City police to silence radio traffic - Thursday, March 18, 2010 | Courier Electronic Edition - Findlay, Ohio: LOCAL NEWS
City police to silence radio traffic
By JORDAN CRAVENS and JOY BROWN
City police are planning on keeping their live radio communications a secret.
When Findlay joins the state's Multi-Agency Radio Communications System, likely within the next month, the police department plans to encrypt radio communications of "everyday operations" so they can't be understood on radio scanners.
It's an effort to improve officer safety and to prevent criminals from using scanners to avoid arrest, according to Sgt. Randy Digby of the Findlay Police Department.
"Everyone in 'scannerland' hears everything," said Findlay Safety Director Jim Barker. "A couple of investigations have been compromised because of people knowing what the police department is doing."
Digby said all general dispatch communications will be encoded. People with scanners will hear a squawking noise and will not be able to understand what is being said.
The planned encryption has Hancock County Sheriff Michael Heldman concerned, given that the state radio system was designed to allow multiple agencies to be able to communicate better.
"If they are encrypted, we won't be able to hear what they are doing," Heldman said
================ SEE LINK FOR REMAINDER OF STORY============
I thought it might be good for this to be in it's own thread for discussion.
This thread begins where original thread discussion the rumor left off: http://forums.radioreference.com/ohio-radio-discussion-forum/173283-some-disturbing-news.htm
City police to silence radio traffic
By JORDAN CRAVENS and JOY BROWN
City police are planning on keeping their live radio communications a secret.
When Findlay joins the state's Multi-Agency Radio Communications System, likely within the next month, the police department plans to encrypt radio communications of "everyday operations" so they can't be understood on radio scanners.
It's an effort to improve officer safety and to prevent criminals from using scanners to avoid arrest, according to Sgt. Randy Digby of the Findlay Police Department.
"Everyone in 'scannerland' hears everything," said Findlay Safety Director Jim Barker. "A couple of investigations have been compromised because of people knowing what the police department is doing."
Digby said all general dispatch communications will be encoded. People with scanners will hear a squawking noise and will not be able to understand what is being said.
The planned encryption has Hancock County Sheriff Michael Heldman concerned, given that the state radio system was designed to allow multiple agencies to be able to communicate better.
"If they are encrypted, we won't be able to hear what they are doing," Heldman said
================ SEE LINK FOR REMAINDER OF STORY============
I thought it might be good for this to be in it's own thread for discussion.
This thread begins where original thread discussion the rumor left off: http://forums.radioreference.com/ohio-radio-discussion-forum/173283-some-disturbing-news.htm
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