Original source: Florida Statutes online (2002)
Title XLVI - CRIMES
Chapter 843 - Obstructing Justice

843.16  Unlawful to install radio equipment  using  assigned  frequency
        of State or law enforcement officers; definitions;  exceptions;
        penalties.--

(1)  No person, firm, or corporation shall install in any motor vehicle
     or business establishment, except an emergency  vehicle  or  crime
     watch  vehicle  as  herein  defined  or  a  place  established  by
     municipal, county, state, or federal  authority  for  governmental
     purposes, any frequency modulation radio  receiving  equipment  so
     adjusted or tuned as to receive messages or signals on frequencies
     assigned by the Federal Communications Commission to police or law
     enforcement officers of any city or county of the state or to  the
     state or any of its agencies.  Provided, nothing herein  shall  be
     construed to affect any radio  station  licensed  by  the  Federal
     Communications System or to affect  any  recognized  newspaper  or
     news publication engaged in covering the news on a full-time basis
     or any alarm system contractor certified pursuant to  Part  II  of
     Chapter 489, Operating a Central Monitoring System.

(2)  As used in this section, the term:

     (a)  "Emergency vehicle" shall specifically mean:

          1.  Any motor vehicle used by any law enforcement officer  or
          employee of any city, any  county,  the  state,  the  Federal
          Bureau of Investigation, or the Armed Forces  of  the  United
          States while on official business;

          2.  Any fire department vehicle of any city or county of  the
          state or any state fire department vehicle;

          3.  Any motor vehicle designated as an emergency  vehicle  by
          the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles when said
          vehicle is to be assigned the use of frequencies assigned  to
          the state;

          4.  Any motor vehicle designated as an emergency  vehicle  by
          the Sheriff of any county in the state when said  vehicle  is
          to be assigned the use of frequencies assigned  to  the  said
          county;

          5.  Any motor vehicle designated as an emergency  vehicle  by
          the Chief of Police of  any  city  in  the  state  when  said
          vehicle is to be assigned the use of frequencies assigned  to
          the said city.

     (b)  "Crime watch vehicle" means any motor  vehicle  used  by  any
          person participating in a citizen crime watch or neighborhood
          watch program when such  program  and  use  are  approved  in
          writing by the appropriate Sheriff or Chief of  Police  where
          the vehicle will be used and the vehicle is assigned the  use
          of frequencies assigned to the county or city. Such  approval
          shall be renewed annually.

(3)  This section shall not apply to any  holder  of  a  valid  amateur
     radio  operator  or  station  license  issued   by   the   Federal
     Communications Commission or to any recognized newspaper  or  news
     publication engaged in covering the news on a full-time  basis  or
     any alarm system contractor  certified  pursuant  to  Part  II  of
     Chapter 489, Operating a Central Monitoring System.

(4)  Any person, firm, or corporation violating any of  the  provisions
     of this section shall be deemed guilty of  a  misdemeanor  of  the
     second degree, punishable as provided in § 775.082  or  § 775.083.

History.--§§ 1-4, ch. 26886, 1951; §§ 24, 35, ch. 69-106;  § 1049,  ch.
71-136; § 1, ch. 86-55; § 1, ch. 90-62.

Retranscribed by: Todd L. Sherman/KB4MHH
Last updated: December 16, 2002.

Mobile Scanner & RADAR-Detector Laws In The U.S.
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Gainesville, Alachua Co., Fla.
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