is it illegal to listen to police scanner traffic?

[45 LongColt]

Ok, yeah, I was familiar with the police radio as far as broadcasting goes, but I know mobile and hand held scanners are still for sale. Radio Shack carries them. The whole purpose of a hand held scanner is to take it with you lol. Same with the mobile.

 

[tbhausen]

Indeed. With a handheld and an FCC license you can listen to all the good stuff that I can't broadcast.

 

[mcolford]

OP... what were teh communications leading up to the "Nothing I can do about it" ? Were they something along the lines of "Unable to hear the noise myself, unable to locate the noise" ? If so, then yes, the officer is correct, there is nothing he can do about it.

I understand your frustration, but be careful where you go kicking up dust. Just my opinion.

 

[freekforge]

I was told by a cop i could listen to the scanner on my phone while in a vehicle because they delay. If you listen to an actual police radio and a phone app there is a couple minute gap between the radio and your app. I still don't do it because cops aren't the best source of law.

 

[jimmythang]

OP... what were teh communications leading up to the "Nothing I can do about it" ? Were they something along the lines of "Unable to hear the noise myself, unable to locate the noise" ? If so, then yes, the officer is correct, there is nothing he can do about it.

I understand your frustration, but be careful where you go kicking up dust. Just my opinion.

First call he told them to turn it down.

Second call "I asked them to turn it down what more can I do? There is nothing I can do about it."

The laws and ordinances are very clear where I live.

 

[tbhausen]

The delay is almost always under one minute; usually about 40 seconds.

 

[GlockRock]

First call he told them to turn it down.

Second call "I asked them to turn it down what more can I do? There is nothing I can do about it."

The laws and ordinances are very clear where I live.

Where is it that you live?

 

[Double T]

If I recall, you can listen all you want without an FCC license. you just can't broadcast. Very similar to radar detector "laws", you can emit anything you want so long as it does not interfere with someone else's equipment. You can't broadcast because you could interfere with another person's broadcast.

Note, I'm not a ham'er, but I am related to one. LOL

 

[warthog]

In IL, it was illegal to listen AND follow iirc...

I lived most of my life behind the wire. It is absolutely verboten to have a Police Band radio of any sort, on or off mounted in a car in IL. Some sort of walkie talkie type set is OK as long as it is OFF and in the TRUNK (as in away from the ability to be heard in the car).

I made the mistake as a youth of having a walkie talkie set in my car to stay away from speed traps since I liked driving fast, still do. When I was pulled over with the set in my car on the other seat, forgot to turn the thing on, I thought I was going to go to jail for the rest of my young life. They hauled me in, confiscated the radio, charged me for having it and for reckless driving/going 40MPH over the limit and a few other things they found wrong with the car after they caught up with me like a burned out tail light. My lawyer got it reduced to Speeding with a really hefty fine and the various equipment BS and they dropped the radio and reckless since it was my first (of many future) offense of this magnitude.

SO yeah, this was the 1970's and things might have changed since then… but it is IL and I find it hard to believe the made something legal that wasn't before. That's not Illinois' style.

 

[JollyMon]

If I recall, you can listen all you want without an FCC license. you just can't broadcast. Very similar to radar detector "laws", you can emit anything you want so long as it does not interfere with someone else's equipment. You can't broadcast because you could interfere with another person's broadcast.

Note, I'm not a ham'er, but I am related to one. LOL

Not completely true. You cannot listen to a "police radio" in your vehicle unless you meet one of those exceptions, such as an FCC license. Broadcasting is definitely a no no. But even listening outside of ones dwelling when not one of those exemptions is still a crime. Got to love Indiana.

If you were just referring to your home then you are correct.. You can listen all you want inside your home.

Sec. 12. (a) A person who knowingly or intentionally:
(1) possesses a police radio;
.....
commits unlawful use of a police radio, a Class B misdemeanor.
.....
(c) As used in this section, "police radio" means a radio that is capable of sending or receiving signals transmitted on frequencies assigned by the Federal Communications Commission for police emergency purposes and that:
(1) can be installed, maintained, or operated in a vehicle; or
(2) can be operated while it is being carried by an individual.

The phone apps dont technically receive the signals that were transmitted on those police frequencies, as they are receiving and transmitting signals on the carriers (ATT, Verizon, etc) assigned frequencies, which is how i believe they get around the law.


If you want to listen to a scanner in a car just get a FCC tech license. They post all the questions online, just memorize them and go take the test. Or study 2-3 days and you should be good to go.

 

[Kutnupe14]

First call he told them to turn it down.

Second call "I asked them to turn it down what more can I do? There is nothing I can do about it."

The laws and ordinances are very clear where I live.

It might help to look to see if one can be cited under the ordinance. Believe it or not some ordinances don't have penalties attached.

 

[jimmythang]

they do. It is pretty hefty after a few offenses!

 

[AngryRooster]

they do. It is pretty hefty after a few offenses!

So did you get anything resolved yet?

 

[jimmythang]

update: met a supervisor and he reviewed the notes on their end. He agreed to enter information into the system that would inform an officer to cite the place if it met the criteria. The fines can get up to $2000+. It is my goal that this get resolved without getting to that point. If the company continues to pay the fines and ignores the citations he recommended civil action (something I am prepared to do). I would rather go into a civil matter with the citations and fines against the offender. All in all I was very happy with my meeting.