Glencoe-Hokes Bluff Fire Department
Calhoun, Alabama
Encryption Details
Verified Talkgroup Data
View 3 talkgroups
| DEC | Alpha Tag | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 33003 | HOKES B FD DISP | Hokes Bluff Fire: Dispatch | Encrypted |
| 33004 | HOKES B FD TAC1 | Hokes Bluff Fire: Tactical 1 | Encrypted |
| 33005 | HOKES B FD TAC2 | Hokes Bluff Fire: Tactical 2 | Encrypted |
Verification Status
We do have per-talkgroup data for Glencoe-Hokes Bluff Fire Department from the RadioReference API, and used it to set the encryption scope shown above — but no additional human-reviewed source (a live feed check or a dated news account) has been recorded for this record, so treat it as a data-quality correction rather than an independently confirmed verification. Check the live RadioReference database directly for current status.
If you monitor Glencoe-Hokes Bluff Fire Department directly or have more current information, the fastest way to fix this is to update the RadioReference Wiki entry — our data pulls from there and from the RadioReference API on a regular refresh cycle.
Calhoun County Context
Calhoun County is a mixed picture: 7 of 19 agencies we track here are fully encrypted (37%), which means some neighboring departments are still audible on a scanner.
See every agency we track in Calhoun County → County encryption overview →
What This Means
This agency is listed in our database as encrypting all of its radio communications, including routine dispatch. The listing is unverified — confirm current status on the live RadioReference database.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Glencoe-Hokes Bluff Fire Department radio encrypted?
Glencoe-Hokes Bluff Fire Department is listed in our records with P25 AES-256 encryption — a listing we haven't yet verified against live talkgroup data. This agency is listed in our database as encrypting all of its radio communications, including routine dispatch. The listing is unverified — confirm current status on the live RadioReference database.
Can I listen to Glencoe-Hokes Bluff Fire Department on a police scanner?
Likely not, if the listing is accurate: our database lists Glencoe-Hokes Bluff Fire Department as fully encrypted using P25 AES-256, which no consumer scanner can decode. The listing is unverified — check the live RadioReference database for current status.
Why do agencies like Glencoe-Hokes Bluff Fire Department encrypt their radio?
Officer safety and operational security are the reasons agencies give. What rarely comes with that explanation is Calhoun County-specific evidence that open communications ever caused a problem, while the loss of public oversight and the friction with still-unencrypted neighboring agencies are both immediate and real.
Can Calhoun County reverse the encryption decision?
Yes, and some departments already have. Because encryption here is a choice rather than a technical necessity, the path back runs through the same people who chose it: budget hearings, records requests, and residents who keep asking in public.
What can I do about Glencoe-Hokes Bluff Fire Department encryption?
Contact the officials who oversee Glencoe-Hokes Bluff Fire Department's budget directly and ask why full encryption was chosen over partial alternatives. Pair that with a FOIA request for recordings and policy records, and look for an existing coalition in Calhoun County, or start one, since agencies respond differently to organized, sustained pressure than to individual complaints.