Home Antioch Police Radio to go Silent as Antioch Cops Move Toward Encrypted Communications

Police Radio to go Silent as Antioch Cops Move Toward Encrypted Communications

by ECT

This week, the Antioch Police Department will launch its new communication system which will cause the average police scanner used by the public and news media to go silent.

In April, the City Council approved for the city to join the Regional Emergency Communications Network (EBRC’s) at a cost of $1.8 million to buy and install the equipment—the city to date has only spent $1.2 million. As part of the move, the City will also pay $8,200 per month in fees to maintain the radio system while also paying for the set-up costs. Funds collected from Measure C allowed for the city to purchase the equipment.

As part of the package, a special encryption was included to prevent the community from listening in on Antioch Police communication as they are dispatched and work calls. This is a major change from business as usual as for decades; those in the community have had the opportunity to listen in to see what is happening in their community.

Police say that with the improved technology and cell phones, it’s too easy for criminals to listen in on police which is an officer safety issue and makes their jobs harder.

Once the special encryption is “live” this week, those with traditional analog scanners and cell phones will no longer be able to listen in. Those who may have purchased digital scanners will also be locked out.

allen cantandoAccording to Antioch Police Chief Allan Cantando, he expects the switch to occur at some point before November 1, 2015 after they have spent the last several weeks testing the system.

“As I stated during the most recent Antioch Crime Prevention Commission meeting, I have made the decision to encrypt most of the channels assigned to Antioch Police, including the primary and secondary channels,” said Cantando. “This is a trend that has been taking place for several years in policing throughout the nation.  This was not something I took lightly, and there are several factors that played a role in my decision.”

Catando stated first and foremost, officer safety was the priority.

“The number one reason was officer safety.  With growing technology, criminals are now able to monitor our movements better than before.  Smart phone scanner apps have enabled anyone, anywhere, to listen in on police communications.  This includes those who are about to, who are in the act of, or who just committed a crime,” explained Cantando. “These criminals use this technology to determine when to commit a crime, learn the locations and activities of responding officers, gather intelligence, etc.  By encrypting our channels, criminals will no longer be able to listen in on police radio transmissions, which means we’re eliminating a significant risk to officer safety.”

IMG_5296He also noted that some of the information that comes over radio traffic is either sensitive or confidential and wants to better protect privacy.

“Another reason was due to the fact some of the information transmitted over the police radio is of a sensitive and/or confidential nature, and this better protects privacy concerns.  This information can include, but is not limited to: names, addresses and/or phone numbers of juveniles, victims of domestic violence or sexual assault, and criminal offender record information. These transmissions will now remain private,” said Cantando.

Antioch resident Rich Buongiorno, who regularly listens to police traffic and posts incidents on social media disagrees with the move and says it’s a public safety issue not to be listening in.

“The chief brings up some valid information that he believes is correct and to a certain extent is correct, however, at the same time there is a public safety issue that I think overrides what he is trying to put an emphasis on. His emphasis is not correct, he is saying criminals are judging where police personal are at and what they are doing,” explained Buongiorno. “How long are the police at a particular site and even then they may not be at a particular site, unless it’s a major incident. You also have multiple police beats and an unknown of how many officers are responding. There is not enough time to plan a criminal activity because the information is still vague on a scanner.”

IMG_1752Buongiorno argues that police already have privacy through the use of computers and cell phones and response times play a role because criminals are in and out before police arrive. With criminals gone within 10-minutes, if there is a description of the suspect, the community won’t know who to look for and assist police. Ultimately, he says police will control the message of what the public now receives.

“Currently, the information the police put out on the radio in most cases not descriptive enough to give specific information unless it’s a crime where they think someone is going to be listening, such as house alarms, audible, they don’t put out the address in those cases. They filter information as it is or route them to the police vehicle computers,” Buongiorno. “A lot of the information provided is after police arrive which only benefits the public from knowing what is going on.”

Buongiorno, who has long been an advocate for greater transparency between the City of Antioch and its residents, says that the city will now be controlling the information that comes out to the public. He accuses the city of not putting out enough information in its press releases or the weekly city manager report—saying those details would otherwise be available over police radio traffic instantly instead of a week later and forgotten by the public.

