Hello, please see the response below from APD.
From: "Smathers, Michael" <
msmathers@cabq.gov>
Date: October 22, 2020 at 7:33:21 PM MDT
To: "Jones, Trudy" <
trudyjones@cabq.gov>
Cc: "Dow, Paul W." <
pdow@cabq.gov>, "Medina, Harold J." <
hmedina@cabq.gov>
Subject: FW: New Public Safety Communications System
Councilor Jones-I hope this finds you doing well and healthy. The main APD dispatch channels will remain open/unencrypted as they are now. If you need anything else from APD please let me know.
Regards,
Mike Smathers
Deputy Chief Mike Smathers
Special Operations Bureau
Albuquerque Police Department
400 Roma Avenue NW
Albuquerque, NM 87102
msmathers@cabq.gov
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Email Address
cgatchellus@live.com
Zip
87112
Phone Number
5059334436
Subject of your message
New Public Safety Communications System
Enter Your Message Here
Greetings, I am really concerned about the new Public Safety Communications system P25 Phase II. The new system appears much better than the existing system in a positive note. Currently some channels within APD are encrypted.
I understand this completely. My question is APD going to continue allowing the public & the news media to listen to the dispatch channels?
Lately I have heard a rumor that Albuquerque may encrypt channels including Dispatch which is currently in the clear. I was deeply involved in Community Policing when the first system was installed,” Edac/Provoice Radio’s” in the last decade.
The result of the new system was Community Policing disappeared and Citizens were not able to listen in their neighborhood to APD relating to crimes occurring in the hood where they live. When approaching an Officer to get information on what was going on was a thing of the past. The Crime mapping is not helpful.
The relationship between Neighborhood Associations, Block Captains and Neighborhood Patrols faded away in many communities. I helped APD with info making a huge bust including counterfeit money, Drugs and High-priced stolen SUV’s. I received a letter from the police chief thanking me.
If our Public Safety goes dark after 75 years in the clear? The loss of Transparency of The Albuquerque Police could affect the public’s trust and willing to even imagine that Community Policing exists. Thank You for responding to me on this important issue.
Best Regards,
Charles Gatchell
Ph 505-933-4436
Email:
cgatchellus@live.com