broadcast and I'm seeing times of 30 seconds. Not really significant. I realize that can vary, but...

Steve
 

letarotor

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No Good Deed!

As a currently serving law enforcement officer, I have remained reluctant to stream any scanner audio on-line, especially law enforcement comms. Our society has gone full circle and tends to blame the victim, or anybody but the criminal, for being involved in a crime. And when it comes to suing someone, plaintiff attorneys tend to go for deep pockets if there are any. If it were proven that a criminal pulled off a job while listening to one of my feeds on a phone app and a victim was seriously injured or killed I would be afraid that a victim or the family of a victim's attorney (with the assistance of the media) would drag me into a civil court and try to hold me responsible. Instead of blaming the criminal, as in the case above, and charging the criminal with a federal crime, the victim and police would blame me instead for "assisting" or "facilitating" the criminal's crime. Even in the unlikely event they were to win in court, I would hate to have to spend all my savings and future earnings on red mouthed overpriced lawyers to defend my position. I figure it is only a matter of time before this happens. Just some food for thought for those who choose to steam audio on-line. Remember, no good deed ever goes unpunished!

Mark
 

rdale

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rdale its pretty clear you aren't knowledgable about the reality of scanner apps and the police. So butt out if you don't have anything useful to say.

Here is my useful thing to say.

Criminals are using the feeds illegally. Prosecute them. If they are in the news, then they are getting caught, so mission accomplished.

Now return to your whining rant.
 

nate1992

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Scanners have been around for oh what as long as the dang radios them selves... so this is just political BS, As stated be for by the time the feed is relayed to a computer and then to the server and then to a web player your looking at lest a 45 second gap and in most cases more! No lets talk about phone apps, cause the feed now has to go through the cell providers server transfer to a air wave signal bounce around towers and then be read by the cell phone..... so with all that said you have to be dumb as he** to use a phone app. to avoid the police cause you will be sitting in hand cuffs and a few mins later her every thing is code for at are location come over the phone as they laugh at you and put you in the squad car!

Scanning has been a hobby for ever and hopefully will continue to be, The last thing we need is any thing close to a law..... LEO's need to chill cause they have no hard proof that scanning has helped any one escape ..... EVER in the 100 years there has been radios......... frankly i thank LEO should encrypt swat, vice, and special operations as far as every day dispatch and patrol channels FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT!!! just my personal opinion!

Here is my next opinion RR should restrict post about encryption or bashing scanning as a hobby or cell phone scanner apps! Every day there's another useless post about the need to encrypt or ban or what law to make or what criminal did what, Frankly this is a 100 year old tradition that the progressive annoying idiots need to keep there noses out of until they have something to back it up with. Whats the point of having the same conversation over and over either a department is going to encrypt or not encrypt its entirely up to them + there is a lot of departments that broadcast there own comms, And i know for a fact that fire fighters, police officers and every one in between listen to my feeds and enjoy them...... So can we please stop with all the BS about weather or not scanning, broadcasting or listing is bad ... Enjoy the hobby as long as we can and call it a night!
 

KE4RWS

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Streaming app or scanner. What's the difference?

What's the difference of someone using a smart-phone scanner app to listen to their preferred comms and someone who just BUYS a scanner to monitor whatever they want to listen to? I'm not trying to start anything or be funny here, but honestly speaking, if folks are so against the feeds, streamers, or whatever name you have for them, what if the people showing up at scenes or committing crimes just bought their own scanners and did whatever their doing anyway? Would it be okay then?

I guess I'm sort of confused here because it sounds as if some folks are saying the problem is being created by streamers, implying it would be okay if the people in question simply went out and bought their own scanners to do this stuff but not if people stream the same things anyone can hear anyway with a scanner. In short that's what it sounds like here. Am I interpreting this wrong from you guys or is there another issue I'm missing?
 

JoeyC

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What's the difference of someone using a smart-phone scanner app to listen to their preferred comms and someone who just BUYS a scanner to monitor whatever they want to listen to? I'm not trying to start anything or be funny here, but honestly speaking, if folks are so against the feeds, streamers, or whatever name you have for them, what if the people showing up at scenes or committing crimes just bought their own scanners and did whatever their doing anyway? Would it be okay then?

I guess I'm sort of confused here because it sounds as if some folks are saying the problem is being created by streamers, implying it would be okay if the people in question simply went out and bought their own scanners to do this stuff but not if people stream the same things anyone can hear anyway with a scanner. In short that's what it sounds like here. Am I interpreting this wrong from you guys or is there another issue I'm missing?

KE4RWS, There is no difference, but thats not the issue.

rdale and some in this thread can't see past the "but its delayed" and "there are already laws in place" excuses. This isn't what is troubling. What IS troubling is that police chiefs, sheriffs and those in positions to make decisions are now keenly aware that just about anyone can listen in without having to buy expensive scanners as evidenced by the comments of the official that commented in the previous article that was referenced in the beginning of this thread and those made by the DC police chief in a different situation.

Thugs are looking at the scanner apps as potential ways to assist them in avoiding capture. The fact that there is inherent delay in the actual transmission and its arrival across the net on the cellphone is IRRELEVANT. The POLICE are aware this is happening and that its very easy to listen.

As far as being able to do the same thing with a scanner, you are correct you can and much more effectively. The police have always known there were people listening with scanners but they know it is a specialized hobby. In reality very few people in the general population are interested in owning scanners for many reasons. Cost, complexity of programming and general lack of interest lead the reasons.
But just about everybody today has a cellphone and to magically have the police chatter in your pocket for just a dollar or less is very intriguing especially if you are a bad guy who thinks they might get away with things if they have the heads up on where the cops are.

Don't be fooled by the excuses the streaming cheerleaders come up with about why streaming police comms is not lucrative because of the delays, laws etc. This is not what these debates are about.

Widespread streaming of police chatter over the internet without the departments blessings, and the fact that the police are now aware of it and are doing something about it by encrypting channels IS the issue.

These are not my opinions but those of the police authorities whether or not rdale agrees or not.

It would be wise for streamers to get the approval from the agency they are streaming before doing such, because when you piss off people by continuing to do something they disapprove of, and these people have the legal means to turn it off, they will eventually do just that, turn it off!
Unfortunately I cannot force common sense into people.

Its halftime again. rdale, you're up!
 
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