A bill introduced in Illinois would ensure the news media has access to live (lyv) police radio traffic. WNIN’s John Gibson has details:
Illinois State Rep. LaShawn Ford has introduced legislation that would require any law enforcement agency in Illinois that encrypts police scanner transmissions to provide real time access to those transmissions to accredited media.
The bill amends the Public Records Act to require access to FCC licensed broadcasters and accredited newspapers as defined in the Act.
Under the administration of former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, the Chicago Police Department instituted a program designed to encrypt police scanner transmissions across all police districts in the city.
Ford says he understands the desire to prevent the public from using real time police scanner traffic to commit crimes or to evade law enforcement. But he says the news media has an obligation to report on events in a timely manner and the use of real time information from police scanners is essential.
Ford says blocking accredited media from real time access is counter to governmental transparency.