Police encrypt more calls

A recent increase in gibberish-like encrypted messages between Marion police officers is part of an attempt to avoid having to dial each others’ cell phones while driving, police chief Clinton Jeffrey said last week.

“We can talk like we’re on the phone, but we don’t have to worry about picking up and dialing,” he said.

Encrypted transmissions cannot be useful monitored by the public, Jeffrey said.

“A lot of people have scanners, so maybe we’re looking for someone and don’t want them to know we’re coming,” he said. “But that’s not always the case. Sometimes it’s just easier.”

One situation in which they won’t use encryption is when they want awareness among other departments.

“If we’re doing something dangerous, we would want them to know,” Jeffrey said. “Dispatch can’t even hear us on that, so they have no idea what’s going on. That’s not good because they’re the ones who send help if something bad happens.”