Lincoln Nebraska officials weigh encryption, public access to police radio dispatches

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blantonl

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ORION_NE

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The chief hits the nail right on the head. Streaming and scanner apps are the main reason for encryption lately. Another reason is the idiots who use these feeds and scanners to live tweet calls. Both are putting officers and peoples lives in jeopardy.

Anyone who can't see this is either blind, stupid or both
 

K2KOH

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Excellent point. Nobody cares if you're sitting at home and listening to what's going on...it's the idiots who go flying to the scene as well with their iPhones and Androids to get selfies.
 

ThePhotoGuy

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I must say this is one of the more well written news articles that discusses Scanning and Encryption. At least the Chief brought up incidents in why he is considering encryption.
 

ORION_NE

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I don't know if this happens in Lincoln but in Omaha the guy who live tweets will download dispatch audio from broadcastify and post it on youtube. All that does is bring out the armchair dispatchers.

The media will do the same thing. We've all seen it on local and national news. The media using unedited info from the audio streams instead of going through the proper channels were names and addresses sometimes are edited out for certain calls. The media don't care.

Yes there finally is a good written article with examples. I am surprised that the owner allowed this. HE must realize the audio streams that his 'company' supplies to cellphone apps are killing this hobby and possibly first responders responding to calls. This is the number 1 reason why agencies are encrypting everything. It's much easier and cheaper to do it now than ever before.
 

lr60

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"Anyone who can't see this is either blind, stupid or both"

Whew doggie! A secret police running around with secret communications...The Kremlin would love that! (And YOU!)
 

cpetraglia

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I have been saying this for years and at times been censored. When there is money involved, it's sometimes hard to get someone to do the right thing.
 
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MTS2000des

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Anyone who thinks that the unauthorized, third party streaming and rebroadcasting of two-way radio traffic hasn't been a factor in the decision for those radio users to utilize encryption is living in a fantasy world.

Encryption is cheap, easy to implement on modern digital radios, and solves the problem of unauthorized streaming and rebroadcasting.
 

TampaTyron

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As someone whose job it is to add and maintain certain features to large radio systems, I can tell you that online streams are a very real concern to those with the guns and badges (real or imagined). They have almost zero concern for people with scanners, their thought train being that programming and using a scanner requires real work that the bad guys often won't do. In my work bag, I travel with 3 KVL4000 and 1 KVL3000 because the upgrades to aes takes 10 minutes per radio.......TT
 

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Yes there finally is a good written article with examples. I am surprised that the owner allowed this. HE must realize the audio streams that his 'company' supplies to cellphone apps are killing this hobby and possibly first responders responding to calls. This is the number 1 reason why agencies are encrypting everything. It's much easier and cheaper to do it now than ever before.

Actually, the City of Lincoln is working directly with us to better enhance their current official feeds and provide a Law Enforcement feed, that they control, of their future encrypted dispatch channel.

They are on record as being very pleased with the service that Broadcastify provides to the general public.
 

blantonl

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Anyone who thinks that the unauthorized, third party streaming and rebroadcasting of two-way radio traffic hasn't been a factor in the decision for those radio users to utilize encryption is living in a fantasy world.

"Unauthorized" is the Kelly Ann Conway interpretation of the situation here. It's a patently false narrative that you are driving to make your own argument against streaming. It's like equating that when I turn on my scanner and listen to my local fire department I'm doing something "unauthorized" because I didn't ask the department to listen to their communications. Deplorable.

Adoption of encryption has continued at the same pace it has since the inception of public safety communications. And the excuses were always there. AM radios that could be modified to listen to police broadcasts. Scanners. Trunktrackers. P25 scanners. And now online streaming.

And you conveniently disregard the fact that there are numerous agencies themselves that broadcast to us, including the City of Lincoln.
 

MTS2000des

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As someone whose job it is to add and maintain certain features to large radio systems, I can tell you that online streams are a very real concern to those with the guns and badges (real or imagined).

and as a systems manager, every meeting I've sat in, this is the sentiment expressed is that online streaming is a security concern.

"Unauthorized" is the Kelly Ann Conway interpretation of the situation here. It's a patently false narrative that you are driving to make your own argument against streaming. It's like equating that when I turn on my scanner and listen to my local fire department I'm doing something "unauthorized" because I didn't ask the department to listen to their communications. Deplorable.

What is deplorable is that just because someone can do something, doesn't mean they should. Unauthorized is the key word, because rebroadcasting of someone else' radio traffic without consent will just lead them to making it so that you can't. The fact you keep ignoring this shows you clearly don't get it.

