Local media losing access to police scanners
Five local law enforcement agencies are blocking access to encrypted radio signals for local media including News Channel 3.
Just weeks ago, the radios were helping News Channel 3 to bring you breaking news coverage on crimes, crashes, road conditions, and more.
The Eastern Riverside County Interoperable Communications authority(ERICA) includes Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs, Indio, and Beaumont.
The ERICA cities voted to turn-off media access deciding it’s a matter of privacy.
“We potentially run the risk of losing our radio frequency when the F.C.C. says you’re not protecting this information as required by law,” says Desert Hot Springs Chief of Police Dale Mondary.
The Desert Sun Executive Editor, Julie Makinen says it’s a matter of accountability.
NBC Palm Springs Assignment Editor, Cecilia Partridge agrees, “That extra step, to hold police accountable for things we hear happening as opposed to things they report happened.”
Palm Springs Chief of Police Bryan Reyes, City Attorney Edward Kotkin, Mayor Robert Moon, and City Manager David Ready, Ph.D. sat down with local media to defend their position.
“We’ve been put on notice by the Department of Justice that this cannot continue in the manner we have,” Reyes said.
A Cathedral City study session addressed the issue back in January with Chief of Police Travis Walker recommending to turn-off access.
Makinen calls the legal issues, “a matter of great debate.”
Chief Reyes stands by his department’s record of transparency and efforts to keep the public informed through social media and other methods.
The California Department of Justice did release a statement to us:
Pursuant to the CLETS Policies, Practices, and Procedures (attached) and the FBI CJIS Security Policy it has always been the case that only authorized personnel may have access for criminal justice purposes to any channels where CLETS data is being broadcast. The CA DOJ did not ask ERICA to revoke media’s access to ERICA. As stated above, it is standard policy that only authorized personnel for criminal justice purposes are entitled access to CLETS data.
We have reached out to the executive director of ERICA who’s who’s referred us to Cathedral City Police Chief Travis Walker, head of the technical advisory committee.
Walker has told us he’s unavailable to answer any questions about this issue until next week.
Download the KESQ & CBS Local 2 app on iTunes or Google Play for up-to-the-minute breaking news alerts & more
More: I-Team and Stands for You investigations
Find us on Facebook: KESQ News Channel 3 & CBS Local 2
Follow us on Twitter for breaking news updates: @KESQ & @Local2
We’re on Instagram! @KESQ_News_Channel_3 & @CBSLocal2
Noticias en español: Telemundo 15
