Not good for our hobby

[pepsima1]

An LA City employee helped two armed robbery suspects rob a smoke shop in LA and had a scanner in her car to aid the suspects on the where abouts of the LAPD.

Another blow to why police comms will go silent. This sucks real bad

Aide to LA city councilman linked to armed robbery in IE | abc7.com

 

[brandon]

Yep I saw that story last night on the news. It's already too late in San Bernardino County. Law enforcement there is going fully encrypted in the next couple years.

 

[KMA367]

And stories like this take a lot of wind out of the sails of people who say "Sure, encrypt 'sensitive' channels, but keep the 'routine' stuff in the clear."

But had an alarm or 9-1-1 call come in for this, how and where would it have been broadcast? On the "routine" dispatch channel(s), of course, as a "211 silent" or "211 in progress at the Best Price Smoke Shop, 17252 Main Street..."

 

[pinballwiz86]

There's always been criminals using scanners. That's why it's an additional charge to use a scanner in the commission of a crime. That's no reason to encrypt anything.

Encryption= police not wanting transparency, not wanting anyone to know what they are doing... Not cool in my book. Someone needs to watch the watchmen.

If police are worried about them "getting away" perhaps they need to work on their response times.

 

[n5ims]

And stories like this take a lot of wind out of the sails of people who say "Sure, encrypt 'sensitive' channels, but keep the 'routine' stuff in the clear."

But had an alarm or 9-1-1 call come in for this, how and where would it have been broadcast? On the "routine" dispatch channel(s), of course, as a "211 silent" or "211 in progress at the Best Price Smoke Shop, 17252 Main Street..."

In our area, there are several calls that are dispatched using the normal dispatch channel that only say "Units 3 & 9, respond to call by MDT". No encryption, but also no information to the folks that may be monitoring for police activity in their location. There are a couple of gangs in the city that are known to monitor the PD using scanners so this is probably an attempt by the PD to prevent them from hearing relevant traffic.

 

[scottyhetzel]

There's always been criminals using scanners. That's why it's an additional charge to use a scanner in the commission of a crime. That's no reason to encrypt anything.

Encryption= police not wanting transparency, not wanting anyone to know what they are doing... Not cool in my book. Someone needs to watch the watchmen.

If police are worried about them "getting away" perhaps they need to work on their response times.

What makes you think that the brass at the station and other agencies with their dispatch and tac freq. are not listening to the watchman. Plus it's all recorded at dispatch. Most departments use the cell phone for private 10-35 info.. So their is already transparentcy going on for years on analog non encrypt Channels. Not to mention the mobile data terminal, which the record the texts between law enforcement. However we all feel the pain....

 

[ff-medic]

There's always been criminals using scanners. That's why it's an additional charge to use a scanner in the commission of a crime. .

Is is not a violation of Federal Law ( ?? Title 18 USC ) to use a radio scanner to aid in the commission of a crime?

FF - Medic !!!

 

[W8RMH]

Is is not a violation of Federal Law ( ?? Title 18 USC ) to use a radio scanner to aid in the commission of a crime?

FF - Medic !!!

It may not be a federal charge but in most jurisdictions it is a state or local charge.

In my 40+ years around scanners and law enforcement there is a small percentage of criminal use of scanners, compared to the positive uses, such as citizens aiding law enforcement because of something they heard on a scanner, then spotted the suspect. Remember, this is how the Washington, DC snipers were caught.

I have been providing a very popular police feed for over two years and there have been no documented cases of anyone using the feed for illegal purposes, and I am in regular contact with supportive police officials.

I believe encryption is due to 1, the availability of the technology and Motorola's use of it as a selling point, and 2, the fact that some agencies prefer to hide their activity from the taxpayers. There are many agencies that officially provide their communications to the public on Broadcastify.

Maybe they need to do a better job doing background checks on their government employees.

 

[karldotcom]

I was trying to tune in to that Man with a Gun call at the LA Times and it seemed to all be on Central Simplex in the building, with a supervisor on Tac relaying some very vague information to Dispatch. I couldn't pick up anything basically.

 

[Ghstwolf62]

A lot is also because they think the most mundane and asinine stuff warrants top secret status.

Lots of people joke about the barking dog complaint needing encryption but I've actually seen it in practice lots of times along with 415Es, and other non-consequential matters. Not only that but a 997 involving FF Medics was delayed for over 15 minutes while dispatch refused to put it out on the air instead opting to search for someone who could 21 her.

One person in the community deeply involved in stuff once told me "They just don't want people to hear how stupid they sound on the air" I have come to the conclusion the person might have a legitimate point.

Amazing the stupidity that exists among some LEAs. The question I've always had is why? What is the point? Nothing they've come up with so far merits serious validity as an answer.

 

[SCPD]

By sound of it they went as far as testing 911 and response times. Definitely this will be a consideration and I'm sure being a council person aide I can see any one working for the city there being stripped or monitoring once E rolls out if there not essential to pd. They need to slam the Fed charge plus local charges on woman she needs to be fired and stripped of pension least the city's end legally what they put in. A old bud of mine who is a officer in Los Angeles told me one concern of the gang districts is officers have wanted E for long time. The comment gangs monitor is correct in those cities. Mainly the higher end ones. He said its a pain to 21 while running code 3 specially when your a single unit. Many he said are or E bc of gangs with scanners in particular districts.

As for general ppl hearing he said allot like it know people help and also many spouses or family of LE listen. But being there are some gorilla gangs running around he said its one of those barrel spoilers.

Gorilla meaning brutal and violent and over powering some areas

Well considering we are in a time of question with economy allot of desperate people crime in fact has got higher, and allot of anti police folks chasing pd with cams is another. I've seen numerous films of those types holding a scanner and few cases a ham radio monitoring law while filming and harassing at a traffic stop that has nothing to do with them.