Lawrence Police
Essex, Massachusetts
How we verified this
As of August 2026 both Lawrence Police channels in RadioReference — 482.5625 MHz (Police Operations) and 460.2125 MHz (Police Secondary) — are listed as encrypted P25 (P25E), while Lawrence Fire and EMS remain analog and in the clear.
Encryption Details
Verified Talkgroup Data
Essex County Context
Lawrence Police isn't an outlier here: 2 of the 3 public-safety agencies we track in Essex County are fully encrypted (67%), so most departments nearby have made the same move.
See every agency we track in Essex County → County encryption overview →
What This Means
Everything this agency transmits is encrypted, dispatch included. For anyone outside the department — residents, reporters, neighbouring responders — the channel is simply silent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lawrence Police radio encrypted?
Yes — Lawrence Police's radio system runs on P25 DES-OFB encryption. Everything this agency transmits is encrypted, dispatch included. For anyone outside the department — residents, reporters, neighbouring responders — the channel is simply silent.
Can I listen to Lawrence Police on a police scanner?
No. Lawrence Police has fully encrypted their radio communications using P25 DES-OFB. No consumer scanner can decode encrypted transmissions.
Why did Lawrence Police encrypt their radio?
Officer safety and operational security are the reasons agencies give. What rarely comes with that explanation is Essex 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 Essex County reverse the encryption decision?
Yes. Whoever made this call for Lawrence Police 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 Lawrence Police encryption?
Ask for the paperwork first — the policy that authorised encryption for Lawrence 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 Essex County with you.