2021 - Kansas City Metro Area MARRS P25 Trunked Radio System

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PVPD730

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As I type this, it appears the majority of KCPD's radio traffic is encrypted. Dispatchers are using the backup dispatch center with all consoles transmitting in secure mode. Same with the mobiles and portables. Something is going down.
 

PVPD730

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Yep, a couple days ago I heard they're actively in the process of fully encrypting the MARRS system.

The entire system? My last information from MARC included KCPD and possibly Platte County Sheriff only. KCPD was supposedly working out some technical issues, but full encryption was inevitable. KCFD, Clay County, and many others should continue operating in the clear. Johnson County, KS will be keeping their talkgroups as is for now (Primary dispatch talkgroups clear, tacticals encrypted). My last update from MARC was about 3 months ago.
 

bctrainers

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As I type this, it appears the majority of KCPD's radio traffic is encrypted. Dispatchers are using the backup dispatch center with all consoles transmitting in secure mode. Same with the mobiles and portables. Something is going down.
Correct. An over-the-air radio update appears to have happened around 4 AM to 8 AM on August 11th. During that time, radio techs from (what I have logged anyways) BPU, JoCo, KC, and MARC were busy bees kicking on/testing Encryption, or at least ensuring encryption was still functioning.

  • JoCoECC's Tac 4 to Tac 9 appeared to get updates/checks to be able to talk on RegCom Secure talk groups. (Never will understand ECC's decision to slap the big E on fire ground TG's - but to each their own.)
    • Interestingly on this one, seen a couple of other channels for JoCo kick up. 30188, 30187 - seems to be JoCo Radio techs only TG's.
  • On the JaxCo side, TG 33149 was getting expansive usage from radio techs during the whole ordeal - all E.
  • Additionally, JaxCo / KCPD's core talk groups look to be vastly encrypted now. It's really unfortunate, but a certain protest last year sorta was the event that broke the horses back on that. :/
    • KCPD ALL Call/Announce, Shoal Creek, North, South, East, Metro, Traffic, Center zones, Most SP & PT Ops, all appear to be nearly-full-time E now. However, seems to be user-selective encryption/secure mode (which is a bit awkward).
  • ClayCoSo talk groups 34300, 34301, 34305, 34307, 34308, and 34309 had radio techs on them. E was observed on 34309 - if that's an actual talk group for them.
 

bctrainers

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Yep, a couple days ago I heard they're actively in the process of fully encrypting the MARRS system.
Huh? In JoCo anyways, so long as radio abuse doesn't proliferate, PD1 / Primaries will remain in the clear. All PD 2, PD 3, and Tac channels will persist with encryption. Misc-named talk groups, such as Admin, Announce, Info, Talk Around are agency selective in JoCo with whether or not they want it clear or encrypted/secure.

Some police agencies in JoCo have been requesting to have PD 1 encrypted, but I believe that has to be approved by the Board of County Commissioners. I doubt that'll happen anytime soon because some folks on the BOCC do have their own hardware scanners/radios.
 

Stupidfatkid

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Huh? In JoCo anyways, so long as radio abuse doesn't proliferate, PD1 / Primaries will remain in the clear. All PD 2, PD 3, and Tac channels will persist with encryption. Misc-named talk groups, such as Admin, Announce, Info, Talk Around are agency selective in JoCo with whether or not they want it clear or encrypted/secure.

Some police agencies in JoCo have been requesting to have PD 1 encrypted, but I believe that has to be approved by the Board of County Commissioners. I doubt that'll happen anytime soon because some folks on the BOCC do have their own hardware scanners/radios.

I was speaking more in generality. Using the word "fully" was probably a poor word choice on my part. You guys obviously have more insight into the specifics than I do. Regardless, it sounds like the majority of the MARRS system will be E soon.
 

PVPD730

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Correct. An over-the-air radio update appears to have happened around 4 AM to 8 AM on August 11th. During that time, radio techs from (what I have logged anyways) BPU, JoCo, KC, and MARC were busy bees kicking on/testing Encryption, or at least ensuring encryption was still functioning.

