Myrtle Beach police fully encrypts scanner traffic, drawing transparency concerns

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - If you regularly listen to scanner traffic, you may have noticed missing information from the Myrtle Beach Police Department.

That’s because the department moved to fully encrypt its scanner traffic earlier this month, making it inaccessible to the public.

MBPD Cpl. Chris Starling, the department’s public information officer, said the move to encryption was a “years-long process” and “it was important to complete this process so we may provide our officers with a safer work environment while also protecting the personal information of the victims and other individuals with whom we have contact.”

Others in the departments share that same sentiment.

“Well, what could happen is if scanners, because of things that are readily available such as apps, people could be listening in real-time exactly what we’re doing. So if there’s a call for service for a burglary, potentially the suspect may be listening knowing when we arrive, where we’re approaching from, things like that,” said MBPD Capt. John Bertang.

When asked by WMBF News for proof of that happening in Myrtle Beach, Bertang said it was a problem “nationwide.”

“Nationwide it’s become a concern, so that’s why we’re implementing the things that we have,” he said.

Jay Bender, a retired law professor and current attorney for the South Carolina Broadcasters Association said this move could be problematic if the department deliberately hides public information.

“Police departments often forget they do, in fact, work for the public. They’re not our rulers, they are our representatives,” said Bender. “I have some questions about how it relates to protecting citizens unless it’s to get officers to the scene of a crime faster.”

Bertang didn’t mention a need for officers to get to scenes faster and also said he doesn’t believe the move hinders Myrtle Beach residents from crime information that they need to know.

“We have a public information officer so that when news happens such as things the community needs to know about right away, we try to push that out in real-time,” he said. “This way the community is made aware of that, and we also work together with our news outlets things like that to get the message out.”

As for Horry County, a spokesperson for the Horry County Police Department said HCPD and Horry County overall do not have fully encrypted radios or scanner traffic as of Tuesday.

Stay with WMBF News for updates.

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