Police Department Partially Encrypted

Lake Charles Police Department

Calcasieu, Louisiana

What you can do right now

Encryption Details

Encryption Type P25 AES-256
Scope All Operations except Police Common and Police COM 1-4
Technical Details P25 AES-256

Verified Talkgroup Data

Verified Mar 6, 2026 Moderate confidence
26 Total Talkgroups
17 Encrypted
9 Unencrypted
65% Encrypted
Radio System: Louisiana Wireless Information Network (LWIN)
View 17 talkgroups
DEC Alpha Tag Description Status
14105 10-LCPD A Lake Charles Police - Channel A Encrypted
14113 10-LCPD ADMN Lake Charles Police - Admin Encrypted
14106 10-LCPD PAT1 Lake Charles Police - Patrol 1 Encrypted
14107 10-LCPD PAT2 Lake Charles Police - Patrol 2 Encrypted
14108 10-LCPD PAT3 Lake Charles Police - Patrol 3 Encrypted
14109 10-LCPD DET Lake Charles Police - Detectives Encrypted
14110 10-LCPD TRFC Lake Charles Police - Traffic Encrypted
14111 10-LCPD SSDA Lake Charles Police - SSD A Encrypted
14112 10-LCPD SSDB Lake Charles Police - SSD B Encrypted
14114 10-LCPD SOPS Lake Charles Police - Special Operations Encrypted
14115 10-LCPD SRTE Lake Charles Police - SRT - Entry Encrypted
14116 10-LCPD SRTN Lake Charles Police - SRT - Negotiators Encrypted
14117 10-LCPD SRTA Lake Charles Police - SRT Administration Encrypted
14118 10-LCPD SRTS Lake Charles Police - SRT - Sniper Encrypted
14119 10-LCP COPS1 Lake Charles Police - COPS 1 Encrypted
14120 10-LCP COPS2 Lake Charles Police - COPS 2 Encrypted
14121 10-LCP COPS3 Lake Charles Police - COPS 3 Encrypted

Verification Status

We don't yet have per-talkgroup data for Lake Charles 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 Lake Charles 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.

Calcasieu County Context

Lake Charles Police Department isn't an outlier here: 6 of the 7 public-safety agencies we track in Calcasieu County are fully encrypted (86%), so most departments nearby have made the same move.

What This Means

This agency is listed as encrypting some communications while leaving others open. The per-channel breakdown is unverified — check RadioReference for current status.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Lake Charles Police Department radio encrypted?

Lake Charles 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 as encrypting some communications while leaving others open. The per-channel breakdown is unverified — check RadioReference for current status.

Can I listen to Lake Charles Police Department on a police scanner?

Possibly. Our database lists Lake Charles Police Department as encrypting some of its talkgroups while leaving others open, which would leave some channels accessible. The listing is unverified — check RadioReference for specific talkgroup status.

Why do agencies like Lake Charles Police Department encrypt their radio?

Officer safety and operational security are the reasons agencies give. What rarely comes with that explanation is Calcasieu County-specific evidence that open communications ever caused a problem, while the loss of public oversight and the friction with still-unencrypted neighboring agencies are both immediate and real.

Can Calcasieu County reverse the encryption decision?

Yes. Whoever made this call for Lake Charles 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 Lake Charles Police Department encryption?

Contact the officials who oversee Lake Charles 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 Calcasieu County, or start one, since agencies respond differently to organized, sustained pressure than to individual complaints.

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