2006 - The Police RIP / 2012 - Listening to The Police RIP

Police departments across the country have been steadily switching to encrypted radio communications for more than a decade. 

First Portable Police Radio
Thomas Dwyer and Dispatcher Marvin Gray
http://www.pennsville.org

The trend has accelerated recently as cell phone apps like Scanner 911 have made public access to traditional unencrypted police radio communications easier than ever...

No legal right
There is no federal law that requires public access to police radio, and unless a state’s Freedom of Information law builds a strong case for disclosure of all police records, there is little legal action that can be taken. (more) (sing-a-long)