Chasing a Police Scanner: Police Calls in New York City

[chrismol1]

food for thought. i thought if you were a volunteer firefighter of in ems you could have a scanner in your vehicle, in addition if you were a member of 2 departments and had both frequencies in a newer minitor cant the pager actually scan the two.

Upon proper identification it is legal as you are a public servant using equipment to do your duty. Although I don't suspect it will ever go into legal question. Just telling a LEO will pretty much gain respect and you can go about as you want.

and here's another question while a lt in a local ambulance corps, we were dispatched by the police department on their frequency as a matter of fact we operated on their frequency so is that illegal?

No, you had proper authorization to use for official business or at least they didn't care

the other thing is the law appearently reads police frequencies so what if you only have fire and ems programmed into the radios?

This up to interpretation of the crummy written law.

I think all this speculation that all of us in this thread brought up won't go anywhere near any problem as long as you don't do anything stupid you have nothing to worry about

 

[N0BDW]

food for thought. i thought if you were a volunteer firefighter of in ems you could have a scanner in your vehicle, in addition if you were a member of 2 departments and had both frequencies in a newer minitor cant the pager actually scan the two. and here's another question while a lt in a local ambulance corps, we were dispatched by the police department on their frequency as a matter of fact we operated on their frequency so is that illegal? the other thing is the law appearently reads police frequencies so what if you only have fire and ems programmed into the radios?

Also, if Dave is accurate in his assessment that County Sheriffs are not considered "Police" under NYS law, can you still scan their frequencies in the car, as the law explicitly says "police frequencies?"



http://forums.radioreference.com/ne...ew-york-state-scanner-permit.html#post1278878

 

[chrismol1]

Also, if Dave is accurate in his assessment that County Sheriffs are not considered "Police" under NYS law, can you still scan their frequencies in the car, as the law explicitly says "police frequencies?"



http://forums.radioreference.com/ne...ew-york-state-scanner-permit.html#post1278878

LOL:roll: Your just looking for any possible loophole aren't you?

 

[N0BDW]

LOL:roll: Your just looking for any possible loophole aren't you?

I'm just pointing out how stupid and asinine this antiquated law is. It needs to die. I almost hope I get pulled over for it just so I get the opportunity to fight it. Hopefully it can wait until I have enough cash to hire proper legal council though. heh

To add, if you have a smartphone with you in your car you may be guilty. Technically it is a radio and it is capable of receiving police frequencies (thank you RadioReference). So, argue all you want, I think it needs to go the way of the dodo.

 

[SCPD]

"we got there before the police cruisers and ambulance...." Scene not safe...have fun with that

 

[radioman2001]

While everyone here agrees that this law should go away, but recently meaning in the last 10 years someone did challenge it in, and up to the Appellate court, and because the State Police wanted it to remain in effect, at least until SWN was built (BTW when and if SWN is built it WILL be encrypted) it was reaffirmed as written. Now that SWN is dead for the time being there is little chance of this law being recinded. It would make more sense that it be rewritten so that it is legal unless you are doing something illegal, and I don't mean speeding or a broken tail light. Again because of 911 that's pretty remote also.
Oh and in 1976, I DID get a letter of authorization from a Police Chief, only because I was the contracted Radio Technician for that department.

To 902, been there done that also. Did some stringing, back in the early 80's when I worked on a NYC 911 ambulance. Old age has set in so I can't remember the brand of video camera I had, will have to dig it out of the basement. In a shoot out with Ikigami in 1980 at the Jerry Lewis telethon in Virginia Beach (my camera was used for it) Ikagami got the contract, I believe because of the better lens. Mine had a Cannon and the Ikegami had a Japanese lense. The Ikegami had a much clearer picture. I found it, it was a Thomson CSF!!! The last of the tube units, manufactured in 1979.

