Rockford Police Going Fully Encrypted
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Rockford Police going fully Encrypted
This doesn't surprise me as Rockford has become more and more violent. I still disagree with those who think the common thug and criminal has any idea how to use a scanner or even set it up. Especially today where a computer and PATIENCE are needed. I don't see them as having any of that. My one wish to those Authorities out there is to leave the FIRE and ambulance in the clear and any channels that have Weather alerts or dispatches. Also any "Traffic or Admin" channels. I simply groan when hear some paid shill for the city say "It's for privacy and safety" My A$$. Rockford and Chicago and many other cities have mug shots and the vital stats of offenders on TV and in the newspapers all the time. They go out of the way to embarrass and point folks out for their sins. There are ways of dealing with phone apps without blacking out the public while keeping officers safe. I began my scanning IN Rockford listening to Rockford/ILState/BOONE County police/fire starting back in 1974 while working at the box office of the old BELFORD Theaters. I used to have a pair of tweezers to change to another crystal if there was a chase on ISPERN or POINT to POINT mentioned. The news makes me sad as I drive there often. Will be out that way for July 3rd. I guess they don't care if an uninformed citizen drives right into a high speed chase or emergency and causes even more problems. How many crooks have been caught with Scanners in the last 3 years in ROCKFORD? would be my question to this blackout of public airwaves. I DO have the right to know what my neighbors are doing. Are they druggies? thugs? Gang members? are they a danger to me in any way? I have the right to know that and to prepare for it. The Chief says I don't. Also, during a Weather event having the extra 5-10 minutes of knowledge can make all the difference, The Fairdale IL Tornado taught us that. Oh well. Pay us for the $Systems but you don't have the right to know anything going on. Typical.
This doesn't surprise me as Rockford has become more and more violent. I still disagree with those who think the common thug and criminal has any idea how to use a scanner or even set it up. Especially today where a computer and PATIENCE are needed. I don't see them as having any of that. My one wish to those Authorities out there is to leave the FIRE and ambulance in the clear and any channels that have Weather alerts or dispatches. Also any "Traffic or Admin" channels. I simply groan when hear some paid shill for the city say "It's for privacy and safety" My A$$. Rockford and Chicago and many other cities have mug shots and the vital stats of offenders on TV and in the newspapers all the time. They go out of the way to embarrass and point folks out for their sins. There are ways of dealing with phone apps without blacking out the public while keeping officers safe. I began my scanning IN Rockford listening to Rockford/ILState/BOONE County police/fire starting back in 1974 while working at the box office of the old BELFORD Theaters. I used to have a pair of tweezers to change to another crystal if there was a chase on ISPERN or POINT to POINT mentioned. The news makes me sad as I drive there often. Will be out that way for July 3rd. I guess they don't care if an uninformed citizen drives right into a high speed chase or emergency and causes even more problems. How many crooks have been caught with Scanners in the last 3 years in ROCKFORD? would be my question to this blackout of public airwaves. I DO have the right to know what my neighbors are doing. Are they druggies? thugs? Gang members? are they a danger to me in any way? I have the right to know that and to prepare for it. The Chief says I don't. Also, during a Weather event having the extra 5-10 minutes of knowledge can make all the difference, The Fairdale IL Tornado taught us that. Oh well. Pay us for the $Systems but you don't have the right to know anything going on. Typical.
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Rockford Encryption
Yes. I'll be calling the Chief at the phone number provided on the link. But I don't expect any care on their part. I know why they're doing this. I will only ask him to consider leaving the FIRE and ambulance in the open as it's always been. There are other talk-groups they could leave alone and not put officers in danger. Back in the day they only had City Government* and Tac/Surveillance channels they could scramble. Same with Belvidere/Boone Co. Go to scramble the Dispatcher would say when something needed to be kept secret... that donald duck noise would go on for a bit, then back to normal sound. That's life I guess. I'll be voicing my displeasure as you recommend even though I don't live there anymore.
Yes. I'll be calling the Chief at the phone number provided on the link. But I don't expect any care on their part. I know why they're doing this. I will only ask him to consider leaving the FIRE and ambulance in the open as it's always been. There are other talk-groups they could leave alone and not put officers in danger. Back in the day they only had City Government* and Tac/Surveillance channels they could scramble. Same with Belvidere/Boone Co. Go to scramble the Dispatcher would say when something needed to be kept secret... that donald duck noise would go on for a bit, then back to normal sound. That's life I guess. I'll be voicing my displeasure as you recommend even though I don't live there anymore.
