[Scan-DC] Police scanners go silent for unannounced "pilot project"

Alan Henney alan at henney.com
Fri Oct 12 01:51:43 EDT 2018


Colorado Daily: University of Colorado at Boulder

October 10, 2018 Wednesday

Longmont police scanners go silent for unannounced "pilot project"

BYLINE: Madeline St. Amour

SECTION: CU-BOULDER; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 989 words

Longmont police are now dispatching through an encrypted channel, which
means the public cannot listen to police communication via scanners and
scanner cellphone apps.

The decision comes after concerns for officer safety and victim privacy,
according to Deputy Chief Jeff Satur, though it's not clear how much these
issues have directly affected Longmont police.

The decision was made internally and did not require approval from the City
Council as it is an operational change, according to city spokesman Rigo
Leal.

Satur emphasized that the change is a pilot project that may be adjusted in
the future, but at this time there is no scheduled end date.

While encrypting main dispatch channels is an increasing trend in law
enforcement, associations representing the media oppose the idea, saying it
reduces transparency and makes it more difficult for reporters to do their
jobs.

Safety, privacy concerns

There was no one thing that triggered Longmont police to pull their main
dispatch line from the public, Satur said.

Rather, a buildup of concerns over victim privacy and officer safety
spurred the decision. Often, victims' information or location will go out
over the scanner, Satur said, which can be especially sensitive in a
domestic violence or sexual assault case. Advertisement

However, no victim has complained to Longmont police about that specific
issue, Satur said. Officers have noticed scanners playing when conducting
traffic stops or responding to domestic situations at homes, he said, and
realized what it could mean to them.

The possibility of criminals monitoring scanner traffic, especially while
out on a crime spree, also made Longmont police consider encryption, he
said. While the department has not created a report on how many cases have
involved criminals listening to scanners, Satur said he had heard of it
happening in at least five cases.

"With the advent of the cell phone apps, scanners are now available for
free and anybody could put them on their phone," he said.

When asked if he thought encryption would affect the department's
transparency, Satur said it would not. He cited the department's policy of
sending a daily report of calls for service that includes some press
narratives and of publishing information about high interest cases on its
social media accounts as examples of its transparency.

Satur said the department has talked about giving media outlets scanners
that would provide access to their dispatch channel, as other departments
across the country, including Fort Collins Police Department, have done
after switching to encrypted channels.

Shades of gray

Police departments in Greeley and Loveland have encrypted their main
dispatch lines, as well. Broomfield police are also considering encryption,
though they submitted a report to the Broomfield City Council on the issue.

"This is common and it's not new," said Adam Wandt, assistant professor of
public policy at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City.
"It's been common for quite some time."

New York state, for example, has made it illegal for people to monitor
police frequencies while in a moving vehicle.

Wandt said it's not uncommon for criminals to monitor scanners. But, he
said, the decision to encrypt the main dispatch line has both positive and
negative effects.

"(Police departments) absolutely do decrease their transparency," he said,
"but they do increase privacy for victims and their operations' security."

Some departments have gone around this dilemma by using two frequencies -
one for "normal" calls, and one for more sensitive cases.

While that provides more transparency, Wandt said it comes with its own
difficulties. It's often hard for a dispatcher to know if a situation is
sensitive at first, though that might be discovered later on.

Whether a department should encrypt its channels or not is a personal
decision, Wandt said, and an opportunity for agencies to "examine their own
policies very carefully."

"I think that there are balances between making information public and
keeping private information out of the public eye," he said. "But it's not
a black and white answer and there are many shades of gray here. There is
not a one size fits all solution."

Media objections

Three groups representing Colorado's media organizations - the Colorado
Press Association, Colorado Broadcasters Association and Colorado Freedom
of Information Coalition - are discussing how to deal with this issue,
according to press association interim CEO Jill Farschman.

A bill was introduced to the Legislature this past session that would have
prohibited law enforcement agencies from encrypting all of its radio
channels, though it would have allowed encryption for tactical and
investigative channels. The bill did not make it out of committee.

"(Encryption) is disabling our members from being able to provide timely
breaking news, which our public expects to receive," Farschman said.

Justin Sasso, president and CEO of the broadcasters' association, said it
is addressing the issue through meetings at this time but is withholding
public comment "at this delicate stage."

Farschman said she questions what problem police are trying to solve by
encrypting main dispatch lines and how widespread it is.

"It's not like it's an epidemic of misuse. Frankly, we would've written a
story on it by now," she said.

There needs to be an "understanding that the media and the public are
stakeholders, and making this sweeping process change without that
understanding or discussion is not acceptable either," she said.

When asked if social media could substitute for scanner traffic, Farschman
said "that doesn't cut it as an alternative" because it creates a
timeliness issue. It also lets departments filter information and "present
information with a spin," which is not the case when people can hear raw
information on a scanner as an incident unfolds.

Madeline St. Amour: 303-684-5212, mstamour at prairiemountainmedia.com


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