Sheriff defends encrypted radio traffic; commissioners weigh safety vs. transparency

Sumner County commissioners on Aug. 4 heard arguments for and against encrypting law-enforcement and emergency radio traffic, with the sheriff’s office and several commissioners stressing officer safety and some members of the public urging alternatives for transparency.

The issue matters because unencrypted radio traffic has historically allowed residents, including volunteer scanner hobbyists and nearby jurisdictions, to follow incidents in real time; officials said that in the current environment, live feeds can provide actionable information to criminals and create safety risks for responders.

A public commenter who follows emergency communications said she supports encryption if it protects responders and preserves investigatory integrity. Several commissioners and the sheriff said the same, citing examples where live radio information can lead to targeted violence. “Don’t put our men and women in jeopardy,” Commissioner Wright told the committee, urging caution before restoring public, real-time access to radio traffic. The sheriff told members he would answer questions and described the change as a measure the department considers necessary to protect personnel and operations; he also invited citizens to contact his office directly.

Committee members discussed possible compromise measures raised during public comment, including delayed or daily call summaries, after-action reports, or continuing to provide CodeRED and other official alerting systems that do not rely on live radio traffic. The chairman and several commissioners noted that CodeRED notifications are separate systems and would not be disabled by encryption of radio traffic.

No motion was taken to change the sheriff’s policy at the meeting; the sheriff said he was willing to appear at a future meeting to explain specifics if the committee or public requested more detail. Several commissioners urged residents with questions to contact the sheriff’s office directly so the department can respond without airing operational details that might create risk.

The committee did not adopt new rules governing radio access and did not set a follow-up deadline. The chairman said the sheriff would be welcome to present more information at a later meeting if commissioners wanted further explanation.