[Scan-DC] D.C. Fire/EMS: Planning for ENCRYPTION !!!

[Alan Henney]

We have heard from a couple different sources who are telling us that when D.C. Fire/EMS switches to its new Motorola APX radios in early 2014, the radio system will be encrypted!

This will be another tremendous loss for the scanner community and another horrible precedent.

No doubt the embattled fire chief has taken some hard knocks the past year and perhaps a few of those incidents could be attributed to what was monitored on the radio.

Specifically cited by one source was the Navy Yard shooting.  Audio recordings from that incident were downloaded by the local media from RadioReference, much to the anguish of fire/EMS officials.  

While I don't think it made the department look bad at all, it demonstrated how they have lost control of who monitors and shares what is broadcast from FEMS radio channels --- but not for long?

I'm frustrated by the continuing erosion of our hobby and the inability of the public -- and especially the once mighty D.C. press corps -- to make change.

If anybody has the ability to change things in the D.C. government, now is the time!

Alan