Public’s ability to monitor police radio traffic ends July 2; Richmond-area agencies to encrypt all channels

BY MARK BOWES Richmond Times-Dispatch 2 hrs ago

Police in the Richmond area will begin encrypting all their radio transmissions beginning July 2, effectively ending the public's and the media's ability to listen in and monitor law enforcement activity.

Police in Richmond and the counties of Henrico and Chesterfield said encryption of their radio channels is needed for the safety of first responders, as well as the public, "by ensuring that the dissemination of in-progress tactics and activities during high-risk events is limited to those whose mission is to resolve those events swiftly and with minimal risk," according to a joint statement issued by the police chiefs in those three localities.

Police also said encryption will ensure that sensitive personal information being communicated over the radio to resolve an event does not violate someone's legal rights or reasonable expectations of privacy.

But ending access to real-time police radio transmissions likely will effect the media's ability to alert local residents of emergencies and other public safety concerns, and could erode the relationship between law enforcement and the media, said Megan Rhyne, executive director of the Virginia Coalition for Open Government.
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mbowes@timesdispatch.com

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