LINCOLN – An unknown number of town residents have traditionally loved tracking the Lincoln Police Department’s scanner, listening in as calls come in about various incidents.
Now, say those residents, they’re no longer able to do it after communications went digital and encrypted last week, and they say they already miss it.
“People in town loved listening to the police scanner,” said one resident.
Chief of Police Dennis Fleming told The Local Insider that the decision to restrict public access to the department’s police radio communications was made “after careful consideration of officer safety, investigative integrity, and privacy concerns.”
“Like many law enforcement agencies across Rhode Island and the country, we continually evaluate how technology impacts both public transparency and public safety,” said Fleming.
According to the chief, many police departments now have encrypted communications and many more are in the process.
“Open radio communications can unintentionally provide real-time information to individuals involved in criminal activity, potentially compromising officer response tactics, ongoing investigations, and emergency operations,” he said. “In addition, radio traffic frequently contains sensitive personal information involving victims, juveniles, medical calls, and other private matters that we have an obligation to protect.”
While he said they understand some residents appreciated scanner access as a way to stay informed, “this change was made with the primary goal of enhancing the safety of our officers and the community we serve. The Lincoln Police Department remains committed to transparency and will continue providing important public information through official press releases, social media updates, and direct communication with the media.”
