Pueblo Police to Encrypt Radios

[Ronin13]

I am against the whole encryption thing. I get the 'safety' argument but it doesn't trump the 'Taxpayers paid for this, so they have a right to listen.' argument. The whole point of having unencrypted comms for public servants is so that people could monitor what was going on. Encrypting the comms is a slap in the face to every single tax payer. This is bad policy.

Those that know me know that, among other things, I design, build, and engineer *real* encrypted comm architectures for a living. So this is something that I know a little more than something about.

You also don't work in LE, so this is something you know a little less about. There is still a lot that goes on, real time, that are beneficial to keep out of the hands of the public, such as ongoing searches, attempts to locate, and felony apprehensions. I don't see encryption of LE radio traffic as a slap in the face, I see it as a means of keeping us safe. If I'm out on a search for a violent suspect, and we set up a perimeter, and air that information over the radio (without encryption) and the bad guy has a scanner app that can hear our comms, he knows exactly where we are and can map that out to avoid detection or even ambush those units. You want transparency? Do what they do with video and other data- fill out a FOIA request after-the-fact and the agency should be more than happy to oblige. But going on in real time, no, you shouldn't have a *right* to that for officer safety reasons.

[asmo]

You also don't work in LE, so this is something you know a little less about.

You're right. I don't work as in LE, so my opinion is obviously worth less than someone who does. Regardless of whether I have any knowledge or experience, of any sort, that could shed information on the debate - even if that experience and knowledge comes from working with hundreds of departments around the world, authoring numerous papers on the subject, or testifying in front of FCC about such matters.

There is still a lot that goes on, real time, that are beneficial to keep out of the hands of the public, such as ongoing searches, attempts to locate, and felony apprehensions. I don't see encryption of LE radio traffic as a slap in the face, I see it as a means of keeping us safe. If I'm out on a search for a violent suspect, and we set up a perimeter, and air that information over the radio (without encryption) and the bad guy has a scanner app that can hear our comms, he knows exactly where we are and can map that out to avoid detection or even ambush those units. You want transparency? Do what they do with video and other data- fill out a FOIA request after-the-fact and the agency should be more than happy to oblige. But going on in real time, no, you shouldn't have a *right* to that for officer safety reasons.

By your same argument, citizens should not have access to anything that could pose a threat to officer safety. Right?

Officer safety is a critical topic, but so are the rights of the People to have transparency in their government. There is a balance to be struck (in this argument), but that balance, currently, comes at a rather stiff financial and operational penalty. When someone comes out and just screams "Officer Safety" I know they are doing from a place of concern - but it cannot be used as a catch-all to render moot the peoples rights. Those same rights that officers are supposed to be working so hard to protect.