Illinois State Representative LaShawn K. Ford has proposed a bill that would mandate law enforcement agencies to grant access of encrypted police scanner transmissions to accredited media. The legislation, House Bill 4339, seeks to amend the Public Records Act. Under former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration, the Chicago Police Department initiated a program for encrypting police scanner transmissions citywide. Ford argues that withholding real-time access to these transmissions from the media hampers its ability to report events promptly. The legislation would extend to jurisdictions across Illinois, affecting law enforcement departments with similar encryption programs.
