[Scan-DC] Fwd: Police scanner encryption

[Alan Henney]

For those of you who live in Montgomery County and are concerned about the
proposal to encrypted the primary police dispatch talkgroups this December,
here is a draft letter you can use as a reference if you would like to
write or contact the council.


councilmember.katz at montgomerycountymd.gov;
councilmember.albornoz at montgomerycountymd.gov;
councilmember.hucker at montgomerycountymd.gov;
Councilmember.Glass at montgomerycountymd.gov;
Councilmember.Riemer at montgomerycountymd.gov;
Councilmember.Jawando at montgomerycountymd.gov


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Subject: Police scanner encryption

Councilmembers,

I am writing to you as the chair and members of the Public Safety
Committee, copying the at-large councilmembers.

I am very concerned about Montgomery County Police Department plans to
encrypt routine radio communications including dispatch communications. I
believe that these communications should remain unencrypted and therefore
freely accessible to the public, the media, and any individual concerned
with their content for any reason. Transparency is important, both so the
public can stay informed about matters that concern them and to ensure
police accountability, and also so the police can avoid accusations that
they are keeping information from the public in order to hide improprieties.

I believe in government openness as a matter of principle, particularly in
routine operations where there is no compelling reason for secrecy.

Please work with MPPD to preserve our county's long-standing policy of
maintaining open, accessible, transparent routine police communications.

Thank you for consideration,