[Scan-DC] Open up emergency communications;

[Alan Henney]

The Wilton Bulletin (Connecticut)

May 21, 2015

Open up emergency communications; 
To the Editors:

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. A5

LENGTH: 374 words

(The following letter to Wilton's state representatives is reprinted here at the author's request.)

I would like to make you aware of a distressing trend in police, fire and EMS services. Many of these agencies have, or are planning to, "encrypt" their radio transmissions. This means that scanner users, which are mainly comprised of news media, concerned citizens, and second responders like volunteer firemen, amateur radio operators, and CERT, will be cut off from listening. 

I understand the need for some police agencies, especially in high crime cities, to encrypt their radios. Certainly some criminals are smart enough to listen. Although I will point out that only Wilton, Greenwich, Stamford and a few others are encrypted in Connecticut. The Connecticut state police are not encrypted. New York City does not encrypt. They have special radio channels for sensitive messages; regular dispatch channels are available to the public. Wilton should return to open radio as well.

In the wake of things like the NSA spying fiasco, our public agencies should be MORE open, not LESS. There seems to be some bizarre thought among town managers that the public has no right to listen to regular emergency traffic. I would argue that we have every right to listen to it. Without this ability, the only way the press and others can get information would be from officially edited police/ fire press releases. This is not transparency.

I would ask that you consider proposing legislation that all non-police communications in Connecticut be transmitted "in the clear." While I would prefer all communications be open, I can understand the police issue. To my knowledge there has never been any personal harm caused by fire and EMS radio traffic being monitored.

The picture I took of the car in Horseshoe Pond, that was on the front page of The Wilton Bulletin, would not have been possible without a radio scanner. This is how the media finds out about events in real time.

This is one of those areas that most legislators will do nothing about until it is too late, and the public has lost the ability to monitor the services it pays for.

Please contact me if you have any questions about this issue.

Thank you.

173 Old Boston Road May 14

Paul Lourd