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<P><FONT face=Tahoma size=5><STRONG>Scanner hobbyists fear radio
changes</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>Law enforcement efforts to get the upper hand on criminals
has undercut public access to police broadcasts that bellow across radio
scanners and the Internet.<BR><BR>With ongoing radio equipment and frequency
upgrades in Brevard County, longtime scanner hobbyists fear public safety
agencies eventually might move to encrypting even more transmissions than the
usual undercover or tactical operation.<BR><BR>"I'm very fearful," said longtime
scanner enthusiast Jonathon Whipple about the possibility of law enforcement
agencies encrypting its transmissions.<BR><BR>"It means I'm in the dark. These
are public airwaves. The scary thing is that they can just flip the switch and
that would be it."<BR><BR>For now, residents still have the ability to tune in
or go online to hear real-time broadcasts of traffic accidents, brush fire
incidents or even an occasional dramatic rescue. Transmissions can be received
on hand-held or portable scanners found at most electronics
stores.<BR><BR>Already, some law enforcement agencies in surrounding counties
and across the nation are shutting taxpaying residents out of listening in on
what traditionally are publicly owned broadcasts, citing fears that criminals
could also be eavesdropping. It is already illegal in Florida for a resident
without an amateur radio license to have a police scanner mounted inside a
vehicle.<BR><BR>During the past few months, Brevard County's publicly owned
radio system has gotten a $3 million upgrade paid for by Sprint-Nextel to meet
federal frequency rebanding requirements.<BR><BR>The project, set over two
years, involved replacing equipment for 58 local departments -- from pubic
school security to the county's 15 police agencies covering the 540,000 people
living on the Space Coast.<BR><BR>The most recent reshifting of public safety
radio frequencies took place just before Christmas. It was in response to a
Federal Communications Commission order intended to relieve frequency
interference issues, said Leslie Lewis of Brevard County Fire-Rescue, one of the
leading coordinators overseeing the local rebanding project.<BR><BR>Other recent
upgrades require digital scanners to monitor some law enforcement
traffic. <BR><BR>"(Encryption) is not really been part of the discussion at
this point," Lewis said. "It's still in the investigative stage."<BR><BR>Palm
Bay Police Chief William Berger said although his department uses encrypted
frequencies for tactical operations, he does not foresee stripping away the
public broadcasts typically heard over scanners. Berger said the value of such
broadcasts allow the public to know what's happening during accidents or
situations involving hurricanes or other natural disasters.<BR><BR>"I don't see
it as necessary. You can't make an argument for that happening because it's
important for that information to get out," Berger said. "But the refinements
we're making to the system are just bringing us up to the norm."<BR><BR>Still
residents such as Dennis Brands -- a longtime videographer whose livelihood
depends on the transmissions he receives, says any direct move toward encryption
would be devastating to the public's right to know what's happening in their own
communities.<BR><BR>"We're supposed to be monitoring them to keep them honest,
not to say that they are corrupt because I know that Palm Bay officers are very
above-board in the dealings I've had with them," Brands said.<BR><BR>"But the
more secretive law enforcement becomes in general, the more apt (police) are to
not reveal that they've done something wrong."</FONT></P>
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<P><FONT face=Verdana>Fonte: FloridaToday.com</FONT></P></BODY></HTML>