Pinellas Park Police
Pinellas, Florida
How we verified this
RR shows PPPD 1 dispatch (1160) in the clear while PPPD 2-5 (1162-1168) carry encryption badges, matching the 'all operations except dispatch' scope; a system note adds Pinellas Park is now dispatched by Pinellas County Sheriff on PCSO Patrol 1.
Encryption Details
Pinellas County Context
Pinellas County is a mixed picture: 3 of 8 agencies we track here are fully encrypted (38%), which means some neighboring departments are still audible on a scanner.
See every agency we track in Pinellas County → County encryption overview →
What This Means
Coverage here is uneven — parts of the system are locked and parts are open, so a scanner gives you an incomplete rather than an empty picture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pinellas Park Police radio encrypted?
Yes — Pinellas Park Police's radio system runs on P25 AES-256 encryption. Coverage here is uneven — parts of the system are locked and parts are open, so a scanner gives you an incomplete rather than an empty picture.
Can I listen to Pinellas Park Police on a police scanner?
Partially. Pinellas Park Police encrypts some of its talkgroups while leaving others open, so some channels may still be accessible. Check RadioReference for specific talkgroup status.
Why did Pinellas Park Police encrypt their radio?
Officer safety and operational security are the reasons agencies give. What rarely comes with that explanation is Pinellas 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 Pinellas County reverse the encryption decision?
Yes, and some departments already have. Because encryption here is a choice rather than a technical necessity, the path back runs through the same people who chose it: budget hearings, records requests, and residents who keep asking in public.
What can I do about Pinellas Park Police encryption?
Contact the officials who oversee Pinellas Park 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 Pinellas County, or start one, since agencies respond differently to organized, sustained pressure than to individual complaints.