Orlando, FL Police to Encrypt all police talkgroups

[trunktracking]

The City Of Orlando Police Department has recently confirmed in a response to a local Orlando news media request that it will Encrypt "ALL" Police Talkgroups on their new Motorola 800 Mhz. Digital 9600 Baud Trunked Radio System (System ID 25A) no later than February, 2008.

 

[FPO703]

What are they hiding? 9 times out of 10 if an agency encrypts ALL of thier radio traffic, they are hiding something. If they only encrypt the sensitive channels, that's fine, and makes sense.

 

[marcp90]

That is so $&@#ing ridiculous.

 

[mikepdx]

I'd hate to be the owner of a scanner shop in Orlando.

 

[james32746]

At least it did not mention Orlando FD, even though they wanted to go encrypted as well. I think they have backed down from total encryption as well.

 

[StoliRaz]

I hope my city is 20+ years behind yours...

This is why I'm not a big fan of digital at all....

 

[Skud]

What are they hiding? 9 times out of 10 if an agency encrypts ALL of thier radio traffic, they are hiding something. If they only encrypt the sensitive channels, that's fine, and makes sense.

agreed, TAC and Special ops should be encrtpted.

 

[bravo14]

I agree on Tac and Special OPS channels be Encrypted. But than again it is all about DHS also.

 

[FPO703]

DHS says nothing about full time encryption.

 

[Gatorman]

It is amazing that a city government, as liberal as Orlando's, wants to make sure that its citizens can't listen to the activities of the employees whose salaries they pay. I don't disagree with sensitive information but dispatch, fire, etc. Who are they kidding?

I thought there was a ruling some years ago over in the Tampa area where a PD or SO was required to allow a citizen to purchase a radio that would monitor the digital system in use at the time. What about that??????

Whatever the case, you are about to see the end of an era, i.e., real law enforcement in the Orlando area with the retirement of Sheriff Beary. At least he knew the difference between chicken salad and chicken sxxt and wasn't afraid to tell someone.

OPD spends most of their time protecting the homeless at the downtown library and harrassing normal people.

 

[w0fg]

DHS says nothing about full time encryption.

It has less to do with DHS and more to do with HIPPA and related privacy regs. The PD in my little community of 5000 went AEGIS digital several years ago. I have AEGIS capabiity via one of my radios from another governmental agency and I can assure you that the traffic is strictly normal PD stuff, but they believe they're protecting citizens privacy by using a non-monitorable system.

 

[n4voxgill]

My report on this that was posted about a year ago, said that the Fire Department was the first unit to buy new radios with encryption capability and pushed to upgrade the infrastructure. The crime rate in Orlando has skyrocketed. The actual plan to upgrade to digital and encrypted was made about 5 years ago. It took several budget cycles to get the funds. It is laughable that they want to hide anything. They believe that security at all levels is a top priority. Encryption is just part of it. All radio recordings and documents are open for inspection. I submitted the original plan and budget request for changing to a trunked system in 1984, Encyrption was one of ultimate goals, but it has taken 24 years of budget requests to get to this point. Now that it is going encrypted, there are some other agencies that want to come on the system.

In a system with a thousand radios, there is always one nutcase that will drop a dime to the press and try to stir up trouble where there is not any. So hiding from the public is impossible.

 

[PearlOnyx]

Is this just the OPD site or the Orange County system as well? Most of OPD is simulcast on the Orange County site, so how will that work I wonder.

 

[SCPD]

Montgomery,Alabama Police went to Pro voice digital 5 years ago , with ONLY the main dispatch channel in analog. also the city FD is all pro voice. County has a few more Tg's to listen to

 

[james32746]

Is this just the OPD site or the Orange County system as well? Most of OPD is simulcast on the Orange County site, so how will that work I wonder.

Orlando PD will be moving to a separate Motorola Project 25 system from the current Orange County Motorola SmartZone system.

The new system will eventually be the trunked system for Lake, Orange, Osceola, and Seminole County as well.

 

[iMONITOR]

This is why I'm not a big fan of digital at all....

Encryption is not limited to digital. Analog radios can also be encrypted.

 

[iMONITOR]

While encryption is devastating for our hobby, if I were them, I'd want it.

 

[brandon]

What's the deal with Florida? Seems to be the most "scanner unfriendly" state in the nation. What a shame.

 

[KE0SKN]

Not to condom this... but you can download software for free off the internet that can decript some of the stander codex on these radios. just plug in your scanner sound port to your sound card and listen in. the audio quolity might be poor but you will understand whats going on.

 

[loumaag]

It has less to do with DHS and more to do with HIPPA and related privacy regs. ...

HIPPA(sic)? HIPAA has nothing to do with encryption; there is no HIPAA policy that demands such action, indeed just the opposite is true. Take a look at this government document and search for "encryption".

What other "privacy regs." are you referring to?