Illinois Attorney General
Statewide, Illinois
How we verified this
As of August 2026 RadioReference lists seven of roughly twenty Illinois Attorney General STARCOM21 talkgroups as encrypted, with most regional investigative and surveillance talkgroups still listed in the clear.
Encryption Details
What This Means
A defined subset of this agency's channels is encrypted. The rest of the system continues to operate in the clear.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Illinois Attorney General radio encrypted?
Yes. Illinois Attorney General uses P25 AES-256 encryption. A defined subset of this agency's channels is encrypted. The rest of the system continues to operate in the clear.
Can I listen to Illinois Attorney General on a police scanner?
Partially. Illinois Attorney General encrypts specific talkgroups rather than the whole system, so some channels may still be accessible. Check RadioReference for specific talkgroup status.
Why did Illinois Attorney General encrypt their radio?
The standard justification nationwide is officer safety and operational security, regardless of whether a documented local incident ever required it. The tradeoff that follows is consistent too: public oversight drops, and reporters lose the ability to track other agency response as it happens.
Can Statewide County reverse the encryption decision?
Nothing technical prevents it. Illinois Attorney General operates encrypted because someone decided it should, and decisions of that kind get revisited when councils hear sustained, organised pressure rather than isolated complaints.
What can I do about Illinois Attorney General encryption?
File a FOIA request for Illinois Attorney General's radio recordings and encryption-decision paperwork, then show up to speak at a council or commission meeting. Find other residents or journalists in Statewide County who want the same access — state legislation requiring public radio access is the longer-term fix, but organized local pressure is what usually moves the needle first.