Who would tune in to a police scanner? Surprisingly, a lot of people dial that frequency all over the world. It’s simply a matter of finding a scanner website that you enjoy. Then it’s a simple matter of searching for the state, county or even the country you want to tune into. So if you want to tune in to the Baltimore police scanner, you can do it absolutely free.
Many different people use scanners to keep track of crime, traffic, loved ones and even current events. While awareness of their usefulness jumped up during the Boston Manhunt, around the world many people have been listening to scanners for years. Enough so that countries like Australia actually have rules banning people from listening in.
If you’re curious, it’s easy to begin listening in. The first thing you should do is make sure you have a high-speed Internet connection and a working computer with the ability to run the latest software. Many of the websites below require the latest plug-ins to run properly and to make your user experience as bug-free as possible. Most of these sites run well on Macs or PCs.
You may want to site with sites like Broadcastify.com or Radio Reference will help you find live feeds all over the US. These sites specialize in radio feeds that include Internet radio, news and even encourage users to self-broadcast.
Public safety feeds are easy to find just by typing keywords in the search bar. Press enter and you have access not just to Baltimore’s police scanner, but emergency services, firefighters and even air traffic. You can refine your search so you can listen in to specific precincts or even specific stations. There are times that a little knowledge comes in handy and can save you a lot of time.
Another free avenue you might want to consider is downloading scanner apps into your smartphone. Both Android and Apple offer scanner apps for free. Applications like 5-0 Police Scanner Lite are free and offer extra features if you choose to go with the paid version. Police Scanner + Free is another similarly designed application. Both of these apps are available from the App Store. Android offers Police Scanner from Google Play, which consistently has the highest reviews of all the free apps. Just don’t be tempted to use this in the car, as most states frown on using one while you drive. (You have to avoid that speeding ticket somehow).
Amateur radio hobbyists may also enjoy sites like the DXZone and ScannerMaster.com. They’ll help you take your radio hobby a step further. ScannerMaster, for example, lists where you can acquire actual police scanners or radios. Before you take that step, make sure you know if your local laws frown on having an physical scanner in your possession.
Listening to a police scanner can give you a new appreciation of what goes on in law enforcement. Not only that, it can even help you keep track of what’s going on right in your backyard.