APD-Deer-Valley“There has to be a better way to be transparent without shutting off the radios to the public,” says Buongiorno. “This is a public safety issue and the public needs to know what is going on around them to protect themselves because it’s been proven that police and the city want to keep what is really going on under wraps. Antioch residents will soon be hearing helicopters overhead, it’s a public safety issue to know what is happening whether it’s a helicopter in the air, a man down the street with a firearm, a man fleeing a robbery, high speed chase with sirens, no one will have an idea now until after the fact. It’s a public safety issue.”

He explained that as of today, one can call a relative across town and tell them to get inside and lock the doors or bring the kids inside and soon that will not be happening. He noted the main point of the EBRCS was to communicate with other agencies, not reduce transparency with the public which is what they have done.

“The police should re-consider this decision,” says Buongiorno.

The move by Antioch Police will also impact the City of Brentwood where their residents will also be blacked out of local radio traffic. Brentwood, who is launching their own police dispatch center next year, is currently undecided if they will stick with the radio encryption or not.

Brentwood Police Chief Mark Evenson deferred questions to Antioch Police regarding their encryption saying they were not a part of this decision.

“We were not part of their decision making process, and since we are still being dispatched by Antioch, we don’t have an option at this time. We will have future discussions with our City leadership to determine if encryption is a viable option for Brentwood when we switch to our own dispatch center,” explained Evenson. “Until that takes place, I cannot give you any definitive answers. As always, we will continue our efforts to maintain good relationships with the media and provide important crime and public safety information to them and the public through the use of timely press releases, crime alerts, Nixle, Website features, and email broadcasts.”

For now, the public and news media will be blacked out from listening to radio traffic in Antioch and Brentwood because there is no mechanism in place for others to listen in without jeopardizing officer safety according to Cantando.

IMG_5724“I recognize the importance of East County Today and other media sources as our partners in communicating information to the community.  But I am committed to protecting the safety of my officers and the privacy of victims, juveniles, and others afforded that protection,” explained Cantando. “Under our current radio system, media and virtually anyone with a smart phone could eavesdrop on this information because the technology didn’t exist to prevent it.  Encryption technology was available on this new radio system, and was enabled at my direction for no additional cost.  It was important to me that we take advantage of this technology right from the beginning.”

For those who do want the information, Cantando says citizens can go to www.crimereports.com to view a map with up to date crime report data.  Additionally, there is a computer available in the lobby of the police department where people can view recent call logs and adult arrest reports.

When asked how the Antioch Police Department will better improve communication to the public and to the news media, he says the police are still looking at all options but first wanted to launch the system. Currently, news media is encouraged to call the Media Access Line.

“In an effort to keep the public informed, we will be looking at other formats and means of sharing information and to engage the public in police activities,” said Cantando. “Policing can be a highly challenging and dangerous job and we’ll continue to seek, develop, and implement strategies to make our officers as safe as possible.  Government at all levels frequently finds itself caught between competing interests in public safety communications with the right to know versus the need to know. Transparency can sometimes compromise security, and striking a reasonable balance between the two is my goal.”

Cantando reiterated there is no set date when the system will launch but expects it do go live before Halloween.

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32 comments

Terry Jackson Oct 27, 2015 - 7:43 am

Move along ECT, nothing to see here. Mayor Harper said at the council meeting this is something they must do. He is right, you are wrong. Antioch has become a joke. No transparency and do what they want when they want.

Jim Simmons 42 Oct 27, 2015 - 7:46 am

Oh yes, everything in the name of public safety. Judging by the photos, I would prefer to know what the heck is going on in my community. The public needs to stand up and fight this or vote out your council who agreed to this nonsense

Kendrick Oct 27, 2015 - 7:59 am

ECT I am a bit concerned why you are not raising more outrage over this. One step closer to a military police and Antioch continues to trash the public with the lack of transparency.

Nancy Fernandez Oct 27, 2015 - 8:02 am

I totally disagree with Chief Cantando for the first time.

Gina Oct 27, 2015 - 8:05 am

The City of Antioch is wrong on so many levels by doing this. Mr Buongiorno IS absolutely right in the fact that it’s a public safety matter. The police really should reconsider this decision. I’m absolutely pissed off.

Jimmy Strudel Oct 27, 2015 - 8:42 am

I wish George Zimmerman would move to Antioch.

