Notwithstanding the main headline on the front page of today’s Greenwich Time, Greenwich Police will NOT be encrypting all of its radio calls.
First Selectman Peter Tesei, in his role as Police Commissioner, accepted the recommendation of Police Chief David Ridberg that GPD continue its current practice of clear-view broadcasting of all but the most sensitive police radio calls. Such broadcasting allows citizens to monitor police radio traffic on scanners and through websites.
The chief points out that there would be no additional training for the police by maintaining the status quo as a new policy would necessitate. Chief Ridberg also said, “I recognize that the Stamford Police switched to an all-encrypted system, and there was fall-out.”
He pointed out that in police work, as in all levels of government, the public’s “right to know” competes with legitimate security concerns and officials “need to know” especially regarding public safety communications. The chief believes the current standard balances security interests with the public’s interest in knowing what is going on.
Commissioner Tesei agrees, and has approved the non-encryption policy.
