Police Radio app review: listen in to any city's police, EMS, and fire department radio broadcasts

Introduction

The Police Radio app is a police scanner that allows you to listen in to your local Police, Fire, or EMS broadcasts live as it happens. 

Police Radio is great if you are a reporter looking for the inside scoop, a civilian wanting to get the latest news in the area, or you just want to sit around the house and pretend you're Batman waiting for crime to to take place.

Listen In on Your City's Finest Any Time You Want

The Police Radio app excels as a scanner; its no wonder it's become the number one news app in the United States. When you first open the app Police Radio immediately goes to the "hottest" broadcast (the one with the most listeners) at that moment. You can select the "Hot Scanners" based on Listeners, or Reports via the buttons on the top of the screen.

Listeners will provide you with the scanners that have the most people listening in at the moment, and Reports will provide you with the frequency that has the most phoned in reports on the crime or emergency.

Through the bottom menu you can also view broadcasts by directory, what's nearest to you, or your favorite emergency band stations. When I first opened the directory I was absolutely staggered. Not only was every state and city in the U.S. available, but Police Radio has the ability to allow you to listen in to any police or emergency band in the world.

Once you find your favorites, you can save them quite easily via the button in the top right. From then on you have your local and favorite police bands at your disposal any time you want.

 

We Have a Robbery in Progress

Police Radio's interface is slick, easy to use, and the graphics resemble your own personal walkie talkie. Which, honestly, does make you feel like you are a part of the team. On the downside there are a few pop-up ads in the free version, but for a mere $1.99 you can upgrade and those ads are a thing of the past.

The only real downside is unlike your iTunes, or Podcasts, once your screen goes to sleep the app stops. With any other app I would accept this, but with one that deals with strictly audio I would hope this wouldn't happen. So when listening to Police Radio remember to shut your screen sleep timer off.

 

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Listen in on your local Police, Fire, and EMS broadcasts
• The ability to listen to any emergency broadcast around the world
• Your favorites are easily saved 
• Upon launching tunes in to the "Hottest" scanner at the moment
• Full version is only $1.99

 

Cons

• A few pop-up ads
• App shuts down when your screen goes to sleep

 

Final Thoughts

Police Radio is one of the best police scanner apps out there. With so many broadcasts available, it becomes difficult to listen to just one.

If you are a reporter, or just a civilian looking to find out what our men and women of law enforcement are up to, the Police Radio app should be at the top of your list.