COLUMBUS - Columbus Police will be switching to a combined system of both encrypted and public scanner traffic after a decision by Chief Chuck Sherer.
Chief Sherer spoke with media members on Tuesday, to inform them police would be once again using scanners over a publicly accessible channel. Sherer says he has decided to pursue this route, because it is the route the Platte County Sheriff's Office has taken with their dispatch center.
Sherer says they will encrypt their radio traffic when they are relaying private information, or when they believe it is a matter of public safety. Sherer says they may also encrypt scanner traffic when serving a warrant or taking part in a law enforcement raid.
Sherer says radio traffic will not immediately become public, because further equipment is being installed that will allow officers to switch between unencrypted and encrypted channels. There is not an exact start date for when radio traffic will once again become public.
CPD Changing Direction with Encrypted Radio Traffic
