ACTIVIST PLAYBOOK

Public Testimony Guide

Own the Public Comment Period

Most officials have never heard organized opposition to encryption. When you show up prepared with evidence and personal stories, you make an impression that's hard to ignore.

2-3 minutes max. Most comment periods limit speakers. Practice your timing.

Lead with impact. Start with your strongest point. Don't build to it.

Be respectful. Hostile tone backfires. Professional criticism wins.

Cite evidence. "Zero documented cases" is more powerful than opinions.

Ask questions. Force officials to respond to specific challenges.

Core 2-Minute Script

A complete testimony you can customize

General Opposition Testimony

~2 minutes

INTRODUCTION (15 sec):

"My name is [NAME] and I'm a [resident/parent/journalist/business owner] in [CITY]. I'm here to urge you to reject police radio encryption."

THE PROBLEM WITH ENCRYPTION (30 sec):

"On July 4, 2022, open police scanners helped Highland Park residents take cover during a mass shooting. Real-time information saved lives. Encryption would eliminate that life-saving function with nothing to replace it."

THE EVIDENCE (30 sec):

"When Palo Alto searched three years of police records for any incident where scanner access harmed officers, they found zero documented cases. Zero. The problem encryption supposedly solves does not exist."

THE ALTERNATIVE (20 sec):

"Better solutions exist. Hybrid systems encrypt tactical operations while keeping routine dispatch open. This approach serves police needs without eliminating community access."

THE ASK (20 sec):

"I ask the council: Before spending [COST] on encryption, demand documented evidence of actual harm. Vote for transparency over secrecy. Vote for public safety over police convenience. Thank you."

Angle-Specific Scripts

Coordinate different speakers covering different perspectives

Parent/Family Safety Angle

"My name is [NAME]. I have children at [SCHOOL]. When there's a lockdown, I don't wait for the school's text message that comes 20 minutes late. I monitor the police scanner to know exactly what's happening and whether my kids are safe.

During the Highland Park shooting, parents used scanners to locate their children. Encryption would have left them in the dark.

Don't tell me encryption makes my family safer. It does the opposite."

Journalist/Press Freedom Angle

"I'm [NAME] with [OUTLET]. Police scanners are how journalists get to breaking news. We monitor them to serve our community with timely, accurate reporting.

Encryption means we arrive 30 minutes late, after police have controlled the scene and the narrative. That's not journalism—that's stenography.

The First Amendment protects press freedom. Encryption undermines it. We urge you to preserve our ability to report on what police actually do, not just what they choose to tell us."

Fire/EMS Interoperability Angle

"I'm [NAME], a [firefighter/EMT/emergency manager]. When police encrypt their radios, we lose crucial situational awareness.

At multi-agency incidents, we need to know what police are seeing and doing. Encryption creates dangerous coordination gaps. In Washington DC, fire crews at a subway incident couldn't coordinate with encrypted police units—the system was reversed after that failure.

Public safety requires interoperability. Encryption breaks it."

Accountability/Oversight Angle

"At Uvalde, police radio audio contradicted official accounts and exposed failures. In 2020, scanner audio documented racist remarks by officers during protests.

Encryption didn't surge after some documented security failure—it surged after 2020, after scanners exposed police misconduct. This is about avoiding accountability, not protecting officers.

Public servants doing public work should be publicly observable. Vote for transparency."

Fiscal/Cost Angle

"This encryption proposal costs [AMOUNT]. For that money, we could hire [X] officers, fund [X] community programs, or improve [X] infrastructure.

What documented benefit will we receive for this investment? Zero. There is no evidence scanner access has ever harmed an officer.

This is [AMOUNT] spent on a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. That's not responsible budgeting."

Disability/Accessibility Angle

"For people who are deaf or hard of hearing, text-based scanner apps provide emergency awareness that's otherwise inaccessible.

Encryption eliminates this accessibility accommodation with no replacement. Emergency alert systems are slow and incomplete compared to real-time scanner access.

I urge you to consider the accessibility implications before implementing encryption."

Preparation Checklist

What to do before, during, and after your testimony

Before the Meeting

Practice your testimony with a timer—stay under time limit
Print copies of your statement to leave with clerk
Prepare a written version for the official record
Sign up early for public comment (slots are limited)
Coordinate with coalition on speaking order and angles
Dress professionally—first impressions matter
Arrive early to get a seat and observe the process

During Your Testimony

Speak slowly and clearly into the microphone
Make eye contact with council members
Don't read word-for-word—know your points
If you run short, that's okay—don't ramble
If interrupted, pause and continue professionally
Thank the council for their time at the end
Stay calm even if officials are dismissive

After the Meeting

Submit written testimony for the official record
Debrief with coalition on what worked
Follow up with sympathetic council members
If media is present, be available for interviews
Document the meeting and any commitments made
Plan for next meeting if decision was delayed

Handling Common Pushback

What officials say and how to respond

"Officer safety requires encryption"

Response: "If scanner access endangered officers, we'd have documented cases. There are zero. Multiple departments have searched years of records and found nothing. The burden of proof is on those making the claim."

"Victim privacy requires encryption"

Response: "Officers rarely broadcast victim names or addresses on dispatch. And fire departments handle sensitive medical information without encryption. Privacy can be protected through training and policy, not blanket secrecy."

"Other cities have encrypted"

Response: "Other cities doing something wrong doesn't make it right. Many jurisdictions use hybrid systems that protect tactical operations while keeping dispatch open. We should follow best practices, not follow the crowd."

"The police chief says it's necessary"

Response: "The police chief works for the city, not the other way around. Elected officials have the authority and responsibility to make policy decisions. Chiefs often prefer secrecy—that doesn't mean the community should accept it."

"This is a technical/operational decision"

Response: "Transparency is a democratic value, not a technical question. The community has a right to weigh in on policies that affect public access to information about police activities."

"Criminals use scanners to evade police"

Response: "Where's the evidence? Multiple departments have searched for documented cases and found none. If criminals were using scanners effectively, there would be documented incidents. There aren't."

Coordinating Multiple Speakers

When you have a coalition, organize for maximum impact

Divide the Angles

Assign different speakers to different topics: public safety, journalism, fire/EMS, cost, accountability. Avoid repetition—each speaker should cover new ground.

Strategic Order

Lead with your most credible speaker (journalist, fire chief, business leader). Save personal stories for middle. Close with a strong call to action.

Visual Impact

Have all supporters wear the same color or hold identical signs. Visual unity shows organized opposition that officials can't dismiss.

Fill the Room

Even if not everyone speaks, filling seats demonstrates community concern. Numbers matter—officials notice when the room is packed.

Take Action for Transparency

Your voice matters. Here are concrete ways to advocate for open police communications in your community.

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Contact Your Representatives

Use our templates to email your local officials about police radio encryption policies.

Get Started

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Read Case Studies

See how encryption has affected real communities - from Highland Park to Chicago.

View Cases

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Spread Awareness

Share evidence about police radio encryption with your network and community.

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See the Evidence

Review the facts, myths, and research on police radio encryption.

View Evidence

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