Criminals in parts of the state’s south - including Young - will no longer be able to eavesdrop on police radio transmissions under arrangements aimed at improving officer safety.
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The encryption of the police digital radio across Wagga Wagga, The Hume and Cootamundra local area commands represents a major boost for police in the field, according to Southern Region Commander, Assistant Commissioner Gary Worboys.
The encryption process was expected to go live yesterday.
This follows the successful encryption of police digital radios six years ago across all commands in the Sydney metropolitan region, Newcastle and Wollongong.
“Policing can be a difficult and dangerous job. We owe it to our police to make their job as safe as possible and we are now taking away a weapon used by criminals that threatens the safety of police,” Assistant Commissioner Worboys said.
“Crooks in the area will no longer have the capacity to track police responses, not only giving our officers greater protection, but also helping police solve and prevent crime.”
Local media organisations will face a new environment with the end of the longstanding practice of monitoring police radio via scanners in newsrooms and news vehicles.
“We need the media to cover the work we do because it provides police with a vital line of communication with the public to assist us solve and prevent crime. Equally, police welcome the scrutiny that comes with media interest in police work.
“We will work with the media affected to ensure the new arrangements provides them the opportunity to attend policing operations of public significance.”
