Glendale police to encrypt radio frequency

The Glendale Police Department plans to encrypt its emergency radio frequency, preventing the public from listening in on the goings-on of the police force.

The change will go into effect on Oct. 2, the Police Department said.

Currently, the radio signal is unencrypted and the average citizen can listen in using either a commercial radio scanner or one of the many online scanner apps available for download.

Glendale police say that the current unencrypted signal puts officers in danger from people with “malicious intent,” and helps criminals evade the law.

But the Police Department says it’s encrypting the signal to come into compliance with a 2020 order by the California Department of Justice, which requires law enforcement agencies to either use encrypted signals or alternate communication methods when discussing sensitive or private information, including Social Security numbers and other identifiable information.

The order, however, does not require law enforcement agencies to completely encrypt their signals from the public. In 2022, the Palo Alto Police Department removed encryption from its emergency radio signal, and instead updated its policy to provide more options to convey sensitive information.

Transparency advocates and curious citizens across the country have voiced opposition to encrypted radio communication by law enforcement agencies.

Earlier this year, State Senator Sen. Josh Becker (D-San Mateo) presented legislature that would force the hand of law enforcement agencies to allow credentialed media members to access their encrypted radio communications. A previous bill presented by Becker that failed in committee aimed to require law enforcement agencies grant that access to the greater public.

“The ability to hear how officers talk to one another over the radio helps make police departments more accountable,” Becker said in a March news release. “On a practical level, it also makes it easier for the media to report on public safety activities such as accidents or shootings, so the public can be told about areas to avoid.”

That bill did not advance out of committee in time for the conclusion of the 2023 legislative session last week.

In a news release issued Tuesday, the Glendale Police Department said it was aware of concerns regarding transparency, but said the decision to encrypt its radio signal was made because “no practical solution” was found to satisfy the requirement from the California DOJ.

Instead, members of the community were encouraged to track crime information on the Police Department’s website utilizing a “live” service log that describes the nature of emergency calls and when the calls were placed. The log is updated every 30 minutes, according to the website.

Additionally, police officials said updates on important law enforcement activity could be found on the Department’s official social media pages.