McHenry County Sheriff
McHenry, Illinois
How we verified this
As of August 2026 RadioReference lists most McHenry County Sheriff STARCOM21 talkgroups — car-to-car, Tac 2 and 3, command, detectives, narcotics and SWAT — as encrypted, while sheriff dispatch (1101), admin (1107), coroner (1134) and countywide incident command remain in the clear.
Encryption Details
McHenry County Context
McHenry 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 McHenry County → County encryption overview →
What This Means
The encryption here is targeted at tactical traffic rather than everything. Regular dispatch can still come through, which makes this a narrower restriction than a full lockout.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is McHenry County Sheriff radio encrypted?
Yes. McHenry County Sheriff uses P25 AES-256 encryption. The encryption here is targeted at tactical traffic rather than everything. Regular dispatch can still come through, which makes this a narrower restriction than a full lockout.
Can I listen to McHenry County Sheriff on a police scanner?
Partially. McHenry County Sheriff encrypts its tactical channels, so some channels may still be accessible. Check RadioReference for specific talkgroup status.
Why did McHenry County Sheriff 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 sheriff's office response as it happens.
Can McHenry County reverse the encryption decision?
Nothing technical prevents it. McHenry County Sheriff 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 McHenry County Sheriff encryption?
Three things carry weight, in this order: a public-records request for McHenry County Sheriff's encryption policy and radio recordings, a turn at the microphone during McHenry County budget discussions, and finding the other people locally already asking the same question. Individually these are easy to deflect; together they are not.