New Jersey Section 2C:33-22 – Possession of emergency communications receiver
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New Jersey Law Makes it Illegal to Have a Police Scanner
A new law in New Jersey makes it illegal for people to have police scanners in their cars or homes. Section 2C:33-22 of New Jersey law says that it’s now a crime to possess an emergency communications receiver, even if you don’t use it. This law has good intentions but it goes too far and makes criminals out of regular people.
What the Law Says
The actual text of the law says that it’s a crime to possess “a mobile or portable device capable of receiving transmitted police radio signals.” So basically, having a police scanner or any device that can pick up police frequencies is now completely illegal in New Jersey.The law does have some exceptions. You’re allowed to have a police scanner if you’re a licensed amateur radio operator, or if you only listen to the weather band frequencies. But for the average person, it’s now a crime just to own a scanner, even if you don’t ever turn it on.
Good Intentions Gone Too Far
I get why New Jersey passed this law. They’re trying to crack down on criminals who listen to police radios to avoid getting caught. That’s a real problem, and I agree the police should have tools to stop it.But this law goes way too far. It makes criminals out of regular people who have scanners for totally innocent reasons. Lots of scanner enthusiasts just like listening to police and fire calls as a hobby. It doesn’t mean they’re criminals. Parents might have a scanner to keep tabs on local emergencies. Reporters use scanners to cover breaking news.Sure, some bad apples might misuse scanners for crime. But that doesn’t mean we should ban everyone from owning them. This law takes a sledgehammer approach when a scalpel is needed.
Vague Language Makes the Law Confusing
The language of this law is so broad that it’s confusing what’s actually illegal. It bans any “device capable of receiving transmitted police radio signals.” Well, technically a regular radio or even a cell phone is “capable” of picking up police bands. Does that make them illegal too?Laws should be crystal clear about what’s prohibited. But people can interpret this law in different ways. That just leads to unfair and uneven enforcement. It’s inevitable that some totally innocent people will get charged for breaking this confusing law.
There Are Better Solutions
There are ways to prevent criminals from monitoring police radios without making scanners totally illegal.For example, law enforcement could encrypt their radio channels. That would block scanners from picking up the signals. Or New Jersey could pass a narrower law that requires a license to operate a scanner.Banning scanners entirely is an extreme step. It throws the baby out with the bathwater. There should be reasonable rules to prevent misuse of scanners, while still allowing responsible hobbyists to enjoy them.
The Ban Won’t Stop Criminals Anyway
The hard truth is that this law probably won’t even stop criminals from listening to police radios. If someone is determined to monitor police channels to evade law enforcement, a ban on scanners won’t deter them.There are already ways for tech-savvy criminals to stream encrypted police communications over the internet. A total scanner ban does nothing to address that.In the end, the only people affected by this law will be law-abiding scanner enthusiasts who will now be considered criminals just for owning these devices. It unfairly punishes the innocent while doing little to actually stop criminals.
Conclusion
New Jersey’s scanner ban has admirable goals but goes too far. It turns regular people into criminals for harmless behavior. There are better, more targeted ways to prevent misuse of scanners without banning them entirely.Laws that are overly broad or confusing end up being enforced unfairly. This scanner law risks making criminals out of innocent scanner hobbyists. While trying to stop one problem, it creates many others. New Jersey legislators should rethink and revise this law before it does more harm than good.