johnls7424: Nothing transmitted via radio is confidential information. You're information is entirely incorrect. I've seen people operate more efficiently using far less, and the current excuses for using encryption are just that - excuses. What this gets down to, getting free money for false services and being able to be more lazy with communications. These last two appear to be the only real reasons I can rationalize. Oh, and I should mention providing a power trip too for some within current power within the command structure, but I'm not privy of this as I'm retired and preoccupied. Also concerning terrorism, there are other more common sense ways of dealing with terrorism. Using encryption is only preventing information to the local public, while allowing it to be heard by other countries or nations.
There is one issue, Felons are usually or sometimes not allowed access to scanners, and the web made it extremely easy for them to use the technology. However, they should have used a reasonable use of force and shutdown the web broadcastings. Likely, those within politics could have been exploiting the web to endorse the move to encryption... but this is based on speculation and the fact we all know how dirty politics can be. ;-)
Quite simply, we are as screwed as Cleveland with encrypted traffic. Suspected criminal activity will be more apt to be easily pushed under the carpet, similar to the current unraveling of the latest kidnapping crime within Cleveland.
pepsima1: Those currently working within public safety utilizing encryption do not care. The more they can shove under a carpet, the more it exploits their supposed needed services. This can be referred to as the Broken WIndow syndrome within criminalogy, but with a popular twist. Too much of a bad thing is bad, as well as too much of a good thing is also bad. And not reporting the problem, problems will get worse.
I know for a fact, many within the civilian sector and retirees are likely very ticked-off with some departments' excessive usage of encrytion. And based on man power or resources available, I can definitely foresee the departments not making any move whatsoever to provide keys to anybody within the public. Anybody even thinking so, even those within the legislature, are very likely misguided.
Since we are apparently meer hard working civilians, all we can do is pray and hope. Another common measure utilized prior to World War 2 (ie. Thirty Years' War), was for people to simply exhile or relocate to apparently more sane regions. ;-) You may find, the Thirty Years War to be somewhat similar to this excessive usage of encryption as they both deal with beliefs and a life style. Also, similar to the Bible prior to the King James Bible, as the Bible wasn't easily readable (or could be considered encrypted) prior to King James.
Eh, imagine that. Within the US the honest or well intentioned people having to relocate based on beliefs.
