Hinch says police hacked 3AW talkback switchboard

3AW’s Derryn Hinch has suggested on his program that Victoria police used sophisticated phone tapping equipment to hack the 3AW switchboard and trace a person who called the station’s rumour file segment to disclose gossip about the deputy police commissioner. “Last time I looked we still had freedom of speech in this town [and] it was not a crime to phone a radio station,” said Hinch.

 

In an editorial on air yesterday Hinch told the story a serving police officer’s wife who called the station’s rumour file breakfast segment claiming that the new Deputy Commissioner, Sir Ken Jones, “was not happy with the Police hierarchy and the way things were run, and was considering picking up his marbles and going home to the UK.”

The officer’s house was subsequently raided and occupants were closely questioned about phone calls made from the house to 3AW.

 

Hinch explained that he believes that the raid could have been the result of the police using their high tech phone tapping equipment to detect the leaker:

 

“Apparently Victoria Police have the power and the equipment to do what is known as a ‘reverse CCR’ on any telephone or switchboard in Victoria. That’s a Call Charge Record. It must be approved by an inspector or above and it is very expensive…

“They can hack your switchboard, access all numbers that have dialed in over a chosen 15-minute period and then track them back to the source. All of this can be done without your knowledge. Or without your employer’s knowledge or consent.”

 

 

He asked, did somebody use the pretext of security for Ken Jones to trace the identity of a copper’s gossiping wife? Did they then use the same flimsy excuse to raid that officer’s home? To invade his family’s privacy and seize his computer?

 

“The last I heard it was not a crime for a person to phone a radio station. Not in this state. Unless it’s a Police state.”

 

See Hinch’s full editorial by ckicking the picture below.

 

 

The Herald Sun has followed up this story today saying its switchboard too has been hacked by police.