Illinois does not have any laws against purchasing, owning, or using a radio receiver otherwise known to most in layman's terms as a "Scanner" or "Police Scanner". Illinois law only states that a person shall not use a scanner or other radio communications device to commit a crime or further a crime. Word has recently been received via the Chicago Metro Section of Radio Reference and confirmed via Second City Cop, that Chicago Police have arrested the father of a Chicago Police Sgt. for "possession of a scanner radio" although there is no such city ordinance or state law.
Word of this arrest came about at Radio Reference during a discussion of Illinois Law in these matters from a user stating he is a press member and wanted to be able to comply with any possible laws in place. At Second City Cop, word of this arrest came about during the commenting session about Chicago Aldermen proposing an earlier curfew for children under 12 years old with the article titled "More Curfew Non-Sense".
Screen shots are provided below. Shortwave America is investigating this incident.
This is the second time in four years that Chicago Police have acted unreasonably towards a person with wide frequency coverage radio gear. The last incident happened in CPD's 14th District when tactical officers attempted the arrest of a person licensed by the FCC as an Amateur Radio Operator, and in possession of a UHF hand-held transceiver who was operating while walking down Milwaukee Ave. That incident triggered a C.R.# and an investigation of the involved officers for misconduct and violation of FCC PR91-36.
Editor's extra note: Prior to these two incidents, Chicago Police were rumored to have acted in a crackdown in 2004 on Chicago's South side, on a large group of radio enthusiasts belonging to a loosely knit group known as "Chicago Listeners" who were accused of unknown radio related offenses, but never charged. At that time, statements from those involved were said to have blamed a group called "CARMA", an established group of radio enthusiasts with no history of radio related misbehavior and overseen by experienced law enforcement professionals.
***UPDATE***
Shortwave America has spoken with News Affairs Officer O'Brien with the Chicago Police Department who states that "there have not been any notifications made at this time regarding an incident like this". However, O'Brien did say that the information given in these screen captures was too vague to even track down accurate verification and that he would need names, times, and location.
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