FLA "Sunshine Law"? vs. blanket encryption?

[mr_hankey]

recently, a friend in Florida mentioned the "Sunshine Law" when we were discussing the rampant "blanket encryption" mentality of many FLA pd's under the recent MA/COM EDACS system implementation...

what is this "Sunshine Law"?

there was mention of how Florida has a law on the books protecting the citizenry from being locked-out of Public Safety communications...or something like that?

...and that the "blanket encryption" was about to be legally challenged in a class action type lawsuit.

anyone know more about this?

 

[PeterSz]

Perhaps I am stating the obvious here - 'Sunshine Laws' give the public greater access to governmental activites. 'Sunset laws' require that laws and regulations be reevaluated after a few years.

AFAIK - 'Sunshine laws' get their name from the concept of "picking up a rock - letting a little sunshine in - seeing what crawls out". All and all, not very complimentary to lawmakers.

I ahve not heard anything yet about a lawsuit regarding 'blanket encryption' in Florida. If anyone has some details, please let us know.

Peter S Boston MA

 

[n4voxgill]

Florida's government in the sunshine law only covers meetings of public officials. It has absolutely nothing to do with listening to communications. I saw some of the same posts and they gave me a good laugh.

 

[mr_hankey]

yeah Gil, that's kinda what i figured.

well, i guess it's "goodbye" to FL Public Safety monitoring for now.

(speaking of having a good laugh, i had to chuckle when i saw UNF had encrypted all their campus police frequencies - gotta keep the Tangoes from knowing which officer is watching for stopsign runners and expired-permit holders...)

20176  	4ed  	E  	UNIVERSITY NORTH FLORIDA P.D. 
20656  	50b  	E  	UNIVERSITY NORTH FLORIDA P.D. 
20848  	517  	E  	UNIVERSITY NORTH FLORIDA P.D.

 

[wsmoore]

The true reason for the encryption of law enforcement in Jacksonville is the fact that our police dept. thinks busting people who throw cig.butts out of their car windows is more important than solving the cases where nine people were shot in one night.If you were a cop in this city wouldn't you want to hide that fact.Said part is I'm not joking about this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The day before the shooting they had at least 4 task force units at a major intersection busting people for flicking cig. butts out their windows.The Mayors new zero tolerance on litter.Yes it is against the law ,but I would like to live in a city were I can walk down the street and feel safe.The litter should take a back seat to violent crime.

 

[fmon]

What is the Sunshine Law?
The Sunshine Law requires the governing board of governmental bodies to advertise their meetings, and to hold all meeting in the open so that members of the public can attend.

Other states have a similar law.