  • JoCoECC's Tac 4 to Tac 9 appeared to get updates/checks to be able to talk on RegCom Secure talk groups. (Never will understand ECC's decision to slap the big E on fire ground TG's - but to each their own.)
    • Interestingly on this one, seen a couple of other channels for JoCo kick up. 30188, 30187 - seems to be JoCo Radio techs only TG's.
  • On the JaxCo side, TG 33149 was getting expansive usage from radio techs during the whole ordeal - all E.
  • Additionally, JaxCo / KCPD's core talk groups look to be vastly encrypted now. It's really unfortunate, but a certain protest last year sorta was the event that broke the horses back on that. :/
    • KCPD ALL Call/Announce, Shoal Creek, North, South, East, Metro, Traffic, Center zones, Most SP & PT Ops, all appear to be nearly-full-time E now. However, seems to be user-selective encryption/secure mode (which is a bit awkward).
  • ClayCoSo talk groups 34300, 34301, 34305, 34307, 34308, and 34309 had radio techs on them. E was observed on 34309 - if that's an actual talk group for them.

Thanks for the insight. Most of us on here knew the full time KCPD encryption was coming, we just didn't know when. Looks like Clay County and most of the cities there are still in the clear, as is the same with Jackson County SO Municipal Dispatch. I guess we'll have to see how long that lasts. JOCO encrypting the fire tacs was apparently because of the media. Some departments out there had issues with reporters getting too close to fire scenes. I got that information from an assistant fire chief for one of the FDs out there. They don't like the encryption at all, but the ECC director convinced the system admin to lock those channels down.
 

Stupidfatkid

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Just my opinion, and I know it's going to be unpopular, but I bet all this E stuff is the reason you see threads like this. The powers that be see the writing on the wall. They're not dumb, they know the ship is sinking. It's a grab and go at this point. I can't blame them.
 

PVPD730

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Just my opinion, and I know it's going to be unpopular, but I bet all this E stuff is the reason you see threads like this. The powers that be see the writing on the wall. They're not dumb, they know the ship is sinking. It's a grab and go at this point. I can't blame them.

You're 100% correct. I know what sank our ship locally and I'll leave at that. I don't want to get this thread locked.
 

hkrharry

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Looks like multiple agencies are in the midst of a massive reprogramming of their subscriber radios (particularly KCFD, KCKFD, North Kansas City PD, Clay County Sheriff, and Platte County Sheriff). KCFD has been swapping out/shuffling radios around as they did back in 2017. Also, I'm beginning to see a lot of radios in the 4031xxx-4032xxx range popping up in Clay County. Could this activity have something to do with the pending Phase II upgrade and the addition of more encryption capabilities? MARC has been slow to release their MARRS management council meeting minutes for months (I haven't seen anything new since July). Anyone else noticed this?

Sorry, I just now read your post, even though it is now Aug 2021

Yes, I noticed this, I think it is wrong for them to not be transparent and do a proper release of the meeting documents in a timely fashion.
Seems a lot of things that should be public are not being shared in a timely fashion, COVID or not meetings were still taking place and the public was excluded.
It should have been a lot easier to share things as everyone was on zoom or whatever platform they chose to have remote meetings with.

Maybe a call to our local investigative reporters might be in line.
It is high time for them to bring the documents up to date and share them.

HH
 

PVPD730

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Sorry, I just now read your post, even though it is now Aug 2021

Yes, I noticed this, I think it is wrong for them to not be transparent and do a proper release of the meeting documents in a timely fashion.
Seems a lot of things that should be public are not being shared in a timely fashion, COVID or not meetings were still taking place and the public was excluded.
It should have been a lot easier to share things as everyone was on zoom or whatever platform they chose to have remote meetings with.

Maybe a call to our local investigative reporters might be in line.
It is high time for them to bring the documents up to date and share them.

HH

The media seems to be very disinterested. I contacted a few outlets last fall (only KC Star responded). As much as I hate the Star, one of their investigative reporters attempted to get an answer from KCPD's media relations unit, and they played dumb. They said something along the lines of "we have no knowledge of any changes to our radio procedures". This would've been around the same time that KCPD sent out a memo to all department members informing them that full encryption would be deployed sometime in 2021. I've submitted two public records requests to obtain that memo from the BOPC and have yet to receive a response. It's quite obvious what's going on.
 

blueangel-eric

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As I type this, it appears the majority of KCPD's radio traffic is encrypted. Dispatchers are using the backup dispatch center with all consoles transmitting in secure mode. Same with the mobiles and portables. Something is going down.
Oh dang that sucks. I've spent the last few hours working on my KC area programming on my new scanner. I was in the KC area two saturdays ago and could hear the KCMO PD. That's awful they're encrypting everything. This hobby is going down the drain. I don't get to KC very often but sure would like to listen when i do. The police and powers that be are terrible for public relations. Especially in this day and age. Now they want to hide behind encryption to alienate people even more. Nice.
 

