The Louisville Courier Journal reports the city police department’s updated radio transmission system prevents the public from hearing scanner communications until 15 minutes after they’ve been sent out.
The police department says this is being done by departments across the country to improve safety for the public and officers. It will prevent suspects from listening in on their conversations.
But critics say such delays during disasters or other emergencies could prevent people from getting safety information in a timely manner.
Shop Talk is a weekly panel discussion about journalism issues. This week’s program featured Will Buss, who teaches in the Department of Broadcasting and Journalism at Western Illinois University and advises the student editors at the Western Courier, the students at student radio station The Dog, and the WIU chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists; Rajvee Subramanian, who teaches in the Department of Broadcasting and Journalism at Western Illinois University; and TSPR News Director Rich Egger.
