All 19 listed Cook County agencies are encrypted
19 public safety agencies in Cook County, Illinois have encrypted their radio communications. 100% Encrypted
Radio systems serving Cook County
- Chicago OEMC Public Safety - 800 MHz P25
- Will County Government IL (P25)
- A-Beep - Arlington Heights LTR
- ComEd
- TeamConnect
- STARCOM21 Statewide Illinois
- Diga-Talk
- Communications Direct (Chicago Soldier Field)
Of 95 talkgroups catalogued for Cook County, 17 are encrypted and 62 remain in the clear. A scanner can still receive the unencrypted channels.
17 of 19 records here have been checked against a primary source; 2 have not.
System and talkgroup counts come from this site's agency database and change without notice — confirm current status on RadioReference.
Encryption Technology Used in Cook County
Encrypted Agencies in Cook County
| Agency Name | Type | Encryption | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art Institute of Chicago | Other | DMR Enhanced Privacy | Fully Encrypted |
| Chicago Police Department ✓ | Police | P25 AES | Fully Encrypted |
| Cicero Police ✓ | Police | NXDN Scrambling | Fully Encrypted |
| Cook County Sheriff/StarCom21 Node 5 ✓ | Sheriff | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Glenview Police ✓ | Police | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Hatzolah EMS ✓ | Ems | MOTOTRBO | Fully Encrypted |
| Harwood Heights/Norridge/Schiller Park Police ✓ | Police | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| La Grange/La Grange Park/Western Springs Police ✓ | Police | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Morton Grove Police ✓ | Police | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Niles Police ✓ | Police | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Northbrook Police ✓ | Police | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| NWCD Police Dispatch 1-Elk Grove Village/Mt.Prospect/Prospect Heights ✓ | Police | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| NWCD Police Dispatch 2-Inverness/Palatine/Rolling Meadows ✓ | Police | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| NWCD Police Dispatch 3-Arlington Heights/Buffalo Grove ✓ | Police | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| NWCD Police Dispatch 4-Hoffman Estates/Streamwood ✓ | Police | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| NWCD Police Dispatch 5-Schaumburg ✓ | Police | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Skokie Police ✓ | Police | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Winnetka, Wilmette, Glencoe, Northfield, Kenilworth Police (Net 24B) ✓ | Police | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Cook Township Police | Police | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
Related Case Studies
Learn more about police radio encryption issues in Cook County and Illinois.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cook County police radio encrypted?
Yes, all 19 public safety agencies in Cook County, Illinois have fully encrypted their radio communications.
Can I listen to Cook County Sheriff on a scanner?
The Cook County Sheriff's Office has encrypted their radio communications using P25 AES-256. Scanner monitoring of sheriff operations is no longer possible.
How many police departments in Cook County are encrypted?
16 police departments in Cook County have implemented some level of encryption, along with 1 sheriff offices, 0 fire departments, and 1 EMS agencies.
What encryption technology does Cook County use?
The most common encryption type in Cook County is P25 AES-256, used by agencies for secure communications. This encryption blocks public scanner monitoring.
Fight Encryption in Cook County
Join the movement to restore transparency to public safety communications in Cook County, Illinois.