[Scan-DC] More encryption news

[Alan Henney]

"The chief has talked with the media, that they can monitor it," he said. "It just won't be able to be monitored anymore by things like smartphones or cellphones."


Sioux City Journal (Iowa)

NEWS

Police: Radio traffic to be encrypted by end of year

Ian Richardson
September 19, 2016 Monday

SIOUX CITY | Radio channels used by local law enforcement and first responders will become encrypted by the end of the year, a Sioux City law enforcement official said Monday.

The change will come as local agencies upgrade radio equipment in order to join Iowa's statewide radio system by 2017.

Sioux City Police Capt. Marti Reilly on Monday did not specify a date for the change, but he said it has come sooner than expected.

His comments came after the Sioux City Council voted to fast-track the purchase of nearly $2 million in new radio equipment to take advantage of available discounts.

"One of the holdups that we had before was we would have to buy additional equipment," Reilly said. "Now, we can touch the (new) radios once and encrypt the whole network."

Currently, the police department encrypts two channels -- one for tactical purposes and the other for information.

Sioux City Police Chief Doug Young first told the Journal in March that local law enforcement were considering encryption to help catch criminals on the run, saying some suspects use police radio apps on their smartphones to evade them.

Young and Woodbury County Sheriff Dave Drew told media in April they would consider programming radios for the media to allow outlets to continue to report breaking news.

Reilly said police are continuing talks with the media to ensure it has access to scanner traffic in order to report on breaking news.

"The chief has talked with the media, that they can monitor it," he said. "It just won't be able to be monitored anymore by things like smartphones or cellphones."

The city's approval of the new radio equipment Monday was driven by a need to prevent local agencies' equipment from becoming obsolete.

The radio software currently used by Siouxland Tri-State Area Radio Communications, or STARCOMM, was to no longer be supported by Motorola, the equipment's manufacturer, after 2018.

The purchase of new equipment was originally slated to be made over the next two fiscal years, but local officials requested the city move up the full purchase this year to take advantage of a lower price. Savings totaled nearly $150,000.

The equipment will cost the city just under $2 million and will be funded by traffic camera revenue.

Now, Reilly said, the change will be complete within a couple months.

"We hope to have the radios in our officers' hands, our firefighters and our ambulance technicians' hands, this year," he said.

Councilman Pete Groetken, who served as a Sioux City police officer for nearly 38 years, said Monday he was glad to see the equipment upgraded.

"It's important that the radio systems are top-notch and that they are ready to be used at a moment's notice for any emergency that may come up," Groetken said.

Upgrades to the radios, as well as others at STARCOMM tower sites, will help the system become compatible with Iowa's statewide interoperable communication system, which allows Iowa agencies to communicate each other as needed.

The system, signed into law by Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad in May, will cost the state $58 million to build out over multiple years and will initially be paid for by a surcharge on mobile phones.

Sioux City will be among the first to join the system, Reilly said, along with Westcom, a central Iowa radio system based in West Des Moines.

Reilly said the statewide system will be advantageous in allowing local agencies to communicate directly with any state units in the area, which will come in handy during large events.

The push for the system came following the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City, where police, firefighters and emergency responders could not communicate with each other.











New Hampshire Union Leader (Manchester)

PAGE1; Pg. 1

Nothing 'nefarious' behind city radio silence

MARK HAYWARD New Hampshire Union Leader
15 September 2016

Police calls encrypted: Officer safety, privacy concerns cited in Manchester department's recent change.

MANCHESTER -- Manchester police acknowledged Wednesday that they recently began encrypting all police radio transmissions, putting police communication outside the prying ears of reporters and everyday people with a scanner or smart-phone app.

Police issued an unsigned statement early Wednesday afternoon, as complaints grew about muted police radio scanners over the last several days.

Two weeks ago, Manchester police plugged into the city's new, debt-funded $5.8 million emergency radio system, a Motorola APX7000L. The encryption began Friday, Assistant Police Chief Carlo Capano said.

Police said encryption helps to keep police officers safe and protects the privacy of citizens.

"We can assure you that our decision had absolutely nothing to do with trying to hide any type of nefarious activity," the four-paragraph statement reads. "Our reasons ... (are) to provide an updated radio system, protect the public's privacy, and protect our officers as they work day in and day out to provide a service for the city of Manchester."

But the move to encrypt police radio transmissions has raised the concern of media, social media and freelance journalists. Media outlets often rely on radio broadcasts to arrive at a crime scene or accident on a timely basis.

Jeff Hastings, a freelance photographer and videographer, said he understands that sensitive activity, such as a SWAT operation, a homicide or mental health matter, should be confidential.

"In our opinion, hearing everyday calls adds a level of transparency and accountability," Hastings wrote in an open letter. "As journalists and providers of information, we are now reduced 100 percent to what MPD wants to tell us."

In an email, Capano said Manchester aldermen and the Police Commission are aware of the decision to encrypt the radio.

The encryption was made possible with the implementation of the new emergency radio system, police said in the statement.

Both the new and previous systems offered the ability for police to encrypt a broadcast whenever they deemed it necessary. But poor sound quality and reception prevented frequent use of encrypted broadcasts with the previous system, police said.

The statement offers three reasons for encryption:

o Privacy. "When we transmit a medical call, a criminal check, a juvenile or adult name that may be a victim to a crime, that information and identity should be protected," the statement reads.

o Officer safety. "Given the national narrative regarding police officers and the attacks on them, this was an important factor in our decision," the statement reads.

o Monitoring. In the statement, police said that some people follow officers around and interfere with their job. Police Commissioner Mark Roy noted that "anti-police organizations and others that may not want to do the right thing" can trace police on scanners.

Roy said police, firefighters and paramedics were recently at Valley and Elm streets and shots were fired in their direction. The shooter could have learned of their location through a scanner, said Roy, who added that the encryption affects him, too.

"My very expensive, programmed Radio Shack scanner is totally useless," Roy said.

Alderman Thomas Katsiantonis, the chairman of the Public Safety Committee, said he remembers discussions about the new emergency radio system, but can't recall whether encryption was part of it.

If that's what Police Chief Nick Willard wants, Katsiantonis supports it, he said.

He noted that last June, a panic ensued when parents heard, apparently through scanners, about a supposed gun in the trunk of a car parked at Memorial High School. It turned out to be an Airsoft gun.

"All the parents were upset and crying. They heard it on Facebook. It was crazy, crazy," Katsiantonis said. "This is better for the safety of the people."

Chris Blue, an electronics system technician with the city, said the new P25 trunk system complies with national standards to make all police radios compatible. It also eliminates dead spots in the city.

The system includes two new towers, 1,429 radios and software, he said.

He said some other city departments such as buses, Water Works and the Highway Department, are already on the new system. Fire and Ambulance join early next month. None will be encrypted.

"It never even crossed my mind to close our system. We're, I guess, a different organization," said Fire Chief Dan Goonan.

Blue said it is not possible for citizens to circumvent the encryption.

"What we have is the highest level of encryption made," Blue said. "This is what the military uses, the FBI, the DEA."

mhayward at unionleader.com