Police Department Tactical Only

Vernon Hills Police

Lake, Illinois

What you can do right now

Encryption Details

Encryption Type P25 AES-256
Scope Dispatch/Detail/TAC/investigations
Technical Details P25 Phase II AES-256

Verified Talkgroup Data

Verified Mar 6, 2026 Moderate confidence
9 Total Talkgroups
5 Encrypted
4 Unencrypted
56% Encrypted
Radio System: STARCOM21 Statewide Illinois
View 5 talkgroups
DEC Alpha Tag Description Status
33272 LakeComm Law 5 LakeComm Dispatch: Law 5 (Mundelein, Vernon Hills PDs) Encrypted
34103 SEECOM Police 2 Police: Dispatch-Huntley, Lake in the Hills Encrypted
34139 LITH PD Inv Lake in the Hills Police: Investigations Encrypted
34110 LITH/Hntly C2C Police: Car-to-Car - Huntley, Lake in the Hills Encrypted
34154 ALITH FPD Ops 2 Algonquin-Lake in the Hills FPD: Tac-2 Encrypted

Verification Status

We don't yet have per-talkgroup data for Vernon Hills Police from the RadioReference API. The encryption scope and type above come from the RadioReference Wiki, which is community-maintained rather than independently confirmed channel-by-channel. Our automated matching put this at moderate confidence (70%) based on how closely the wiki listing matches this agency's name and county.

If you monitor Vernon Hills Police directly or have more current information, the fastest way to fix this is to update the RadioReference Wiki entry — our data pulls from there and from the RadioReference API on a regular refresh cycle.

Lake County Context

Vernon Hills Police isn't an outlier here: 17 of the 30 public-safety agencies we track in Lake County are fully encrypted (57%), so most departments nearby have made the same move.

What This Means

This agency is listed as encrypting tactical channels used for SWAT operations and sensitive investigations, with regular dispatch possibly still accessible. Confirm current status at RadioReference.

See encryption status nationwide Interactive map showing which US police departments have encrypted their radios. Open the encryption map →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Vernon Hills Police radio encrypted?

Vernon Hills Police is listed in our records with P25 AES-256 encryption — a listing we haven't yet verified against live talkgroup data. This agency is listed as encrypting tactical channels used for SWAT operations and sensitive investigations, with regular dispatch possibly still accessible. Confirm current status at RadioReference.

Can I listen to Vernon Hills Police on a police scanner?

Possibly. Our database lists Vernon Hills Police as encrypting its tactical channels, which would leave some channels accessible. The listing is unverified — check RadioReference for specific talkgroup status.

Why do agencies like Vernon Hills Police encrypt their radio?

Departments typically point to officer safety and operational security. Neither claim tends to come with evidence specific to Lake County; what's verifiable is what's lost — journalists can't monitor police department activity in real time, and coordination with agencies that stay unencrypted gets harder.

Can Lake 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 Vernon Hills Police encryption?

Ask for the paperwork first — the policy that authorised encryption for Vernon Hills Police, and the recordings themselves — because a specific request is harder to wave away than a general complaint. Then take what you learn to a council meeting, and bring others from Lake County with you.

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