Police Scanner Pro is one of the more pricy apps in its group. You have a choice of paying $2.99 per week, $9.99 per month, or $39.99 per year. Platforms: iOS, Android ...

Police radio communication has come a long way since the high jinks of Officers Toody and Muldoon in “Car 54, Where are You?” became a black and white TV classic.

Police scanners are actually legal to own and operate in the United States, because the radio frequencies used by law enforcement, like all U.S. radio frequencies, belong to the public.

Instead, grab the free Scanner Radio app for Android and iOS. It lets you hear more than 4,400 live police, fire, weather and other channels from around the world.

Police Scanner Pro is one of the more pricy apps in its group. You have a choice of paying $2.99 per week, $9.99 per month, or $39.99 per year. Platforms: iOS, Android ...