Tuning in to the local police frequently once meant you needed to hunker down in a garag
e, tinker with your CB radio and spend most of the day or evening listening in. This was a popular hobby back in the day and led to some pretty unexpected outcomes. For example, a man in Asia once saved an entire crew trapped in a sinking ship simply because he strolled by his scanner and heard their panicked chatter. Realizing that they were near his location, he called the local coastguard.
You don’t need to build an elaborate CB system in your garage these days. While nothing as dramatic may happen to you while you listen in, ordinary citizens use police scanners to do a multitude of things. It can help you plan your morning by letting you which streets to avoid or give you a blow by blow account of that accident that stalled traffic all way to 1-110. It can help give you up-to-the-minute weather reports when storms or tornadoes hit. Not only that, you can simply listen in to see where your taxes go.
All you need in an Internet connection and an updated browser with all the necessary plug-ins. Many of these websites use Adobe Flash, so if you’re browsing from an Apple computer it may detract from your experience. However, Apple does provide plenty of Flash apps to help you get around the hurdle.
Sites like Broadcastify.com allow you to access police scanners for free, simply by typing in El Paso or Texas in the search bar. You can narrow down the search even to county frequencies! The site lists county locations in a handy map interface that allows you to point and click. Broadcastify allows users to choose the type of player they prefer or to use the site’s embedded player. This makes it easy for you to not just find the police scanner frequency but set it up to suit your preference and connection.
RadioReference.com presents a more cerebral experience. The site describes itself as the world’s largest radio data provider and it lives up to the hype. While you can easily search and access the El Paso police scanner frequency or any frequency you want, the site is user-generated. Updates include frequencies that are out of commission, police dispatch updates and user-provided frequencies. The site’s user forums may also add to your experience, as you will a diverse group ranging from casual hobbyists to true enthusiasts. Registration is free.
TuneIn.com is better known as a radio streaming site that allows access to different radio stations all across the world. The nature of the site allows you to search and find the El Paso police frequency with hardly any trouble. However, the site needs Microsoft Silverlight (PC) or Quicktime (Mac) to work smoothly and stream without issues. Understandably, this can turn more than a few people off the site if they have to continuously download or upload.
These are just a few of the sites that allow you to access police frequencies without spending a single penny. Remember to check local state laws before tuning in and just enjoy.