Scanners No More: SFPD, RCPD, Minnehaha, Pennington to Encrypt Police Communications Starting Nov. 13

My parents back in Lake County have had a police scanner on in their living room for decades. They listen mostly for police calls to their rental properties. If my folks lived in Sioux Falls or Rapid City, they’d lose the pleasure of listening in on law enforcement this month. Starting November 13, the SFPD, RCPD, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office will start encrypting their radio signals, blocking public access to police communications: “This decision was not made lightly,” [SFPD Chief Jon] Thum said. “What...