Will Shawnee County encrypt law enforcement channels?

TOPEKA (KSNT) - A local law enforcement organization is weighing its options on a new communications policy coming from the FBI.

27 News reached out to law enforcement organizations in Shawnee County and Topeka after learning police in Lyon County were moving to encrypt their channels by July 8. This comes from an FBI mandate to increase security across law enforcement channels amidst a rise in breaches of personal information and identity thefts.

Shawnee County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Abigail Christian responded to 27 News with a written statement on the issue on July 15 regarding the federal mandate. 27 News initially asked questions on this issue on June 26.

"The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office is aware of the federal mandate involving enhanced encryption for law enforcement communications. We have been in contact with representatives from the State of Kansas overseeing compliance with the mandate, as well as the Board of County Commissioners for Shawnee County. As the number of reported instances of identity theft and cybercrime continues to rise exponentially, the protection of personally identifying information is critical.

However, we must still be mindful of public access to information regarding the activities of taxpayer funded institutions and officers. With these new encryption protocols, it will be incumbent upon law enforcement to continue providing important and timely public safety information and updates to our citizens and media partners."   

Shawnee County Sheriff's Office statement on broadcast rule changes

The Lyon County government announced on June 25 in a social media statement it would be following a security policy recommendation from the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS). This change means broadcasts made by Lyon County law enforcement agencies are encrypted after July 8.

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