Dekalb County Corrections
Dekalb, Illinois
How we verified this
As of August 2026 RadioReference's DeKalb County Public Safety page lists the county's corrections talkgroup as encrypted, "84 T Enc Corrections Main Corrections: Main", while the county sheriff/rural law dispatch talkgroup on the same system remains in the clear.
Encryption Details
Verified Talkgroup Data
View 1 talkgroup
| DEC | Alpha Tag | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 84 | Corrections Main | Corrections: Main | Encrypted |
Dekalb County Context
Dekalb County is a mixed picture: 1 of 2 agencies we track here are fully encrypted (50%), which means some neighboring departments are still audible on a scanner.
See every agency we track in Dekalb County → County encryption overview →
What This Means
Everything this agency transmits is encrypted, dispatch included. For anyone outside the department — residents, reporters, neighbouring responders — the channel is simply silent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dekalb County Corrections radio encrypted?
Yes — Dekalb County Corrections's radio system runs on P25 AES-256 encryption. Everything this agency transmits is encrypted, dispatch included. For anyone outside the department — residents, reporters, neighbouring responders — the channel is simply silent.
Can I listen to Dekalb County Corrections on a police scanner?
No. Dekalb County Corrections has fully encrypted their radio communications using P25 AES-256. No consumer scanner can decode encrypted transmissions.
Why did Dekalb County Corrections encrypt their radio?
Ask why, and the answer is usually officer safety, sometimes operational security. What is harder to obtain is any documented case in Dekalb County where an open channel caused harm. The costs need no such documentation: reporting on corrections facility response slows down, and mutual-aid coordination gets more awkward, immediately.
Can Dekalb 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 Dekalb County Corrections encryption?
Contact the officials who oversee Dekalb County Corrections'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 Dekalb County, or start one, since agencies respond differently to organized, sustained pressure than to individual complaints.