Park Police radio transmissions during Lafayette Square operation on June 1

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pete5555

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ChrisP

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Unfortunately, the Park Police have been digitally encrypted for some time now, no not likely anyone casually recording this.

Some are saying there are no official agency recordings because they are encrypted, or the recordings are encrypted. If they were recording their system radio traffic it would have been from the dispatch console audio, which would have been un-encrypted audio by then.

And they may have taken the riot operations over to a secondary channel or talk group, which might not have been recorded at all.

- Chris
 

jkahn

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When USPP switched from the old VHF 160mHz system they immediately encrypted all new channels. I cannot believe that Chief Cathy Lanier allowed them to not record any channel, since she was the one that insisted they encrypt, against most others objections. US Secret Service, with whom USPP is closely tied in DC, especially during Presidential movements did want it. During the several week testing period before they encrypted and moved, there were more radio tests with USSS than any other related agency for interop. (also USCap PD and MPD who are also fully encrypted )

She was more concerned with recent negative press about language and racial comments from unit to unit on the old talkaround channel (4), which was her major reason for encryption, not officer safety.

She knows full well that USPP were the only agency equipped with tear gas and pepper ball canisters and that they deployed them on the non-violent crowd in front of the church. The Military did not have either and MPD SOD was not issued tear gas.

As far as non recording /missing minutes of recording, let her ask Nixon how well that worked.

I worked very closely with USPP in DC for 30+ years as a member of the first aid unit that provided most major events with EMS coverage because DC Fire/EMS did not have equipment or manpower to do so, including Inaugurals, all major parades, 4th of July downtown, demonstrations and many others. On many occasions, like 4th of July, they allowed me to share space in their comms trailer to expedite dispatch of EMS when needed. Of all law enforcement agencies in the District, I held USPP in the highest regard and most respect. Now they have my contempt and scorn.

I am all in favor of some police reforms, not so much with most professional departments, but certainly question the need for USPP when Park Service Rangers could do the same job, and with higher regard for the public they serve. They currently do the same job in 90+% of all Federal protected properties in the US without any USPP involvement.

Sorry for the soap box but it was hard to stop!
 

pete5555

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Thanks very much to both of you, ChrisP and jkahn, for your informed replies. I'm disappointed that we've been blocked from listening to what the park police are doing. That strikes me as a strange "us vs. them" mentality, when we're paying them to do a job for us. But that's the way of the world now.
 

n1das

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Thanks very much to both of you, ChrisP and jkahn, for your informed replies. I'm disappointed that we've been blocked from listening to what the park police are doing. That strikes me as a strange "us vs. them" mentality, when we're paying them to do a job for us. But that's the way of the world now.

FOIA comes to mind.
 

ResQguy

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I cannot believe that Chief Cathy Lanier allowed them to not record any channel, since she was the one that insisted they encrypt, against most others objections.
What does the Director of NFL Security have to do with what the Park Police infrastructure?
 

jkahn

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What does the Director of NFL Security have to do with what the Park Police infrastructure?

Cathy was Chief of USPP when they switched systems and she insisted everything be encrypted. She was a micro-manager so that's why I doubt she would let them have an un-recorded channel. She did her damage and got out for a bigger paycheck, but no one can undo her sticky web.
 

ScubaJungle

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What you need to do is submit FOIA requests. Unfortunately, though, they will, in bad faith, deny either your request or the existence of your request.
So, what you really need to do, is submit a FOIA request and have someone with some pull in the agency that can tell you the records exist.
In the world of FOIA requests, this is what happens. When they deny you, but you then respond, "Sorry, thats not true. Lt. ABC has seen the records himself.", they will respond with, "Oh, well, you should have mentioned him! Sorry, we didnt know where they were."

I dont believe that they have NO recordings, sorry. You need to get familiar with public records laws/codes, and be able to cite the applicable codes that pertain to your request. If the request you are making falls within these parameters, then denying your request is illegal - the question is - how are you going to prove it? Do you have the time & money for the litigation that may ensue, in order to get these records?
 

ResQguy

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Cathy was Chief of USPP when they switched systems and she insisted everything be encrypted. She was a micro-manager so that's why I doubt she would let them have an un-recorded channel. She did her damage and got out for a bigger paycheck, but no one can undo her sticky web.
Cathy Lanier was never employed by the United States Park Police. She retired from the MPD in 2016 and went directly to the NFL.
 

maus92

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A USPP spokesperson has stated that their recording equipment was inoperative during the protest, so recordings of their voice traffic *apparently* do not exist. The will be an oversight hearing of the event, so perhaps if they call the proper witnesses who were actually on duty in their comm center at the time, a more exact truth with emerge.
 

zerg901

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How many posts have I seen on Radio Reference saying that encryption is fine because you can always request the tapes? How many? A million? 2 million? LOL

The followup to the Lafayette Park attack was interesting. The US Army flew into Andrews AFB and told the White House that at the first sign of a second civil war anywhere in the United States, the 82nd Airbourne would be doing immediate preemptive evictions at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Yes - you lived thru a silent coup and didnt even know it.

--------------------

The Washington Post article is archived here - Wayback Machine
 

footage

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I can't imagine that some other agency in DC with authority or ability to monitor USPP wouldn't have recorded their transmissions, but the need to protect sources will likely prevent a recording from being furnished to investigators.
 

mmckenna

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Dispatch centers record traffic on the channels they dispatch on. If they were working with a dispatcher, there should have been recordings. If there was a mobile command post, they should have been recording.

I don't believe for a second that they were not recording, they just don't want to share it. They need a judge to smack 'em down to help them remember to not lose the recordings.
 
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