St. Joseph scanner channels go dark as departments move to encryption
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- Public access to the scanner in St. Joseph will be removed as the city transitions to encrypted radio channels.
According to Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett, the change is being made primarily to comply with legal requirements aimed at protecting personal identifiable information of citizens. Broadcasting this information over open channels would violate state and federal laws.
Puett said, "If you look across the United States, most agencies have moved toward encryption."
The transition aligns with Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) regulations, which establish strict security standards for handling, transmitting, storing, and securing criminal justice information.
These regulations are designed to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive data used by law enforcement and other criminal justice agencies
"We are very concerned about making sure that our citizens are protected and served at the highest level we can. And we don't want people taken advantage of... if somebody's sitting there listening to the scanner and we run your name, sex, race, date of birth, Social Security Number, it's really easy to victimize that person."
Officer safety is also a factor in the move, following national incidents where responders were targeted after their movements were tracked in real time.
“I like the fact that we're able to protect our citizens. That's first and foremost is that's what we're here to do, is we're here to serve and protect our citizens," said Puett. "So it is a critical factor in that we are able to protect them, to protect the deputies and the police officers and people in law enforcement absolutely.”
Missouri State Highway Patrol Sergeant Shane Hucks commented, saying that currently, their airwaves remain unencrypted. Their radios will continue broadcasting to the public unless headquarters in Jefferson City instructs otherwise.
To learn more about how you can stay connected check out this article on the Buchanan County Sheriff's upcoming app.
This is a developing story and News-Press NOW will provide more information as it becomes available.
