by Matthew Ząbik
The Charlottesville-UVA-Albemarle County Emergency Communications Center’s decision to encrypt all public safety radio communications in Albemarle County and Charlottesville is a dangerous step in the wrong direction for public safety and a major blow to transparency and accountability that will erode much needed public support for our local police officers and first responders. While encryption has a valuable place in protecting officer safety and victim privacy, encrypting routine dispatch, especially fire, puts our first responders and public at risk by reducing situational awareness and limiting interoperability with mutual aid. In addition, complete encryption undermines our nation’s fundamental principles of transparency, accountability, and free speech.
Situational Awareness and Interoperability
As a wildland firefighter who has deployed across the nation to help maintain interoperable radio communication equipment, I have seen firsthand how important it is to widely disseminate potentially lifesaving information in a timely manner. Encryption of routine dispatch, especially fire, destroys situational awareness and hinders the receipt of life-saving information when minutes or seconds may matter. Many citizens, including off-duty police officers, volunteer firefighters/EMTs, and members of the press, use radios or scanners to monitor public safety radio traffic. For some it is simply a hobby. For many, however, it’s about being an informed citizen and a good neighbor. Whether it’s a burglary in progress, a drunk driver, or a missing child, an informed public can be the “eyes and ears” that public safety desperately need. More importantly, during a wildfire, tornado, or mass casualty incident, dispatchers don’t have the time to call or relay valuable information to mutual aid partners or even notify the public. Encryption can also hinder interoperability with other outside responding agencies that may not have proper functioning encryption keys. Interoperability is not simply a technology, it is an attitude. Poor attitudes in public safety can lead to the unnecessary loss of property and even lives.
Transparency, Accountability, and Free Speech
While encryption is certainly warranted for certain situations that can compromise officer or public safety, encrypting all routine public safety dispatch communications limits transparency and may give the impression that the government is hiding information or controlling the flow of information. Leaving routine dispatch unencrypted allows journalists and concerned citizens to verify that officers respond appropriately to calls, follow procedure, and uphold civil rights. Removing this form of transparency risks fostering suspicion and eroding community-police trust, especially at a time when mistrust of the police is high. Allowing the public to monitor routine dispatch for the past 90 years has been an easy and affordable way for governments to remain accountable and accessible to its citizens. The U.S. Supreme Court has long held that “free speech” includes receiving information. Encrypted police and fire dispatch effectively censors real-time public safety information, thus preventing citizens and the press from monitoring potentially life-threatening unfolding situations.
Compromise
We need to balance the need for operational security with situational awareness, interoperability, transparency, accountability, and free speech. Public safety radio encryption is a nuanced issue, requiring a thoughtful approach that protects sensitive information while maintaining a certain level of openness. The move towards full encryption of routine dispatch may not be the most balanced approach as it exhibits a lack of trust in the public. Fortunately, this issue is not new. While many agencies have encrypted, other places like Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and Seattle have found a compromise where they have (1) left routine dispatch unencrypted in the clear and encrypted sensitive traffic or (2) provided a delayed audio feed on the internet to the public and press. Technology and cost is no longer a barrier to keeping routine dispatch in the clear and sensitive information encrypted.
Author’s note: Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not represent the views or opinions of my employer.
