Police Department Partially Encrypted

New Castle Police Department

Garfield, Colorado

What you can do right now

Encryption Details

Encryption Type P25 ADP
Scope Some talkgroups encrypted (80% per RadioReference data); others remain in the clear.
Technical Details P25 ADP

Verified Talkgroup Data

Verified Mar 6, 2026 Moderate confidence
5 Total Talkgroups
4 Encrypted
1 Unencrypted
80% Encrypted
Radio System: State of Colorado DTRS
View 4 talkgroups
DEC Alpha Tag Description Status
2206 Castle Rock PD 4 Police 4 Encrypted
2201 Castle Rock PD 1 Police 1 Encrypted
2203 Castle Rock PD 2 Police 2 Encrypted
2205 Castle Rock PD 3 Police 3 Encrypted

Verification Status

We do have per-talkgroup data for New Castle Police 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 New Castle Police 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.

Shared Radio System

This page is one of 1 built from the same underlying radio record: police department here shares State of Colorado DTRS with 0 other departments in Garfield County, so the same traffic and the same encryption status show up on every one of those pages.

Garfield County Context

New Castle Police Department isn't an outlier here: 4 of the 7 public-safety agencies we track in Garfield County are fully encrypted (57%), so most departments nearby have made the same move.

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.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is New Castle Police Department radio encrypted?

Our database lists New Castle Police Department as using P25 ADP 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 New Castle Police Department on a police scanner?

Possibly. Our database lists New Castle Police Department 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 New Castle Police Department encrypt their radio?

The reasons offered are almost always the same two: officer safety and operational security. Whether either was tested against a real Garfield County incident is rarely part of the public record, whereas the consequences are easy to observe — no real-time accountability, and neighbouring agencies still in the clear left working around the gap.

Can Garfield County reverse the encryption decision?

Yes — nothing about the underlying radio technology forces this. It's a decision Garfield 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 New Castle Police Department encryption?

Three things carry weight, in this order: a public-records request for New Castle Police Department's encryption policy and radio recordings, a turn at the microphone during Garfield County budget discussions, and finding the other people locally already asking the same question. Individually these are easy to deflect; together they are not.

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