Richmond council delays police radio purchase amid public access debate

The Richmond City Council on Tuesday night deferred final approval of a $350,000 purchase of encrypted police radios after councilmembers and residents pressed for a fuller public briefing about the department’s recent move to encrypt dispatch channels.

The agenda item would have authorized the purchase of 35 mobile radios and 10 motorcycle units from Motorola Solutions as an add-on to the equipment the city purchased in 2023. Instead, councilmembers asked staff to return with a presentation at the council’s November 18 meeting, allowing elected officials and the public to review the sequence of approvals, the legal guidance behind encryption, and how transparency will be maintained.

Richmond Police Administration Services Captain Matt Stonebraker, center, and Assistant Police Chief Tim Simmons speak at the City Council meeting on Tuesday, November 4, 2025.

Richmond resident Sara Cantor, who requested that the item be pulled from the consent calendar for discussion, stated that she supported privacy protections but wanted a public conversation about the loss of transparency that accompanies encrypting dispatch channels.

“This isn’t about officers talking to each other; those channels are already encrypted,” Cantor said. “It’s about whether the public should be able to hear dispatcher communications that help the press and residents understand what’s happening in real time.”

Cantor said that other jurisdictions have balanced privacy and openness in different ways, some by encrypting dispatch, while others limit the sharing of personally identifying information over the air.

“I’m not fully opposed,” Cantor said, “but it’s important to talk through these issues in public.”

Richmond Assistant Police Chief Tim Simmons told the council that Richmond’s switch to full-time encryption was implemented in early October to protect sensitive personal information and to align with regional and state privacy guidelines. Simmons said the encryption protects victims, witnesses, and officers from the risk that open radio traffic can be recorded or exploited.

The push for police radio encryption stems from a 2020 advisory issued by the California Department of Justice, which directed law enforcement agencies to prevent the public broadcast of personal, identifying information such as names, dates of birth, driver’s license numbers, and criminal histories over unencrypted radio channels.

The California DOJ stopped short of requiring full encryption of all police communications, but many departments, including Richmond’s, chose to encrypt their entire dispatch systems to ensure compliance and avoid accidental disclosure. The change has drawn concern from journalists and transparency advocates who say it cuts off long-standing public access to routine police activity that was once available through radio scanners.

During the meeting, Councilmember Sue Wilson questioned when and how the city decided to fully encrypt its police dispatch, ending public access to scanner traffic that had been open for decades.

“I did not know that there was a decision made about encryption in 2023, and it would have been helpful for me if the agenda report said that,” Wilson said. “For 75 years, we’ve had this sort of open channel of communication, and on October 7, we closed that door. I never had a chance to opine on that, and I think that’s part of what I was elected to do.”

Supporters of encryption, including the Richmond Police Officers Association and several community speakers, argued that the change is a necessary safety measure. RPOA President Ben Therriault described an incident in which suspects appeared to be listening to unencrypted transmissions during a pursuit, saying that encryption would reduce the risk of suspects evading law enforcement actions.

Oscar Garcia, president of the 23rd Street Merchants Association, said local business owners support encryption because it protects callers’ privacy when reporting crimes.

“Merchants feel safer knowing their information is protected when they call police,” Garcia said. “With recent problems near smoke shops, and with victims of domestic violence or undocumented residents who may already be afraid to reach out, it’s important that their identities stay confidential.”

Some police agencies, such as Palo Alto, reversed their earlier decision to encrypt routine police radio traffic and restored real-time public access. The department announced a change in August 2022, following a reevaluation of options to both protect personal identifying information and increase transparency. City officials said the rollback would keep sensitive details protected by new on-air procedures while allowing the public and press to follow routine dispatches in real-time.

Radio Encryption Change Provides Real-Time Access to Police Actions

After a comprehensive analysis of options, the Palo Alto Police Department is planning a forthcoming change to radio communications by September 1 that will provide real-time access to police radio transmissions while safeguarding personal identifying information and officer safety.

One common compromise is a short broadcast delay, allowing officers to protect victims and execute tactical movements while still providing the public with timely information.

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