johnvassel
Member
Okay, looking for a few opinions and thoughts on dispatching public safety info. Primarily Sheriff dispatch channel.
The county I stream recently had a chase and search for two subjects accused of stealing a car. During this event (I was out of town) I was messaged and asked to discontinue dispatch streaming because information had come about saying the suspects were using a phone app to hear the police departments attempts to apprehend them. As soon as possible (10 mins or so) I had the stream shut down, as I work with many of these officers at times and didn't want to have them hurt or miss a chance to catch these fellows.
Afterwards, I received word through a good friend that the officers were quite pissed that their information was being streamed to phones. I was offered the option of not carrying dispatch for awhile, as it was felt things needed to 'die down' a bit.
Now, I know.. I was 100% in my right legally. Only sheriffs dispatch is streamed, and the stream was shut down the moment I was notified. (There was a delay, through emails and having to remote access the stream.) But, I also respect the deputies, and the job they do. Being in my field, it's important we have a working friendly relationship. They at this point have no idea it was I streaming it, but it wouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out. I'm not worried about 'official' retaliation, these guys are true professionals. I'm also not even concerned about hazing or the such, again, they are true professionals. But it did raise a concern with me as to whether to broadcast the sheriffs dispatch info.
I know all the arguments on why I can. I guess I'm looking for arguments why I 'should'. Sure, they could (and should) move channels when dealing with sensitive issues. But then, getting every officer to switch to another frequency can be tricky, and dangerous if not all go to the same freq at the same time.
I don't know. At this moment my stream is offline. I've been a scanner enthusiast for 40 or more years, but until these years, it always involved what "I" heard, with my equipment. I never had to worry about me being responsible for what the idiots may do with information.
Thanks...
The county I stream recently had a chase and search for two subjects accused of stealing a car. During this event (I was out of town) I was messaged and asked to discontinue dispatch streaming because information had come about saying the suspects were using a phone app to hear the police departments attempts to apprehend them. As soon as possible (10 mins or so) I had the stream shut down, as I work with many of these officers at times and didn't want to have them hurt or miss a chance to catch these fellows.
Afterwards, I received word through a good friend that the officers were quite pissed that their information was being streamed to phones. I was offered the option of not carrying dispatch for awhile, as it was felt things needed to 'die down' a bit.
Now, I know.. I was 100% in my right legally. Only sheriffs dispatch is streamed, and the stream was shut down the moment I was notified. (There was a delay, through emails and having to remote access the stream.) But, I also respect the deputies, and the job they do. Being in my field, it's important we have a working friendly relationship. They at this point have no idea it was I streaming it, but it wouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out. I'm not worried about 'official' retaliation, these guys are true professionals. I'm also not even concerned about hazing or the such, again, they are true professionals. But it did raise a concern with me as to whether to broadcast the sheriffs dispatch info.
I know all the arguments on why I can. I guess I'm looking for arguments why I 'should'. Sure, they could (and should) move channels when dealing with sensitive issues. But then, getting every officer to switch to another frequency can be tricky, and dangerous if not all go to the same freq at the same time.
I don't know. At this moment my stream is offline. I've been a scanner enthusiast for 40 or more years, but until these years, it always involved what "I" heard, with my equipment. I never had to worry about me being responsible for what the idiots may do with information.
Thanks...