NYPD to consider encrypting police radio transmissions citywide

Precious Fondren

Published Jul 29, 2023

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail

Never miss a story

Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .

A police officer standing.

Maria Sbytova/Shutterstock

Precious Fondren

Published Jul 29, 2023

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail

We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Members of the public and the press who routinely listen in on New York City's police radio channels may no longer have the ability to do so if the NYPD goes ahead with plans to encrypt its transmissions.

According to reports, six NYPD precinct radio frequencies that serve northern Brooklyn already went dark earlier this month. More could go dark soon. Ruben Beltran, the NYPD’s chief of information technology, said the option to “upgrade” the scanners was a matter of police and public safety, and that there are plans to expand it to precincts throughout the city.

“The plan is for the digital upgrade to be citywide, and for the encryption capabilities under that digital upgrade to be deployed citywide,” Beltran said at a press conference on Friday.

Beltran alluded to encryption giving the NYPD an advantage in staying a step ahead of criminals and other “bad actors.”

“So we have a history of our radios being used against us,” he said. “Our radios are one of the most important technologies, one of the most important tools that we provide to police officers and that we train them in.”

Beltran said the department has been in communication with NYPD “partners,” such as first responders and other law enforcement agencies, so that they would also have access to the encrypted channels.

“We have memorandums of understandings with people, with other first responders and other groups,” he said. “We've been in communication with them about this upgrade. And we were providing assistance to them so they can enable access to our systems. And we're going to continue to do that as we move forward.”

But the move toward encryption has raised concerns about transparency and open access to information. Historically, police scanners have been vital tools that allow the public and members of the media to stay informed about and independently report on active crimes and the police.

But at Friday’s press conference, NYPD officials were unclear about how they would implement ways for the press and the public to access the encrypted radio transmissions.

“We've used encryption for a while on and off for years on certain channels. Other cities have gone encrypted and have dealt with these issues,” Beltran said.

“Also, that's what we're exploring to see what's the best options to strike that balance between keeping police officers safe, keeping the community safe, and making sure that there's appropriate media access and information for transparency,” he continued.

The City Council released a statement on Friday condemning the NYPD’s failure to notify the public about the plan to encrypt its channels.

“There should have been a comprehensive plan to maintain access and transparency, rather than it being an afterthought when making any changes,” the Council said. “This rollout raises serious public safety and policy concerns that need to be further examined.”

Tagged

new york city

public safety