(WBBM NEWSRADIO) – Real-time police scanner traffic is ending next year, which is a bad idea to some.
The Chicago Police Department expects to fully encrypt its radio scanner traffic in 2023 but will allow the Broadcastify service to air calls on a 30-minute delay.
City officials say the new policy will protect first-responders and still provide transparency for Chicagoans.
But Pastor Donovan Price and Street Pastors of Chicago, who head to violent crime scenes to comfort and guide victims and their families, says the delay will hurt.
“One of the missions is to get there immediately, approximately 20 minutes after shots fired or earlier, if possible,” he said.
He says citizens understandably want to know what’s going on, as soon as possible, if they see something happening in their community.
The city says the encrypting and delaying the radio transmissions will keep criminals from gaining a tactical advantage.
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