"I’ll never report a story straight from the police scanner. Why? I don’t want to spread false information," posts Brad Gary, All Points Bulletin, Lewiston Tribune. "Don’t get me wrong, the radio communication that takes place between first responders and dispatchers is a valuable tool for a reporter. And some chatter between officers can be a humorous interjection that breaks up the often-stressful accounts I hear throughout the day. But a report to police can also be an exaggerated tale by a bystander or passerby who thinks they saw or heard the beginnings of a dire situation that turns out to be an innocent misunderstanding. That’s why every line of scanner chatter needs to be checked out. It’s worth the time to take 10 minutes, or even an hour, and confirm the story being told via radio waves is a true one." More here.

Question: Do you listen to a police scanner?