Adoption of encryption has continued at the same pace it has since the inception of public safety communications.

Except that since digital voice allows us to easily encrypt. And every time someone posts an intercepted broadcast or tweets something they hear which often times has no basis in fact, it reminds command staff how a simple mouse click can now make this headache go away. Not to mention it does, in fact, keep those who have no business listening in real time from doing so, and keeps the nefarious types from being that lookout as the article mentioned occurring in their response area equates to safer employees. It's all about risk management.

And you conveniently disregard the fact that there are numerous agencies themselves that broadcast to us, including the City of Lincoln.

What was also mentioned is the city of Lincoln wants a 10 minute delay. I thought you opposed this? But on that note, what percentage of the feeds provided are official vs. unofficial?
 

QDP2012

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...What was also mentioned is the city of Lincoln wants a 10 minute delay. I thought you opposed this?...

If I recall correctly, for years, even before BCFY split from RR, the published TOS allowed/allows official feeds to have a delay. As I understand it, delay is allowed for official feeds as a way to encourage them because they are (almost) always a better quality signal than from a privately-owned scanner/radio.

Hope this helps,
 
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mule1075

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and as a systems manager, every meeting I've sat in, this is the sentiment expressed is that online streaming is a security concern.



What is deplorable is that just because someone can do something, doesn't mean they should. Unauthorized is the key word, because rebroadcasting of someone else' radio traffic without consent will just lead them to making it so that you can't. The fact you keep ignoring this shows you clearly don't get it.



Except that since digital voice allows us to easily encrypt. And every time someone posts an intercepted broadcast or tweets something they hear which often times has no basis in fact, it reminds command staff how a simple mouse click can now make this headache go away. Not to mention it does, in fact, keep those who have no business listening in real time from doing so, and keeps the nefarious types from being that lookout as the article mentioned occurring in their response area equates to safer employees. It's all about risk management.



What was also mentioned is the city of Lincoln wants a 10 minute delay. I thought you opposed this? But on that note, what percentage of the feeds provided are official vs. unofficial?
Yawn here we go again.

Sent from my SM-S907VL using Tapatalk
 

TampaTyron

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Having spoken to a few customers today regarding the official feed option, that seems to be the middle ground of total enc vs no enc that some organizations are looking for. Including some agencies that may be under fire for lack of transparency. TT
 

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If I recall correctly, for years, even before BCFY split from RR, the published TOS allowed/allows official feeds to have a delay. As I understand it, delay is allowed for official feeds as a way to encourage them because they are (almost) always a better quality signal than from a privately-owned scanner/radio.

Hope this helps,

This is the correct statement.
 

blantonl

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Except that since digital voice allows us to easily encrypt. And every time someone posts an intercepted broadcast or tweets something they hear which often times has no basis in fact, it reminds command staff how a simple mouse click can now make this headache go away. Not to mention it does, in fact, keep those who have no business listening in real time from doing so, and keeps the nefarious types from being that lookout as the article mentioned occurring in their response area equates to safer employees. It's all about risk management.

Then.... go manage your risk and do it Mr. System Manager. You love to debate our policies and procedures and put us down for what we do around here. You say it's so easy to do with a click of a mouse button.

How about you pull the trigger and stick it to us and all the rest of the streamers (or potential streamers) in your area. Send a message to the community you are fed up with streamers and you won't take it any more on your system!
 

MTS2000des

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Then.... go manage your risk and do it Mr. System Manager.

I am. About to roll out a new CAD that will eliminate most over the air dispatching anyway. :D

You say it's so easy to do with a click of a mouse button.

Most of our operational talk groups are indeed encrypted. This was done when we rolled out APX radios. More to come as legacy radios are phased out. Every new radio has OTAR and AES-256. Makes it easy.

You love to debate our policies and procedures and put us down for what we do around here.

No, you posted an article. But as always, if someone doesn't agree with you or kiss up, you get all butt hurt and make it personal. I'm merely dealing with facts. Did you read the article that you posted?

How about you pull the trigger and stick it to us and all the rest of the streamers (or potential streamers) in your area. Send a message to the community you are fed up with streamers and you won't take it any more on your system!

The problem will soon take care of itself. I've already explained that. Streaming by third parties does not make one a friend of public safety agencies. You can stab at me (or anyone else) all day long, but it won't change that fact.

One would think one who makes a living off streaming and disseminating information would try to be a friend to those creating that information rather than being antagonistic. But you'll figure it out eventually.

You never did answer my question though. What percentage of feeds are official versus non-official.
 
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