Brazos County Just Went (Mostly) Dark

[KevinC]

I used to implement public safety systems all over Texas, you might be surprised the number of sheriffs that did not want encryption on their dispatch channel. One in deep east Texas said people with scanners were their extra deputies since they had so few. A couple on the border said the ranchers need to know what's going on, they did encrypt other TG's, but main dispatch stayed in the clear. As usual, YMMV.

 

[garys]

This is where the media can claim that their First Amendment rights were violated.

When I worked at a manufacturer years ago, I commonly was asked by agencies how to keep their traffic off of the news when stuff happened and it led to a few agencies encrypting. Most of them did not care about people with scanners, it was the ease of their dispatch audio showing up on the nightly news with a "courtesy of [[website]]" that they wanted to avoid.

 

[Echo4Thirty]

How would their right to free speech be violated by not being able to listen to police radio? The encryption or clear status does not change nor oppress what anyone can say.

 

[garys]

Over many years the courts have affirmed the right of the media to access to public records. This site has a good synopsis of court decisions regarding the press. Will a news outlet win a case on this? I don't know and unless it goes to trial we'll never know.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

How would their right to free speech be violated by not being able to listen to police radio? The encryption or clear status does not change nor oppress what anyone can say.