Encrypted Police Radio Leaves Residents in the Dark About Public Safety (Opinion)

I don’t know if you remember, but many years ago we could listen to the police dispatch of any police department across the country. Today, that number is dwindling, and government transparency is affected as a result, including locally here in Washington County.

Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA), breaks down the problem very well, and the Freedom of the Press Foundation has a great piece on this as well. In an era marked by increasing public scrutiny of law enforcement agencies, a concerning trend is emerging across the United States – the rapid encryption of police radio scanner communications. Police departments in major metropolitan areas, including New York and Chicago, are following the lead of their counterparts in California and Colorado, implementing various encryption policies that limit public access to real-time information. While it is essential to safeguard sensitive information and officer safety during special operations, the widespread encryption of police dispatch communications is raising legitimate concerns about government transparency.

The consequences of this growing trend are far-reaching and impactful. By encrypting police scanner communications, the public, newsrooms, and community watchdogs are left in the dark, unable to access vital updates on incidents happening in their neighborhoods, whether it be violent crimes, hazardous conditions, or officer-involved shootings. The move to encrypt these critical channels poses a serious threat to both public awareness and the media’s ability to serve its crucial role in reporting the truth.

Admittedly, there are valid reasons for not wanting to jeopardize officer safety or divulge private medical information about identifiable individuals through police scanners. However, it is worth noting that fire and EMS dispatch channels, which share some of the same concerns, are not encrypted in most areas. Balancing the need for transparency with the necessity of protecting sensitive information is a challenge, but completely encrypting police communications does more harm than good.

To combat this concerning trend and prevent further erosion of government transparency, the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) advocacy team is actively organizing efforts to oppose widespread police radio encryption. We here at Radio Free Hub City support these efforts, and this opinion article is the first step of making an impact on this issue locally.

For our more technical readers, here’s a breakdown of how our local police radio works. Washington County utilizes a P25 Phase 1 trunking radio system, as detailed on Radio Reference. P25 Phase 1 trunking allows more efficient usage of radio frequencies. Typically, anyone with a P25 capable radio can listen to these broadcasts by setting their radios to monitor specific “talk groups”. Unfortunately, all of WCSO radio, including dispatch, is encrypted according to publicly available information. By contrast, not only is Washington County Fire and EMS unencrypted, but dispatch is still simulcast on 33.860 MHz, eliminating the need for a P25 capable radio to listen to Fire and EMS dispatches.

An interesting note, which further highlights some of the transparency issues that are currently being experienced locally – we’ve previously reached out to Washington County on another article related to county usage of radio frequencies, and received the following response:

“For security reasons County government does not disclose specific protocols implemented to protect County systems.“

This is a rather curious response, considering all of the country’s protocols and frequencies are available publicly through multiple websites, including the FCC. Not only is security through obscurity a poor security practice, it also significantly prevents taxpayers from seeing if their tax dollars are being properly spent. Transparency continues to be an issue for Washington County Government, as highlighted by the November 2022 “cybersecurity incident” which county taxpayers still do not have answers for what happened, and if any taxpayer information was compromised. Our own Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) request for details regarding what taxpayer information was compromised is currently in mediation with the Maryland MPIA Ombudsman.

A recent local incident illustrates precisely why transparency is of paramount importance. Following the shooting of a county judge, social media was inundated with wild rumors regarding the police presence in the area. With encrypted police dispatch, accurate information was delayed, leading to confusion and fear among the community. Had the police communications remained unencrypted, the public would have received prompt and clear updates about the ongoing situation, minimizing misinformation and panic. There also wouldn’t need to be any concerns about journalists or bloggers leaking information from inside sources, because a significant amount of information would now become available in real-time, and police could still use tactical channels to keep from disclosing critical details which may harm the investigation. This would allow police to establish a delicate balance between information disclosure and protecting the investigation.

One possible solution which could be provided by local law enforcement would be making a police dispatch channel available through popular scanner apps, much like Hagerstown and Washington County currently do through Broadcastify. They could even add a time delay like the Baltimore Police do. This solution would provide access to police dispatch for everyone, as well as automatically archive recordings of all dispatches, reducing MPIA requests.

In an era when law enforcement is under more public scrutiny than ever before, the move to re-open police dispatch frequencies has the potential to rebuild trust in police departments nationwide. Transparency is not an enemy of officer safety or privacy but a vital tool in fostering accountability, restoring public faith, and keeping communities informed about the activities of those who serve and protect them. Balancing transparency with security is essential, but sacrificing one for the other is not the answer. In the name of transparency, public safety, and responsible reporting, it is crucial that police departments reconsider their policies and find a middle ground that benefits all parties involved.

Opinion article by Ken Buckler, President and Managing Editor. All opinions are his own and do not reflect those of our clients or sponsors.