Henderson Police Department
Mercer, Kentucky
How we verified this
As of August 2026 RadioReference lists Henderson Police dispatch as encrypted on the county trunked system — "1050 | T Enc | HPD Dispatch | Henderson Police - Dispatch | Law Dispatch" — while every Henderson fire and EMS talkgroup on the same system is unencrypted.
Encryption Details
Verified Talkgroup Data
Mercer County Context
Henderson Police Department isn't an outlier here: 4 of the 4 public-safety agencies we track in Mercer County are fully encrypted (100%), so most departments nearby have made the same move.
See every agency we track in Mercer County → County encryption overview →
What This Means
All traffic, including the day-to-day dispatch that used to be the public's window into police activity, now runs encrypted. Nothing from this department is receivable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Henderson Police Department radio encrypted?
Yes — Henderson Police Department's radio system runs on P25 AES-256 encryption. All traffic, including the day-to-day dispatch that used to be the public's window into police activity, now runs encrypted. Nothing from this department is receivable.
Can I listen to Henderson Police Department on a police scanner?
No. Henderson Police Department has fully encrypted their radio communications using P25 AES-256. No consumer scanner can decode encrypted transmissions.
Why did Henderson Police Department encrypt their radio?
Departments typically point to officer safety and operational security. Neither claim tends to come with evidence specific to Mercer 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 Mercer County reverse the encryption decision?
Yes. Encryption is a policy choice made by department leadership or elected officials, not a technical requirement, so it can be reversed the same way. Public pressure, city council advocacy, and organized local coalitions have reversed encryption decisions elsewhere.
What can I do about Henderson Police Department encryption?
Ask for the paperwork first — the policy that authorised encryption for Henderson Police Department, 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 Mercer County with you.