Encryption will let police communicate without ‘the bad guys’ listening in

Four Alle-Kiski Valley police departments went off the public air waves Thursday as they tested radio transmissions that don't allow the public to listen in on police responding to everything from a simple traffic stop to a shooting.

In the past year, Upper Burrell police approached other police departments on the same radio frequency for police communications Arnold, Lower Burrell and New Kensington after they heard their own radio transmissions at crime scenes.

Technology has passed up law enforcement in the communications world, said Upper Burrell police Chief Ken Pate.

Officer safety is driving these police departments to keep their radio chatter private through encryption, a process that jumbles the messages to those listening outside of the police stations, including the public, fire companies and ambulances.

For decades, anyone who bought a police scanner could listen to police radio transmissions. But more people are now able to listen in on police calls via free computers apps that allow Internet-connected cellphones and laptops to hear emergency dispatching transmissions.

Pate was prompted to block public access to his police radio transmissions when he responded to a domestic violence call last year.

Pate said that when he went to interview the victim's mother and broadcast an alert to be on the lookout for the assailant I could hear my own voice echoing back from the kitchen.

Pate says such information allows criminals to potentially know police whereabouts during a crime.

Currently, there are no plans on how police will alert the public and the media about police actions in their towns.

Those with police scanners will not be able to listen in once the encryption program takes effect. It is still in the testing phase.

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Encryption will let police communicate without ‘the bad guys’ listening in