PVPD730

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I have an update regarding the KCPD encryption roll-out. They're currently in the process of ditching the older Harris P7300 radios. Patrol zone command staff have been issuing officers brand new portable radios (unknown if Motorola or Harris). The new portables are locked on encryption mode, so no more toggling between clear and secure. I've been hearing some clear voice from the officers from time to time mostly on the PT OPS talkgroups. Those guys are probably using the older portables until they're issued the new ones. Dispatch Consoles are strapped in secure mode. This information has been confirmed by one of the dispatchers and an officer from North Patrol.
 

blueangel-eric

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I have an update regarding the KCPD encryption roll-out. They're currently in the process of ditching the older Harris P7300 radios. Patrol zone command staff have been issuing officers brand new portable radios (unknown if Motorola or Harris). The new portables are locked on encryption mode, so no more toggling between clear and secure. I've been hearing some clear voice from the officers from time to time mostly on the PT OPS talkgroups. Those guys are probably using the older portables until they're issued the new ones. Dispatch Consoles are strapped in secure mode. This information has been confirmed by one of the dispatchers and an officer from North Patrol.
has there been more talk in the media about it now? What is the media doing for info? Scanner is pretty boring when the best action is quiet now. Hope the encryption doesn't spread to my area in KS seeing how Eldorado KS and encrypted now, Reno Co SO and Hutchinson is encrypted now and several other places in KS. I read in a news article that Garden City PD went to encryption claiming officer safety.
 

PVPD730

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has there been more talk in the media about it now? What is the media doing for info? Scanner is pretty boring when the best action is quiet now. Hope the encryption doesn't spread to my area in KS seeing how Eldorado KS and encrypted now, Reno Co SO and Hutchinson is encrypted now and several other places in KS. I read in a news article that Garden City PD went to encryption claiming officer safety.

Not a peep from the media. They're probably relying on Reg Com 3 and social media/press releases. I highly doubt KCPD leased out or programmed radios for any of the media outlets. Since when did El Dorado go encrypted? Last time I was down that way, I heard mostly clear radio traffic with some occasional encryption with them, County SO, and Andover. Only new thing I've heard from KS is about Topeka PD. It's rumored that they're considering moving to full time crypto.
 

tdhooge

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I was wondering if anyone has a Kansas city Metro scanner file for the Whistler TRX-2 that includes Public safety, businesses etc.... I am having one heck of a time learning the ezscan software. It was so much easier to export from RadioReference to the scanner and not sure you can do that with ezscan, at least I have not figured it out.
 

blueangel-eric

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Not a peep from the media. They're probably relying on Reg Com 3 and social media/press releases. I highly doubt KCPD leased out or programmed radios for any of the media outlets. Since when did El Dorado go encrypted? Last time I was down that way, I heard mostly clear radio traffic with some occasional encryption with them, County SO, and Andover. Only new thing I've heard from KS is about Topeka PD. It's rumored that they're considering moving to full time crypto.
I just heard El Dorado Police from Emporia the other day and of course they was encrypted again. In the last several months, when i did hear the El Dorado Police it was almost always encrypted. That would suck if Topeka PD goes encrypted. I wonder if i wasted my money buying a new digital scanner how expensive they are if the current trend is going encrypted everywhere. This hobby is getting depressing.
 

AB5ID

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Talk group 34929 (encrypted) has been very busy during Octoberfest on the Lee's Summit site this weekend; had not seen it listed anywhere before just sharing for the record.
 

PVPD730

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Update: Platte County Sheriff's Office will be switching to full-time encryption at some point. In the past, the Sheriff was very much against full-time encryption on the primary dispatch talkgroups (34100 and 34101). It appears he has changed his mind based on the events that transpired earlier this year (George Floyd protests/riots). See the attached MARC document. Still unclear about Clay County agencies.
 

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