 

[chrismol1]

I'm just pointing out how stupid and asinine this antiquated law is. It needs to die. I almost hope I get pulled over for it just so I get the opportunity to fight it. Hopefully it can wait until I have enough cash to hire proper legal council though. heh

It doesn't bother me. I keep my handheld down low in the cup holder, don't do anything stupid, make sure I have valid reg and license and insurance (we have those automatic plate readers in town), lights working and I'm good to go

 

[vinzep491]

It doesn't bother me. I keep my handheld down low in the cup holder, don't do anything stupid, make sure I have valid reg and license and insurance (we have those automatic plate readers in town), lights working and I'm good to go

Heard that =]

 

[chrismol1]

Heard that =]

Me too I have my scanner on.

 

[pathalogical]

Were these guys scanner newbies ? Is that an 898 ? With a little surfing they coulda found a handheld to use ! They were under the impression that everything they heard was gonna make the news, and were surprised that many of the calls didn't amount to much 'action'. I'm sure that us scanner veterans can agree on that. What they heard on this excursion isn't any different than what I hear in my city on any given day or night. It's just another day of listening. Often times it's the same type of calls being dispatched. Just because the FD shows up, doesn't mean there's a fire. Just because the ambulance shows up, doesn't means someone is dying. And if the police show up, doesn't mean someone is going to jail. It seems they were intrigued by the types of calls and the constant number of calls being broadcast and how they "got there before the police". What bothered me was, when they approached the various services to get more info, how they kept their camera out of sight, very covert, as if they were making a hidden camera report. It could be taken as trying to catch something and getting it on video, like police using excessive force, or how the firefighters were standing there watching the people while on a call.

All in all, I think they had fun. Lets hope they keep their scanner in the shack, where it belongs !!!

 

[NYSPDJ]

Scanners in Motor vehicles

According to the New York State Police, If you have an Amateur Radio License From the FCC, then you can have a scanner in a motor vehicle. That scanner cannot be programmed with any police frequncies.

 

[chrismol1]

:roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll:

 

[homedepo20]

These laws about how you cant have it in your vehicle. Do they count toward portable scanners such as the radio shack pro series? or just the mountable ones? because i have a portable .

 

[chrismol1]

The way its written its pretty much a blanket ban.

 

[RadioDaze]

But it's okay to walk around listening to a scanner? 'Cause if I were the lookout for some kind of petty crime, I wouldn't want to be in violation of a scanner law. Seriously, though, what exactly is this law trying to prevent - people doing exactly what was done in the video?

 

[chrismol1]

But it's okay to walk around listening to a scanner? 'Cause if I were the lookout for some kind of petty crime, I wouldn't want to be in violation of a scanner law. Seriously, though, what exactly is this law trying to prevent - people doing exactly what was done in the video?

How did you know that I am usually the lookout?

 

[SCPD]

scanners arent illegal in NY you just have to have a FCC license to operate

 

[N0BDW]

scanners arent illegal in NY you just have to have a FCC license to operate

It is illegal to equip a vehicle with one if it is capable of receiving police frequencies unless you have a special permit.
You don't normally need an FCC license to listen, just to transmit.

 

[w2rea]

I know that most police officers have no idea what frequency the PD is on. It would be hard to get a prosecution if the officer was asked in court what the police frequency is and they could not answer.

 

[JoeyC]

I know that most police officers have no idea what frequency the PD is on. It would be hard to get a prosecution if the officer was asked in court what the police frequency is and they could not answer.

In the highly unlikely event that something like that made it to court, the prosecution certainly would have done their homework about their case. :roll:

Further, I believe the DA's office in NYC has bigger issues on their table than to prosecute an otherwise innocent citizen carrying a scanner in their automobile and further escalate that to a trial. I suppose if people carried scanners like they do cellphones they might start an enforcement action and have a field day in court, but it just isn't happening with as few scanner toters there are out there.

The thread started as a look at a reporters day with a scanner and it looked like a typical day in the streets. Of course not everything is newsworthy, and it didn't look like they edited it to pretend it was. Looked like an accurate portrayal of the daily life of a cop. Too bad the titling "chasing a police scanner" didn't make much sense. Unfortunately it has morphed into another legal/illegal thread.