Radio hacker sentenced to five-year term for interfering with police

[William Knowles <wk () C4I ORG>]

http://www.uniontribune.com/news/state/20000610-991447-radiohacker.html

ASSOCIATED PRESS
June 10, 2000

LOS ANGELES -- An amateur radio operator was sentenced to a five-year
prison sentence for interfering with police radio frequencies.

Jack Gerritsen admitted he broadcast an obscene message on police
frequencies that began "you Rampart pigs" more than 1,000 times last
fall, said Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Steven J.
Ipsen.

The 64-year old from Bell, a community 16 miles southeast of Los
Angeles, was arrested in December after a lengthy investigation by the
California Highway Patrol and the Federal Communications Commission.
The CHP got involved after Gerritsen's interference disrupted the
pursuit of a suspect who eventually escaped.

Gerritsen was sentenced Thursday.

His interference of police activities was not limited to radio, Ipsen
said. Gerritsen has been present at several police raids, pointing out
undercover officers to suspects, and has been a regular fixture at DUI
checkpoints for the last ten years, authorities said.

"Most people who are in touch with reality know there are situations
which require police involvement," Ipsen said. "Mr. Gerritsen doesn't
believe that police involvement is ever justified."

Gerritsen, who represented himself at trial and sang the theme song
from the TV show "Cops" in his closing argument, said his broadcasts
did not interfere with police and were protected by his First
Amendment rights.

Gerritsen also faces 34 misdemeanor counts of violating police
frequencies in nearby Orange County.

Interference with police frequencies was a rare occurrence until a few
years ago, when sophisticated radio equipment became available, police
said.

Gerritsen has been the most significant problem of this kind in Los
Angeles county, Ipsen said. "No one is as prolific as this guy."

With Gerritson's conviction, "a lot of police officers are going to be
able to focus on their jobs without being insulted on a daily basis,"
Ipsen said.


*-------------------------------------------------*
"Communications without intelligence is noise;
Intelligence without communications is irrelevant."
Gen. Alfred. M. Gray, USMC
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