Handheld Scanners

[dale2242]

My granddaughter recently became a dispatcher for the local sheriffs department.
I want to buy a handheld scanner to listen in.
I have no idea what to buy.
Does anyone here have a recommendation?

[schutzen-jager]

certain dept. block frequencies to scanners - i have a like new Bearcat that is useless to moniter any police, fire, + etc. in nearby area -

[jdfoxinc]

Lots of LE departments have gone to encryption protected mobil phone based communication.

[Nueces]

I would search for iPhone scanner apps. They go out of date from time to time as developers fail to update them to new phone operating systems, but I found them really useful when we had area wide wildfires in my area.

[stubshaft]

Local Police have encrypted channels and there are no scanners available to listen to their transmissions.

[MaryB]

Onlie scanner feeds https://www.broadcastify.com/listen/ most departments have gone digital P25 and encrypted... stuff like snow plows is still available but it is P25 digital for the county and big cities...

[Big Tom]

As stated by others, today, police communication is going through encrypted channels with no easy way to listen in on it.

[dale2242]

I have a friend listening in on a reasonably cheap handheld scanner.

[georgerkahn]

My granddaughter recently became a dispatcher for the local sheriffs department.
I want to buy a handheld scanner to listen in.
I have no idea what to buy.
Does anyone here have a recommendation?

Hopefully Oregon is a "free air" state, but you may wish to check laws. In New York State it is most illegal to be in possession of a device (radio) which receives police frequencies in any motor vehicle. (Don't ask how I know this ;)). Whether encrypted or not is moot -- just having it in your car or truck is against the law. FYI!
geo

[243winxb]

Depends on what the department is using. But best to forget about it, for reasons said above. . Analog was easy to track. Digital near impossable.

Put my programmable scanner away years ago, when digital appeared.

[10x]

Check to see if their communications networks are digital. Digital systems are encrypted.

[MaryB]

Check to see if their communications networks are digital. Digital systems are encrypted.

Nope, digital CAN be encrypted but the encoding method is not encryption. P25 is well known and I have radios that can decode it.

[MaryB]

Hopefully Oregon is a "free air" state, but you may wish to check laws. In New York State it is most illegal to be in possession of a device (radio) which receives police frequencies in any motor vehicle. (Don't ask how I know this ;)). Whether encrypted or not is moot -- just having it in your car or truck is against the law. FYI!
geo

Being a ham radio operator per federal law I CAN have a scanner in my vehicle. Because at any time I can be asked to do public service duty. I amnot on the road enough anymore to bother beyond what my 2m/70cm radio can pick up. Mainly snow plow drivers which is handy!