Joe Oct 27, 2015 - 9:00 am

I think in the long run the reaction to this is going to be middle of the road I believe the Chief in his role of fighting crime AND protecting his officers is doing what he needs to do.I also believe that Antioch and other communities have seen a shift in the past few years primarily because of ECT’s presence. That shift is that the community has become more aware and more engaged in police activity. That is great because this site and others have helped get the word out when crimes were in progress and readers were able to help tip the police.The other challenge though is the scrutiny and the folks of people getting in the way. When people know that there is something going on they can physically get in the way making the crime scene more dangerous for everyone. When police scanners have become a tool for criminals that is a problem too.

Police radios are a communication tool for the police officers working together to fight crime. For so long only a small group of radio enthusiasts had access to the radios and I imagine only the more sophisticated criminals used them as well. Today any smart phone gives too many people access to those conversations between the police officers and as a result has made it necessary to take such precautions.

I do believe that ECT, is an asset to the local police departments. Police departments will suffer as the public now has an expectation and have developed a need to know what is going on in their community right away. I believe if ECT isn’t able to give information more of us will be calling the police to ask what is going on and then will post what we learn on social media. I wouldn’t be surprised if this turns in to a similar outcome as the game telephone: People will put out germs of the truth with some speculation and that will not help the community. I also think whether the cities and police departments want to believe it or not ECT has raised support for our police departments.

I would urge the local police services to identify those sources, like ECT, that can help disseminate accurate information to the public in a timely manner. If not dispatchers will be fielding hundreds and possibly thousands of extra calls from people needing to know what is going on during crime events.

ok Oct 27, 2015 - 9:33 am

we need this police scanner because there are crazy people out here and that helps use keep our family safe, what if we the police are chasing some GUY like they said or a helicopter is chasing a car and a man with a gun HOPS my fence and comes in side my house with a gun i cant be perpard for it this is BS and am going on strike on this one this community needs help like ASAP this gets me so mad my grandparnts lisin to this and they feel comforble with it.

Richard Cranium Oct 27, 2015 - 11:22 am

Now that’s it going to be an encrypted system, will it be a crime to have a scanner with the key? Or a crime if you share what you hear? I’m all for officer safety but either scenario wades straight into 1st amendment waters. I understand it may not be my right to listen in but to make it a crime to be able to listen in the first place is a first step toward a distopian society.

Also, the #1 reason given for the switch was for officer safety, with citizen’s privacy being #2. How will the city demonstrate to the public that this new system does indeed protect officers and our privacy? What’s the methodology? Is there any accountability on PD/City to prove those theories after implementation? How will we know it’s effective? What happens if it’s not?

Curtis Oct 27, 2015 - 4:36 pm

Wait a minute, these officers who are supposed to patrol our streets & keep us safe in our city are also the ones who pull us over & detain us without reasonable suspicion & conduct searches of our cars, homes & person without probable cause or warrant. Let’s not forget, these officers are employed by APD and WORK FOR US! They have a duty to serve those living in this city and a responsibility to protect those in danger. But many will agree that their past actions have had more emphasis on treating everyone like criminals they hope to serve with a warrant & in protecting their own interests. So where is the transparency? This new encryption will in fact make their actions completely opaque!

Despite the self-empowerment and sense of entitlement the police have gained in this city, they have not been given any authority to communicate, work or act privately or in secrecy. They are a public agency working FOR the people of our city, paid BY those people, and the people have a right to know what’s going on around them!

If people living in Antioch don’t question the motives & intentions of the APD and the leaders of their city…allowing them to hide behind closed doors & under a blanket of encryption… while making decisions affecting everyone living in it, they have become too complacent.

Self-imposed authority without accountability for ones actions or decisions is called tyranny. Doing nothing to monitor our public servants & question or change our elected leaders will result in police state. Hopefully no one is complacent with that!

Ube Oct 27, 2015 - 5:45 pm

There are alternative ways to share what’s going on. If people would also use these resources as well as calling the police, everyone could stay abreast of happenings in the neighborhood: 1) https://krimeshare.com/about-krimeshare/ and 2) https://nextdoor.com/ Already on Krimeshare, there’s actual footage of a package thief in the Bay Area. It’s just a matter of using what’s already available to us.

David Oct 27, 2015 - 6:05 pm

As a police officer in a local large city, I can attest that the criminals are using scanners and now the scanner app, to facilitate their criminal behavior. How do I know this? Because they have stated this during interviews. Example: Dispatch broadcasts a stolen car used in a robbery, they hear it on the app and dump the car and go find another one, making it harder for us to find them. Then there are violent protests where they monitor our tactical channels and try and circumvent us. That’s another example. There are plenty more.

