The NYPD is spending $390 million on a new, encrypted radio system
gothamist.com
The public and news reporters will no longer be able to listen in.

… Critics of the plan said that losing public access to airwaves means losing accountability for police. Many news reporters and photojournalists use police radios to chase breaking news and hold police officers accountable.

The New York Daily News obtained the crucial video of Officer Daniel Pantaleo killing Eric Garner thanks to a call that came over the police radio in Staten Island. As tens of thousands of peaceful demonstrators flooded the streets in June 2020, Gothamist recorded NYPD officers on radio airwaves using threatening language about the protesters, including saying that officers should run protesters over and shoot them. Responding, one officer was recorded saying “don’t put that over air.”

Encrypting police radios “is a crime in itself,” Councilmember Robert Holden testified on Monday. …

  • BanditMcDougal@lemmy.worldEnglish
    14·
    1 year ago

    They’ve been dodging the open airwaves for years. During more than one mass response incident I’ve heard radio traffic something along the lines of

    Sgt Copguy, Other Copperson. Third Copson has info you requested. Copperson, Copguy. Have Copson call my cell. Copguy, Copperson. Roger, expect a call in minutes.

    If we know the call might have happened, we can still ask for those records even if we can’t get full records of what took place on the call. Without the base evidence, we’re on the fucked-foot.