Police Department Fully Encrypted

Sheridan Police Department

Hamilton, Indiana

What you can do right now

Encryption Details

Encryption Type P25 AES-256
Scope All Operations
Technical Details P25 AES-256

Verified Talkgroup Data

Verified Mar 6, 2026 Moderate confidence
18 Total Talkgroups
5 Encrypted
13 Unencrypted
28% Encrypted
Radio System: Metropolitan Emergency Services Agency (MESA) (Formerly IDPS), Indiana Project Hoosier SAFE-T
View 5 talkgroups
DEC Alpha Tag Description Status
10605 SPD-OPS Police: Tactical Encrypted
29241 SHERIDAN CAR Police: Car-to-Car Encrypted
21700 88-SPD DISP Salem Police: Dispatch Encrypted
21701 88-SPD OPS Salem Police: Operations Encrypted
21702 88-SPD TAC Salem Police: Tactical Encrypted

Verification Status

We don't yet have per-talkgroup data for Sheridan Police Department 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 Sheridan Police Department 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.

Hamilton County Context

Sheridan Police Department isn't an outlier here: 8 of the 8 public-safety agencies we track in Hamilton County are fully encrypted (100%), so most departments nearby have made the same move.

What This Means

This agency is listed in our database as encrypting all of its radio communications, including routine dispatch. The listing is unverified — confirm current status on the live RadioReference database.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sheridan Police Department radio encrypted?

Sheridan Police Department 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 in our database as encrypting all of its radio communications, including routine dispatch. The listing is unverified — confirm current status on the live RadioReference database.

Can I listen to Sheridan Police Department on a police scanner?

Likely not, if the listing is accurate: our database lists Sheridan Police Department as fully encrypted using P25 AES-256, which no consumer scanner can decode. The listing is unverified — check the live RadioReference database for current status.

Why do agencies like Sheridan Police Department 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 Hamilton County where an open channel caused harm. The costs need no such documentation: reporting on police department response slows down, and mutual-aid coordination gets more awkward, immediately.

Can Hamilton County reverse the encryption decision?

Yes. Whoever made this call for Sheridan Police Department can also unmake it; there's no technical lock-in. The approach that has worked elsewhere combines public-records requests, direct council pressure, and a coordinated local coalition.

What can I do about Sheridan Police Department encryption?

Contact the officials who oversee Sheridan Police Department'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 Hamilton County, or start one, since agencies respond differently to organized, sustained pressure than to individual complaints.

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