As far as transparency, I assure you all radio talk is permanently recorded and thus available for an investigation if that occurs. It is what it is.

Seamus O. Nov 3, 2015 - 3:47 pm

A recording? PUHLEEZE! A lot of good that will do when some punk is hopping fences in MY NEIGHBORHOOD in MY CITY and I can’t find out about it until that PUNK hops into my back yard and shoots me dead.

Yep – that recording will be a darn good thing to have… AFTER SOMEONE IS DEAD.

I support the police, believe that they too are to be protected and served in the very city that they are being paid to protect and serve, but, if anyone took the time to see WHY Antioch is going encrypted, it is bigger than just what is stated.

They are participating in the EBRCS – in its policy (not really much of a “policy”) it says each agency can decide to use encryption, so, Antioch decided to do that. The “policy” also states that;

4. Encryption should be confined to special operations and not used on primary dispatch talkgroups.

SHOULD has no authority and carries no weight to enforce said “policy” – that is why it is not a “policy”.

See for yourself… http://goo.gl/VQnHxF

Michelle Oct 27, 2015 - 6:35 pm

Why can’t our city’s media organizations purchase digital radios specially programmed by the police with the necessary encryption keys? If they choose to purchase the radios, they should first be required to sign a contract that would outline how the radios and information would be used and reported. Since we know this is going to happen, this would be the best solution to remain somewhat informed.

What a joke this topic is.... Oct 27, 2015 - 9:44 pm

You people went 30+ years without hearing police scanners and now you are up in arms. Don’t any of you people work or have a life besides listening to the underbelly of the city. The sky is falling because I can’t hear the police chasing Joe jackass. You should be more worried about Obama or Hillary trying to take away your guns then city wanting to protect their officers and ultimately you the citizen. If you really want to protect yourself and family then you should think long term and move.

Seamus O. Nov 3, 2015 - 3:51 pm

Hee Hee… worried about the President, or future President taking our guns away? SERIOUSLY, you are way off the mark on that one bubba. The People’s Republik of Kalifornication has already DONE that.

I DO agree with your last sentence though… move.

Al Oct 28, 2015 - 12:43 am

I have monitored the APD for the 25 years I have lived in Antioch. In that time I have pointed numerous officers in the direction of perps being sought and cleared my immediate neighborhood of children and families when criminals and the police were heading our way using info I heard on the radio. I guess this assistance will now end. Proper use of an officers MDT and cellphones is all that is needed to preserve officer safety and going dark will only remove a force multiplier for the police, dedicated citizens watching their backs. In the future do not ask me if I have seen anyone suspicious.

rjb Oct 28, 2015 - 6:10 am

Why don’t we just ban the police? Let’s leave protection to a bunch of untrained, trigger happy citizens.

I say lets go this route.

I bet crime would definitely decrease. What do you think NAACP?

JS Oct 28, 2015 - 8:55 am

Just another further move to a military type police state.

Curtis Oct 28, 2015 - 10:03 am

I like the idea behind what Michelle stated above, the news agencies need to stay informed to accurately report criminal activity. But those reports are still after the fact, not a real-time account of what’s going on AS IT HAPPENS. When people hear gunshots or sirens in their neighborhood, having the ability to listen in on what’s happening is sometimes crucial to protecting themselves and their families. The benefits given to innocent, honest people by tuning into “public safety” channels far outweighs the slight advantage a would-be criminal gains from it, if any!

I agree, criminals will always look for ways to get the edge on law enforcement. But the information exchanged over dispatch channels is brief at best; even the most savvy thief is not going to plan a bank robbery with it! Most details are shared using their mobile laptop or phone, am I correct? We have all seen the police talking on the phone while on patrol, haven’t we?

Someone once said “Think Global, Act Local…” and that may be true. I am fully aware of the Liberal’s intent to take away guns and stomp on our constitutional rights, and I am completely opposed! That’s a whole different topic, however we should remember that the Constitution doesn’t afford the right of privacy or secrecy (encryption!) to communications between public servants working for the people, in a public agency using frequencies the FCC allocates for use as public safety channels!

Enough said. Maybe people should just look the other way & accept what they tell us, when they tell us, as the truth…God forbid!

