Police Department Fully Encrypted

Cal State Monterey Bay Police

Monterey, California

What you can do right now

Encryption Details

Encryption Type P25 AES-256
Scope PD interagency TG is encrypted
Technical Details P25 AES-256

Verified Talkgroup Data

Verified Mar 6, 2026 Moderate confidence
31 Total Talkgroups
1 Encrypted
1 Mixed
29 Unencrypted
5% Encrypted
Radio System: ATT (LTR), Fisher Wireless TeamTalk, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Monterey Bay Aquarium, California Radio Interoperable System (CRIS)
View 2 talkgroups
DEC Alpha Tag Description Status
1130 CAL ISU 2 Investigative Services Unit 2 Encrypted
1933 USCG Security USCG Security (SF Bay Area) Mixed

Verification Status

We don't yet have per-talkgroup data for Cal State Monterey Bay Police from the RadioReference API. The encryption scope and type above come from the RadioReference Wiki, which is community-maintained rather than independently confirmed channel-by-channel. Our automated matching put this at moderate confidence (70%) based on how closely the wiki listing matches this agency's name and county.

If you monitor Cal State Monterey Bay Police 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.

Monterey County Context

Cal State Monterey Bay Police isn't an outlier here: 15 of the 16 public-safety agencies we track in Monterey County are fully encrypted (94%), so most departments nearby have made the same move.

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.

See encryption status nationwide Interactive map showing which US police departments have encrypted their radios. Open the encryption map →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cal State Monterey Bay Police radio encrypted?

Cal State Monterey Bay Police 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 Cal State Monterey Bay Police on a police scanner?

Likely not, if the listing is accurate: our database lists Cal State Monterey Bay Police 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 Cal State Monterey Bay Police encrypt their radio?

Officer safety and operational security are the reasons agencies give. What rarely comes with that explanation is Monterey 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 Monterey County reverse the encryption decision?

Yes. Whoever made this call for Cal State Monterey Bay Police can also unmake it; there's no technical lock-in. The approach that has worked elsewhere combines public-records requests, direct council pressure, and a coordinated local coalition.

What can I do about Cal State Monterey Bay Police encryption?

Contact the officials who oversee Cal State Monterey Bay Police'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 Monterey County, or start one, since agencies respond differently to organized, sustained pressure than to individual complaints.

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