Other Agency Fully Encrypted

L.A. IMPACT Unit

Los Angeles, California

What you can do right now

Encryption Details

Encryption Type P25 DES-OFB
Scope All Operations
Technical Details P25 DES-OFB

Verified Talkgroup Data

Verified Mar 6, 2026 High confidence
44 Total Talkgroups
19 Encrypted
5 Mixed
20 Unencrypted
49% Encrypted
Radio System: Norwalk City Services, United States Department of Defense (14C), Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System (LA-RICS), Los Angeles Countywide Integrated Radio System (CWIRS), California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Phillips 66 Refineries, Chevron El Segundo Refinery P25, California Radio Interoperable System (CRIS)
View 24 talkgroups
DEC Alpha Tag Description Status
24181 NASL MP Dispatch Police Dispatch (Mobile Units Encrypted) Mixed
2219 LASD TRNG TAS Training Bureau - Tactics and Survival Unit Encrypted
2100 LASD SAR MOUNT Search And Rescue - Mounted Unit Encrypted
2257 LASD LTAC CCS L-TAC Community College Bureau Encrypted
2258 LASD METRO CCS Metro - Community College Bureau Supplemental Tac Encrypted
2025 LASD MCU 1 Mobile Command Unit 1 Encrypted
2026 LASD MCU 2 Mobile Command Unit 2 Encrypted
2055 LASD DISP SUD Special Units Dispatch Encrypted
2098 LASD ASAP 1 Advanced Surveillance and Protection Unit Encrypted
2276 LASD MOTORS TAC Motor Unit Encrypted
2279 LASD SOU 1 Security Operations Unit 1 Encrypted
2280 LASD SOU 2 Security Operations Unit 2 Encrypted
1046 LACOFD COMM Field Communication Unit Encrypted
2071 LASD WTU 1 Weapons Training Unit 1 Encrypted
2273 LASD RTU 1 Recruit Training Unit 1 Encrypted
2507 LASD OSS GSU Operation Safe Streets Gangs Surveillance Unit Encrypted
2072 LASD WTU 2 Weapons Training Unit 2 Encrypted
2270 LASD TRNG AOT Training - Advanced Officer Training Unit Encrypted
2274 LASD RTU 2 Recruit Training Unit 2 Encrypted
11823 SSU TAC 1 Special Services Unit - Tac 1 Mixed
11828 SSU TAC 2 Special Services Unit - Tac 2 Mixed
1130 CAL ISU 2 Investigative Services Unit 2 Encrypted
36011 ALKY Alkylation Unit Mixed
36014 FCCARU Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit Mixed

Verification Status

We don't yet have per-talkgroup data for L.A. IMPACT Unit 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 high confidence (99%) based on how closely the wiki listing matches this agency's name and county.

If you monitor L.A. IMPACT Unit 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.

Los Angeles County Context

L.A. IMPACT Unit isn't an outlier here: 39 of the 46 public-safety agencies we track in Los Angeles County are fully encrypted (85%), 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 L.A. IMPACT Unit radio encrypted?

L.A. IMPACT Unit is listed in our records with P25 DES-OFB 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 L.A. IMPACT Unit on a police scanner?

Likely not, if the listing is accurate: our database lists L.A. IMPACT Unit as fully encrypted using P25 DES-OFB, which no consumer scanner can decode. The listing is unverified — check the live RadioReference database for current status.

Why do agencies like L.A. IMPACT Unit encrypt their radio?

Ask why, and the answer is usually officer safety, sometimes operational security. What is harder to obtain is any documented case in Los Angeles County where an open channel caused harm. The costs need no such documentation: reporting on other agency response slows down, and mutual-aid coordination gets more awkward, immediately.

Can Los Angeles County reverse the encryption decision?

Yes. Encryption is a policy choice made by department leadership or elected officials, not a technical requirement, so it can be reversed the same way. Public pressure, city council advocacy, and organized local coalitions have reversed encryption decisions elsewhere.

What can I do about L.A. IMPACT Unit encryption?

Ask for the paperwork first — the policy that authorised encryption for L.A. IMPACT Unit, and the recordings themselves — because a specific request is harder to wave away than a general complaint. Then take what you learn to a council meeting, and bring others from Los Angeles County with you.

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