Michael Wright Oct 28, 2015 - 10:09 am

I find all these photos of military hardware quite disturbing unless Antioch is now a war zone like places in the Middle East.

rjb Oct 28, 2015 - 12:28 pm

I find the pictures of drug dealers and other criminal types in Antioch disturbing. We are definitely in a state of war.

Curtis Oct 28, 2015 - 12:32 pm

I agree, why do the police want to exert military force onto the people of any city? Sounds crazy, but some sworn officers are ex military. They need to remember they now work in a civilian capacity where things aren’t geared toward finding & killing the enemy! We are not living under martial law quite yet, so put away the military hardware.

Curtis Oct 28, 2015 - 12:43 pm

If we are in a state of war, then the people need to start taking up arms and fighting against these drug dealers, thieves and murderous thugs! Oh wait, they’ll arrest us for that…

A majority of the people are good, hard working, honest folks who are sick of watching their city go to hell, so why doesn’t majority rule?

It takes more than a militarized police force to repair a city in ruins, people…Take Back Antioch!

JS Oct 28, 2015 - 2:28 pm

Scanners and police communication on free airwaves has been around for ever. We’re there public meetings about this? Was this another concealed government action taking away another right of the law abiding citizens ? I think the police have secluded themselves from the good citizens help that outweighs a couple bad guys. Time will tell. The Chief has put his career on the line.

chris Oct 28, 2015 - 3:20 pm

About time the police will have an advantage over the bad guys! Good decision Chief.

Marty Fernandez Oct 28, 2015 - 6:58 pm

JS, the Chief is in the process of retiring so he has not put his career on the line. Hiding information from the citizens is wrong in any capacity in this city. The council does it, the city manager does it, city staff has been known to accidently not include important information in reports and now the police do it. Time will tell and it won’t be good. I can see the law suits now.

What a joke this topic is.... Oct 28, 2015 - 8:02 pm

If you think the local police department is trying to take away your constitutional rights, you are crazy. They maybe trying to take away the freedom of the criminals that are victimizing you. Remember, police officers are everyday people that live within YOUR community. They and their families shop where you do. Their children go to school with and play with your children. They are part of your community. They serve and protect YOU everyday they put on that uniform. It is their safety that the chief and city are trying to maintain.

Manny Soliz Oct 28, 2015 - 10:56 pm

The real crux of this issue is that there are too few police officers in Antioch, and NO ONE knows how to effectively hire and retain new officers. Encryption of communication may keep the public from listening, but will have no impact on police officers entering dangerous situations. In fact, without public input or eyes helping officers, APD may actually be more in peril than before. What do other hyper violent cities do? Oakland, Richmond or even San Francisco? If they don’t encrypt, then why would we? I thought public officials proclaimed crime was decreasing, especially violent crime? ?

Curtis Oct 29, 2015 - 11:54 am

I was just reading the courts findings in the recent convictions of the two young guys from Oakland who shot & ran over two other young guys in Antioch, and the key to catching those murderous punks was a pizza delivery driver who recognized the suspects van (and murder weapon) from the description they heard on the scanner earlier that day and wrote down the license plate and called the police! Otherwise these killers may have eluded capture & prosecution for their actions.

So APD needs to rethink the people’s role in the community, and move to work with them instead of isolating themselves from them. You’ll gain no respect or aid your ability to fight crime by keeping yourselves hidden from the people you’ve vowed to serve and protect! The fact that you don’t want to listen to us doesn’t mean we shouldn’t want to listen to you…

Mike Holmes. Nov 5, 2015 - 1:23 pm

Its funny how the chief said it was all for officer safety. Now with the new system not only can I tell how many officers radios are turned on but I can also see when dispatch is keying up his/her mic. Plus having the radio I.Ds of both H-32 and Star1 helps. If I see a helo overhead and see his radio I.D popping up I know something is going down. Do I need to know exactly whats going down? Nope, I just know that area is filled with police activity. So many other things I WONT go into but you get the idea. Its not a secure as he thinks/says it is. A XTS-5000 radio with the keys isn’t that far fetch able. I know of a hand full of folks who can easily get on the system but choose not to because its not in their interest, but if $$ gets involved then no saying what can happen.

1776-? Nov 7, 2015 - 10:19 pm

The gov use of public airwaves is reguoated and protected. Permisson to use the specific frequency is per FCC These are public allocations and not supposed to be used for encrypted transmissions thats why the instructed policy stated special operations etc.. It is a violation of FCC rules and something called a constitution that is being stomped into dust.

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