(Omaha, NE) -- The Omaha Police Department's scanner audio is now encrypted.
On Monday, the department announced that the change had gone into effect, with other local agencies planning to follow suit in the coming days. You can read OPD's full statement below:
The Omaha Police Department, along with other law enforcement agencies in the metro area, are in the process of moving to full digital radio encryption. The OPD’s five precinct dispatch channels will become encrypted on Monday, February 27th. Council Bluffs Police Department and Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office dispatch will become encrypted at the same time. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office and all other Douglas County law enforcement dispatching will move to full encryption on Tuesday, February 28th. Agencies in Sarpy County have previously moved to encrypted channels. All agencies will be fully encrypted by March 1st.
The purpose of police radio dispatch encryption is twofold; increased safety for law enforcement personnel and the continued pursuit of public safety by preventing access to live police radio transmissions by criminals.
We all acknowledge the importance of radio audio for the public and local media. The OPD primary dispatch channels will be rebroadcast unedited on a 15 minute delay. The delayed radio audio will be available to the public via Broadcastify, an online live audio platform. Other law enforcement agencies will rebroadcast on a 25-30 minute delay depending on jurisdiction. The OPD has no policy on radio transmissions being stopped or altered at any time.
The OPD has elected to provide certain qualified media outlets in the Omaha market with real time radio transmissions to ensure continued transparency, accountability, and partnership in providing verified, timely access to public safety information.