Delaware State Police 2021
Agencies seek to protect privacy, safety; opponents cite lack of transparency
DOVER — Joining other states’ law enforcement agencies, Delaware State Police encrypted all their radio transmission channels March 22.
That has been done, police officials said, in an effort to protect the privacy of victims, as well as the safety of officers.
But others are concerned that the move limits the public’s right to know.
“We have no channels available or open to the public, media or others,” said DSP spokesman Master Cpl. Gary Fournier, who noted that Wilmington and New Castle County police encrypted their transmissions before DSP did so.
According to Cpl. Fournier, there were a few reasons the encryption was enacted.
“First, this is to protect victims’ rights. When our dispatchers broadcast an address for specific crimes (i.e., sexual offenses, personal crimes like domestic assaults, etc.), this information should not be privy to the public.
“Next, we want to ensure the public is receiving accurate information to incidents that occur around the state. There are social media outlets not directly connected to accredited media that will report inaccurate information prior to the investigation being completed by law enforcement.”
He added, “Our public information office’s purpose is to provide factual information and assistance to any and all valid media inquiries, with the realization in mind that the public gets its news through the eyes and ears of television, radio and newspaper media representatives.
https://baytobaynews.com/stories/encryption-of-police-radios-creates-some-static,53432
Virginia Beach Police Department 2022
Captain Zelms said scanner encryption will protect police officers and the public.
“Daily, our officers transmit personal, sensitive information, over our airwaves to validate warrant hits, to verify identity, or perform any number of other law enforcement-related functions,” Captain Zelms said.
In 2018, Virginia Beach City Council members approved the nearly $5 million encryption project. The goal is to stop information from getting into the wrong hands. Recently, Zelms said criminals have only reinforced the need for it.
“We were trying to apprehend a sexual predator, that person was able to evade capture for quite some time,” Zelms said. “Because as we were trying to set up and maneuver to apprehend them, they were able to listen in on their scanner app as well.”
In another incident, investigators said criminals tapped into the airwaves.
“Two burglars were trying to enter into the building, take a safe, and as they were doing so, they were listening in on police scanner apps,” Zelms said.
DC Metro 2011
But that’s all set to change next month, when the department switches to encrypted communications.
Police Chief Cathy Lanier says the move was made in part because of how easy it has become — with smart phones and other technology — for people to listen in.
“There are so many mobile apps now that you can get where you can monitor police transmissions,” she says. “We’ve recovered numerous mobile phones that people committing crimes have set so they can listen to police radio, even on search warrants and gun cases.”
That, she says, has made police work even more dangerous.
https://wamu.org/story/11/08/26/dc_police_to_encrypt_radio_communications/
And in Addition in 2025 the largest County in Maryland Montgomery announced they are going to Encryption.
https://mocoshow.com/2025/03/27/montgomery-county-police-to-encrypt-radio-channels/