Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:
Tyler Clancy, an 18-year-old aspiring firefighter, runs the Kendall County Scanner Incident Facebook page, where he and his team of moderators share real-time updates on police activity based on what they hear on police scanners. The page, along with a similar one for Kane County residents, has become a go-to source for local news about traffic accidents, shootings, and other emergency calls.
Though these pages often attract curious onlookers and can fuel rumors, they’ve grown rapidly since launching in January 2014. Clancy initially thought 1,000 followers would be a big deal, but the page now has over 13,000 fans. “It just exploded,†he said, surprised by the popularity.
However, not all local law enforcement is happy with the trend. Police departments across the region are increasingly turning to encrypted radio systems to prevent sensitive information from being shared online. In Elgin, for example, Deputy Chief Bill Wolf explained that criminals had started using scanner apps to track police movements, allowing them to escape before officers arrived.
Naperville and Aurora police have also taken steps to secure their communications. Naperville’s Deputy Chief Brian Cunningham noted that their digital radio system is encrypted, making it inaccessible to standard scanners. Meanwhile, Aurora’s Dan Ferrelli mentioned that while encryption helped protect confidential details, issues still arise when neighboring agencies don’t use the same security measures.
Despite this, Clancy and Dan Simon, who runs the Kane County page, claim they take care to avoid sharing unverified or sensitive information. Kane County Sheriff’s Lt. Patrick Gengler praised the responsible way the pages are managed, especially by young people.
The days of expensive, bulky scanners are long gone. Now, free smartphone apps make it easy for anyone to listen in on police broadcasts. With pages like Clancy’s and Simon’s available on Facebook, even those without apps can stay updated on local events.
“We always try to stress that information is unconfirmed until we’re 100% sure,†Simon added, emphasizing the importance of accuracy in their reporting.