“There’s no secrecy or lack of transparency. Since then, the majority of the zones covering the South Side and Far South Side have been encrypted. The city began the process in 2017 to secure public safety radios and prepare to migrate from analog encrypted channels to digitally encrypted channels, according to the Office of Emergency Management and Communication.Ĭhicago police districts are split into several radio zones, and the first to become encrypted was Zone 9, which covers the Calumet and Morgan Park police districts, on May 12. Chicago’s radio communication has long been available for the public to listen to via personally purchased and programmed scanners or through online applications.Ī community of people who listen to the scanners has formed on social media, specifically Twitter, where listeners post about things they hear over the scanners, including shootings, traffic, protests and weather. Radios are a useful and common tool among law enforcement agencies to communicate with officers and coordinate responses through the central communications center. The city has said the move was made in response to harmful “rogue radio” calls that put officers in danger, a reference to outside users interjecting comments and chatter over police traffic, but some experts say taking away the long-used tool from reporters reduces transparency. In addition to the delay, dispatchers will have the ability to pause the transmissions when personal identifiable information is being discussed, the office said. The Broadcastify transmissions are direct audio feeds from OEMC. The company has been working with the city for about a year on the project, the spokesman said. It is free to the public.Ī Broadcastify spokesman said in an email that Chicago officials asked the company to send all media inquiries to the city and declined to comment other than confirming that it is providing the broadcast service. The city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications does not have a contract with the service, officials there said, nor has it paid any money to stream on the website. The police zones that will become encrypted will still be available for the public to listen on a 30-minute delay on Broadcastify, which is an online live audio platform. If the police lock the media out of live radio broadcasts, it in my opinion, certainly reduces the level of accountability that police departments will face.” “And it certainly worries me, significantly worries me. Are you just looking for something basic or do you want a scanner that provides extra features, such as an alarm clock, GPS, Wi-Fi, or CB radio functionality.“Then there’s a whole other class and that’s the class of reporters in the media, and I am a firm believer in government transparency and accountability,” Wandt said. Check in your area to see which band type your local agencies are using.įinally, think about the types of features you really need. Digital scanners tend to have the best compatibility, but you’ll get by fine with a less expensive analog police scanner if your local agencies haven’t made the jump to digital yet. Next, determine whether or not you need an analog or digital scanner. Police scanners are available as handheld units, as mobile scanners for vehicle installation, or as stationary desktop scanners. Think about the portability you do or do not need in a scanner. For an inexpensive handheld option, the Uniden Bearcat BC365CRS ( view at Amazon) is a good model to check out. The BearTracker 885’s ( view at Amazon) included GPS, CB radio, and noise-canceling microphone make it an excellent choice for truckers or anyone who spends a lot of time on the road.
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