San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
San Francisco, California
Encryption Details
Verified Talkgroup Data
View 24 talkgroups
| DEC | Alpha Tag | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6001 | SFO PD 1 | Police 1 - Traffic Control | Encrypted |
| 6002 | SFO PD 2 | Police 2 - Dispatch | Encrypted |
| 6021 | SFO FD DISP | Fire Dispatch | Mixed |
| 6041 | SFO OPS 1 | Airport Operations 1 | Encrypted |
| 6022 | SFO FD TAC | Fire Tactical | Mixed |
| 1413 | SFGH | San Francisco General Hospital | Encrypted |
| 1414 | SFGH BASE | San Francisco General Hospital - Base | Encrypted |
| 1420 | VA | San Francisco VA Medical Center | Encrypted |
| 6023 | SFO FD MED | Fire Medical | Mixed |
| 6027 | SFO FD 6 | Fire Ch 6 | Mixed |
| 6024 | SFO FD ARFF | Fire Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting | Mixed |
| 6026 | SFO FD 5 | Fire Ch 5 | Mixed |
| 6028 | SFO FD 7 | Fire Ch 7 | Mixed |
| 6029 | SFO FDM | Fire Marshal | Mixed |
| 6042 | SFO OPS 2 | Airport Operations 2 | Encrypted |
| 6043 | SFO OPS 3 | Airport Operations 3 | Encrypted |
| 6044 | SFO ADM | Airport Administration | Encrypted |
| 6045 | SFO ICS | Incident Command System | Encrypted |
| 6046 | SFO SOC | Security Operations Center | Encrypted |
| 6003 | SFO PD 3 | Police 3 | Encrypted |
| 6005 | SFO PD TAC1 | Police Tac 1 | Encrypted |
| 6025 | SFO PD TAC2 | Police Tac 2 | Encrypted |
| 6047 | SFO PD TAC3 | Police Tac 3 | Encrypted |
| 783 | VA White | Valley White - Stockton (62) / Tracy (103) / Amador (94) / San Andreas (49) | Encrypted |
Verification Status
We do have per-talkgroup data for San Francisco International Airport (SFO) 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 San Francisco International Airport (SFO) 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.
San Francisco County Context
Of the 2 public-safety agencies we track in San Francisco County, San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is currently the only one we have flagged as encrypted.
See every agency we track in San Francisco County → County encryption overview →
What This Means
Our records list a mix here: some talkgroups encrypted, others not. The listing is unverified, so confirm what is audible at RadioReference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is San Francisco International Airport (SFO) radio encrypted?
Our database lists San Francisco International Airport (SFO) as using P25 AES-256 encryption, though this listing is unverified. Our records list a mix here: some talkgroups encrypted, others not. The listing is unverified, so confirm what is audible at RadioReference.
Can I listen to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) on a police scanner?
Possibly. Our database lists San Francisco International Airport (SFO) as encrypting some of its talkgroups while leaving others open, which would leave some channels accessible. The listing is unverified — check RadioReference for specific talkgroup status.
Why do agencies like San Francisco International Airport (SFO) encrypt their radio?
Agencies cite officer safety and operational security. Those are assertions rather than findings — no local evidence is typically produced — while the effects are concrete and land straight away on anyone who relied on hearing San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to know what was happening nearby.
Can San Francisco County reverse the encryption decision?
Yes — nothing about the underlying radio technology forces this. It's a decision San Francisco County officials made and can revisit, and other communities have pushed departments back toward open channels through sustained council pressure and coalition-building.
What can I do about San Francisco International Airport (SFO) encryption?
Three things carry weight, in this order: a public-records request for San Francisco International Airport (SFO)'s encryption policy and radio recordings, a turn at the microphone during San Francisco County budget discussions, and finding the other people locally already asking the same question. Individually these are easy to deflect; together they are not.