The Denver Post: Members of the public no longer can listen to the Denver Police Department’s radio traffic after the agency on Monday followed through with its controversial plan to digitally encrypt officers’ transmissions.

By encrypting their radios, Denver police officials have blocked long-open public access to the communications of the largest municipal law enforcement agency in Colorado. The department joins dozens of other agencies across the state that have encrypted their communications in the name of officer safety and protecting police operations.

“It goes directly to that community safety aspect,” Denver police Chief Paul Pazen said of his decision to encrypt. He added that it’ll also protect the personal information of witnesses and 911 callers from being broadcast over public airwaves.

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