Beginning at 4 a.m. Wednesday, the Oakland Police Department will encrypt radio communications, ending decades of public access to real-time dispatches. The change will prevent outside listeners from hearing emergencies and routine calls, including earthquakes, traffic stops, robberies, burglaries and shootings. State Sen. Josh Becker criticized the decision and emphasized the need for accountability and transparency, noting public access has existed for more than a century. Mayor Barbara Lee said she was surprised and pledged to investigate. Several other Bay Area agencies have restricted access while citing a 2020 California DOJ directive; Oakland is unique in making the switch under federal judicial oversight related to the Riders case.
Beginning at 4 a.m. Wednesday, all chatter between dispatchers and police will be pulled behind a curtain, according to an internal email reviewed by this news organization.
I'm very upset and disappointed, said state Sen. Josh Becker, D-Menlo Park, who has repeatedly tried to pass legislation in recent years to significantly restrict law enforcement agencies' ability to encrypt their communications. We need accountability and transparency. The public has had access to this for more than 100 years. And it's worked the transparency has worked.
No longer will anyone outside law enforcement be able to listen in to emergencies, from a major earthquake to calls about routine traffic stops, robberies, burglaries, shootings and other crimes.
Collection
[
|
...
]