Police scanners are actually legal to own and operate in the United States, because the radio frequencies used by law enforcement, like all U.S. radio frequencies, belong to the public.

[Harrison Sand] just finished a guide on how to use SDR to listen in on Police and Fire radio bands. The project, which results in the crystal clear audio reception heard after the break ...

Encrypting makes the radio traffic understandable only by specially equipped police radios. For everyone else, the police frequencies are now silent. Other police departments in the area are now ...