ANCHORAGE, — The public and news media in Anchorage will no longer be able to listen to the Anchorage Police and Fire Department’s radio system.
City officials announced Friday that both the fire and police department’s radio systems will be encrypted and audio feeds on the internet will be taken down.
Municipal Manager Mike Abbott wrote in a statement that the city has been studying the impact of broadcasting dispatch cannels and found that there are more negative consequences than positive. Abbott says there are privacy concerns for victims and concerns that criminals are also listening.
News organizations have asked city officials to keep dispatch channels available to the public to ensure transparency and to keep residents informed.
