WA Radio Scanner Users' Group

Well it's made me think, this digital thing and all. Do you think that the majority of people listening to scanners are going to help or hinder Police in their daily operations?

Personally I think there's more good than bad out there. I believe that a majority would help the coppers out instead of hold them back

I look at the cost of going digital for the boys and the assistance that they would lose from the public. Also from what I hear when they go digital, if they lose a base unit the whole system can go down.

One of the guys where I work is familiar with digital systems and thinks it'll cost our state government to much in the long run for a system that really isn't as useful as they think. So what do you think?

yes i think they can be good for the boys and girls in blue.I've helped them catch a badie as a result of my having a scanner.

I'd like to see some peoples personal opinions about their votes. I reckon there's a lot of people out here that would use a scanner to the advantage of the coppers to help out in a way. I know I would.

I would to, if i ever saw a stolen car i heard on the scanner, id follow it from a distance and lead d cops straight to it. One thing i would never use my scanner for is to go to a scene and hinder an operation or job, another thing id never do is use my scanner to commit a crime.

Most listeners to the Police freq would be tucked up at home. Very few would be out and about and able to assist when sh|t goes down.

Police want to catch crooks and I think that we will have a better head start with secure comms rather than crooks being able to listen in and the Police hoping that a 'listener' is able to assist them.

When it comes down to the thin end of things, report all susp behaviour/vehicles/people.

Walks.

JG-103 I would not advise you to follow a stolen vehicle even from a distance. I remember many years ago when I was a child my mother had a scanner. She would listen to it all the time. One day a car had backfired out the front of our house quite loudly so several people rang in saying they heard gunshots I did not see the car backfire but was outside and quickly ran inside after hearing it. We did not have a phone at the time so we could not ring the police to let them know it was a car backfire so when the police drove by they stopped and asked my mother if she had heard or seen anything. She told them that it was a car backfire and mentioned to the police that I had ran inside like a scared rabbit. The police laughed and when clearing the job they told vki that a member of the public had seen the incident and it was a car that had backfired. They then joked to vki about me running inside like a scared rabbit. At the time they knew that we would have heard it as they had seen and heard the scanner so they finished off by saying thanks to my mother over air.

I have also personally lead the police to 2 stolen vehicles they were looking for as reported over the scanner. Bear in mind I have only been a cameraman for about 8 months.

It is my job to listen to the scanner and go out to a scene, but we always make sure we stay well out of the way.

I personally think having scanners hinder the police more than help. I think about how long I have been listening to a scanner and how many times I have actually helped? Some crimanls must have scanners.

What I am trying to say is I think the amount of criminals that have got away using a scanner far out-weighs the amount of people that have helped the police by using a scanner. Agree? Dis-agree?

Just my opinion.

PS: I think the pole should have more options

I think that with the new digital system, people SHOULD be able to apply for a digital listening license.

eg, Media, Towtruck Drivers and whoever else who has a valid reason to be able to listen.

The police could then have a List of who can listen, and WHO is listening.

They could even do Background + Police Clearance checks to see if the people who are applying to listen, are doing it for the right reasons.
What do you think ?

I agree, licensed/registered listeners...

Don't know what we would then listen to them on though???lol

well last night a police car from the chase in mandurah asked for any towies listening to come and help them as they were stuck and also had a fire. vki asked the officer where he was and that was given and i guess a towie went to help.

some good things come out of scanners but lots of the baddies have scanners and portable ones to see what is going on around them.

my 2c worth

Aztech wrote:I think that with the new digital system, people SHOULD be able to apply for a digital listening license.

That's got a snowball's chance in a blast furnace of happening.

Even if they did go allowing certain people to listen in, the digital system is brand new... the radios are not cheap!

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GC101 wrote:hmmm probably more of a hinderance, lots of not so good people have and use scanners to the disadvantage of the police, if you see something call 131 444, crimestopers or your local police station. like those car clubs carry scanner and all leave when vki tasks a vehicle etc etc...

very true, after listening to a few things over the last few weeks, i think it's going to be more beneficial to the Police to go digital.

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I have helped out coppers in freo a couple if times with arrest, normally when they get outnumbered or cant take an offender down. I have only done this on two occasions.

The biggest thing for the Police, and I found it myself when I was a Transit Guard, is you dont know if a member of the public is going to help you or hinder you.

I've been in a situation on a train where a fight broke out and three offenders sprayed my partner and myself with OC spray on the train. The main offender then ran down the train with his mate.

I was shocked when some of the local Perth trouble making lads grabbed them and assisted me in the arrest until we arrived at Perth.