HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) " Some police and fire departments are bucking a trend to conceal dispatch communications from the public, acknowledging that radio encryption has the potential to backfire and put first responders in danger. Agencies with digital radio systems have turned off the encryption to their main dispatching channels and others have decided not to turn it on. "A good number of agencies are still operating on antiquated systems and would not have the ability to accept encryption." There was temporary chaos on the radio when officers en route couldn't communicate with the officer in the shooting because their radios weren't in encryption mode, Reyes said. Only people with encryption "keys," the information needed to access the encrypted channels, can listen.

Source: New Zealand Herald October 11, 2016 04:52 UTC