Fairfax County Police Department has put forth their plans to fully or partially encrypt their remaining 8 dispatch channels. Fairfax County police intend to partially encrypt radio communications | FFXnow
Fairfax County Police encryption
- Thread starter N4VKF
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Also hearing Fire will go E but definitely PD is going in the near future. PD is offering a "help line" to address citizen inquiries. From the local responses this line will be overwhelmed with each siren.
Unfortunately there's a few counties in NOVA that have plans to encrypt their fire talk groups.
Just spoke with the FFX radio shop in person today 07/09/26 at about 4PM and ONLY police is going Full E the Fire Side is staying clear they did mention Arlington was considering the big E for the Fire Side but that wasn't set in stone.
I'm a native of Fairfax, and we generally have a good PD overall (some serious issues aside that were resolved at one point). However, I am 100% against encryption for civilian services. Tactical channels ans terminal comms are already encrypted for voice and data, but the general everyday activities should not be covered up. This further cements what I see as a militarized attitude, as if the LEOs are considering themselves surrounded enemy combatants.
Furthermore, during a question and answer session, a PD rep admitted that in 100 years of records they don't know of a single incident where open comms resulted in a harmed or dead LEO.
Furthermore, during a question and answer session, a PD rep admitted that in 100 years of records they don't know of a single incident where open comms resulted in a harmed or dead LEO.
I believe both were to switch over at 0600 today. Per radio traffic on openmhz. All districts are using Ops 1 as the primary channels now.
Good luck fighting it. They tried fighting here down here in Va Beach, still encrypted. The feeds are the culprit. Va Beach went encrypted because there were multiple instances where suspects they were either trying to catch or they caught them in the act using a scanner app. It’s just easier for them now a days to encrypt everything
It's a mess. Noone knows what channel to be on.
Facebook groups I heard were the problem as well
bep
Member
If memory serves (could be wrong) there were only two instances of a scanner app being used. What a cost per incident ratio.
The City of Fairfax also just announced, as of July 13, their primary Talkgroup will be encrypted. I am not sure if they made a switch to a tac channel or what. I will check later.
As of this morning Fairfax City channel 1 was still in the clear.
Fairfax County Sheriff's Department has been encrypted for a while now. This goes for the jail, courts, civil process, and transport. If a Deputy Sheriff unit utilizes a PD channel for communication they will be on that encrypted PD channel as well.
I still believe that at the very least, the dispatch channel(s) should be available to the public on a delayed basis, (i.e.15-30 minutes) which will prevent tipping off the oxygen thieves of this world, who just happen to have a two dollar (if not all together free) scanner app. on their smartphones, tablets or PC’s and in turn, provide them with an additional “criminal tool” of sorts as well as time to flush contraband down the toilet, aid them in making an expeditious escape or some other type or form of measure in an attempt to counter the hammer that law enforcement is about to drop on them. Plus, not having to worry about the alpha hotel “Newshounds“ who show up at a crime or fire scene, BEFORE first responders have even arrived and had a chance to assess whatever situation is presented to them. And the icing on the cake? The citizenry still have the ability to listen in on the actual “call for service”, albeit briefly delayed to ensure the safety of first responders, as well as provide both FR’s and their employers (i.e. political hacks) with positive PR. Something they’re already well versed on and fully aware of are in VERY short supply these days. Oh, and did I forget to mention…….NO FOIA REQUEST NEEDED! Chicago PD’s done this for quite sometime with their dispatch feeds and in doing so, found a way to satisfy both the safety of their officers as well as the interest or curiosity of the public, who if given a chance, begin to develop a greater appreciation for the job law enforcement is confronted with. As to the argument certain individuals have made and continue to make regarding the transmission of sensitive info over the air, (i.e. Social Security numbers, NCIC, LEADS, etc.) there’s a reason why MDT’s are in almost every law enforcement vehicle in the U.S. They AREN’T complicated to use (an MBA and or 160 IQ not needed) and are, in fact, utilized around the clock by a countless number of police personnel. What say you?
I have a somewhat theory: a large number of these PD’s that choose to encrypt are often large in tourism, Va Beach, York/JCC/Wmbg, Richmond/Henrico,Chesterfield, Roanoke, recently the Eastern Shore, and now NoVA. While not all areas that choose to encrypt is tourism a factor but just a thought. They don’t want the public hearing what’s happening or the news in some cases to mess up the “image” of the city. I’ve heard it firsthand in Va Beach, a stabbing call at an oceanfront hotel on a Friday afternoon. Now this happened in the off season but their was still a large amount of people here for conferences and sporting events at the convention center, the stabbing didn’t make the news till Monday, so how ironic is it that it happened on a Friday and the public didn’t find out till Monday? Just a theory….
It is definetly one of the reasons.
Can anyone confirm if Fairfax City Police and GMU Police have now followed Herndon and Vienna by switching to an encrypted ops channel?
cpetraglia
Member
Yes. They are all silent. Only thing left is fire. Anyone looking for roughly $9000.00 worth of BK portables and a mobile?
cpetraglia
Member
Broadcastify and other apps like it are the reasons. And to think I use to donate to this site. I just lost a 60 year hobby I've had since I was 13.
