Baltimore Police will switch to new radio system, delay public access to scanner transmissions

BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Police Department is changing the way the public can listen to officers interact with one another over the radio.

The police department will be encrypting its radio systems and other devices starting on July 6.

This move means that citizens will no longer have real-time access to live audio streams of police activity in Baltimore.

Instead, people will be able to hear some of that activity on a 15-minute time delay.

The police department plans to provide the adjusted service on a radio broadcast via Broadcastify, and it will be free of charge.

BPD says the move will allow officers to communicate with other agencies more freely. Additionally, it gives the police department the opportunity to focus on officer safety.

This plan has been in motion for several years, according to WJZ's media partner the Baltimore Banner.

Once implemented, Baltimore City will become one of the first large jurisdictions in the state to delay communications to the general public by 15 minutes, per the Baltimore Banner.