Sheriff's Office Fully Encrypted
San Mateo County Sheriff
San Mateo, California
Encryption Details
Encryption Type P25 AES-256
Scope All Narcotics operations
Technical Details P25 AES-256
Verified Talkgroup Data
Verified Jan 2, 2026 Moderate confidence
36 Total Talkgroups
4 Encrypted
32 Unencrypted
11% Encrypted
Radio System: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, San Mateo County P25 Regional Communications System, San Francisco County/City P25, Signature Wireless Group iDAS Multitrunk (Bay Area), Fisher Wireless TeamTalk, Caltrans (District 4 - South), TelePath Corporation (Connect Plus), Silke Communications FleetNet, California Radio Interoperable System (CRIS)
View 4 talkgroups
| DEC | Alpha Tag | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1413 | SFGH | San Francisco General Hospital | Encrypted |
| 1414 | SFGH BASE | San Francisco General Hospital - Base | Encrypted |
| 1420 | VA | San Francisco VA Medical Center | Encrypted |
| 783 | VA White | Valley White - Stockton (62) / Tracy (103) / Amador (94) / San Andreas (49) | Encrypted |
What This Means
This agency encrypts all of their radio communications, including routine dispatch. The public, journalists, and even other first responders cannot monitor their activities.
Impact on Transparency
- Journalists cannot monitor police activity for breaking news or investigative reporting
- Community members cannot track police response to incidents in their neighborhood
- Researchers cannot study police communication patterns and response times
- Other first responders may face interoperability challenges during emergencies
Take Action
Want to help restore transparency to San Mateo County? Here's how you can make a difference: