Police Department Partially Encrypted Discovered via RadioReference

Waukee Township Police

Dallas, Iowa

How we verified this

As of August 2026 RadioReference lists the Waukee, Iowa city police department (not a "township" agency) on ISICS with one encrypted talkgroup, "707 | WAUKEE PD CAR | Police Car/Car | D Enc", while "712 | WAUKEE PD/FD PG | Police / Fire Joint Page | D" and the city's public-works channels remain in the clear.

Checked against a primary source on 2026-08-09: radioreference.com . Encryption status changes without notice — confirm the current picture on the live RadioReference database before relying on it.

What you can do right now

My city went dark — now what? Step-by-step guide for residents of newly encrypted areas. What you can still monitor Fire, EMS, and surrounding-jurisdiction channels often remain open. Request the recordings FOIA templates for Waukee Township Police radio archives. Reverse the decision Tactics from cities that successfully reversed police encryption.

Encryption Details

Encryption Type P25 AES-256
Scope Some talkgroups encrypted; dispatch audible per verification
Technical Details Inferred from RadioReference

What This Means

This is a split system: certain talkgroups are encrypted while others remain in the clear, which means partial monitoring is still possible.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Waukee Township Police radio encrypted?

Yes — Waukee Township Police's radio system runs on P25 AES-256 encryption. This is a split system: certain talkgroups are encrypted while others remain in the clear, which means partial monitoring is still possible.

Can I listen to Waukee Township Police on a police scanner?

Partially. Waukee Township Police encrypts some of its talkgroups while leaving others open, so some channels may still be accessible. Check RadioReference for specific talkgroup status.

Why did Waukee Township Police encrypt their radio?

Departments typically point to officer safety and operational security. Neither claim tends to come with evidence specific to Dallas 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 Dallas 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 Waukee Township Police encryption?

Ask for the paperwork first — the policy that authorised encryption for Waukee Township 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 Dallas County with you.

Data source: RadioReference Wiki

Checked against a primary source on 2026-08-09 — see "How we verified this" above. Encryption status changes; confirm at RadioReference before relying on it.

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