I also anticipate the usual suspects flying in here to blame those who broadcast on line like always. I even listen to those links in emergencies. The other night Pontiac IL and LaSalle County folks sure were listening to the broadcast feeds when the Tornado's were everywhere it seemed. I have relatives in that area and listened in out of concern for them. That's where they come in handy. All this encryption BS started before these scanner apps became popular. They scrambled stuff long ago. It all picked up right after 9/11/2001. So to blame most of it on broadcasting scanner traffic online doesn't cut it. The feds and cities were already starting to censor the airwaves as if we're all terrorists. My guess is if all those feeds were declared banned and illegal that the police would still increase efforts to conceal what is going on down my street. Luckily we can still vote on things, this is one of the things I would remember if I lived in Rockford still.
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SO I called the Chief's number from the link the Original poster has. His secretary has a little message on there to leave info.. blah, blah. I gave a polite message and relayed my thoughts. Took me 3 tries to get to the voicemail as the lines were busy. NO to total Encryption I told him. And please consider leaving some talk-groups open for the citizens in case of emergency like Fire and weather or traffic. I'm getting tired of all this encryption of information the public has a right to know. Can you imagine if the Fairdale Tornado..an F4 headed for Rockford instead? folks with scanners and police phone apps would be shut out of the latest information and would have to wait for F-ME channel 13 WREX to figure out how to use the weather graphics like what happened during that event. Minutes count in times like that and hearing the police calls and officers in the field telling us what is what AS early as possible can save lives.
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WX9RLT
Top Dawg
You make some really good points there!
You can call and complain all you want. At the end of the day its about officer safety, The decision has been made. It's the time we live in. A few upset scanner listeners won't trump the safety and security of the police officers.
I relayed those to him. One more example of how important scanners are to the public happened the day Raymond Lee Stewart escaped from the damn Winnebago Co Jail and was running loose in downtown Rockford for 2 hours. I had my scanner and heard the whole thing. A year later I started working at a company in Rockford downtown and a co-worker saw my scanner in my car. We've had one of those ever since Ray Lee Stewart escaped that day! she said. That day the cops and Rockford Merchant Police were going door to door with shotguns and pistols drawn, yelling for store fronts to lock their doors. The place I ended up working at had to lock their doors even though the ground floor where they were working was like an all glass front window. Folks now will have no idea if some Mass murderer escapes from prison and will have no early warning unless 17/13/39 interrupt their Steak-n-Shake Kung fu elbow TV ad *like WREX didn't do during the Fairdale Tornado. See *Gus Polly on Youtube, WREX Fairdale tornado video. They were busy showing ads for Stores in Kewanee IL and Steak and Shake while the Tornado warning was going on. You can't rely on the "media" I'll take a scanner any day
Rockford enc
Yes. I agree with that Officer safety comment. That's why I asked him to consider leaving FIRE open. I don't expect anything to change by my call, But it's a free country and I have that right to call and complain. It's America and the citizens paid for all that **** and for the Police and fire too. You know what? I'll call tomorrow too just because I can
Yes. I agree with that Officer safety comment. That's why I asked him to consider leaving FIRE open. I don't expect anything to change by my call, But it's a free country and I have that right to call and complain. It's America and the citizens paid for all that **** and for the Police and fire too. You know what? I'll call tomorrow too just because I can
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WX9RLT
Top Dawg
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D
darunimal
Guest
It didn't stop the Terrorist attack in Brussels or Washington DC at the Navy Yard but did make first responders and Mutual Aid thoroughly confused what was actually happening, unless it's okay to ask 35 mutual-Aid personnel to stand around quietly with one radio that has the Encrpyted comm's, but that won't work for immediate coordinated counter attacks against perpetrators.
Damn ... so I take it this means 154.755, 155.415, 565 & .730 will become encrypted as well?
Thanks for the info, regretfully. 73, n9zas
Rockford Enc
@scraech. I'm sure that will happen some day soon. We'll be like Saudi Arabia where it's illegal to own a scanner. And Allah-forbid... a feed
@scraech. I'm sure that will happen some day soon. We'll be like Saudi Arabia where it's illegal to own a scanner. And Allah-forbid... a feed
Remember being able to hear your local PD is a privilege, Not a right. Enjoy it while it lasts as encryption is the way of the future for Law Enforcement
While that holds true for some areas not everywhere. I know this for a fact. Least where I am located.
Chicago2210
Member
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And what makes you think things can't change back?
Given today's climate officer safety and protection is a priority. The trend is to encrypt. Cook county has for years.Northwest Central has for over 2 years. Lake County sheriff and the departments in the county are also going. It may not be long before all LE talkgroups on Starcomm go encrypted if necessary. The radios have the option. I say this as a communications professional, not an upset hobbyist
According to a Isp radio tech I associate with, downstate Illinois won't see total encryption for some time because many of Isp radios do not have the firmware needed for encryption, and funds to change out the current radios just isn't in the budget. Ill. Dept of corrections have the majority of radios with encryption in the state, and that in it self was a major feat I'm told. 73, n9zas
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