Massachusetts State Police
Commonwealth Wide, Massachusetts
How we verified this
As of August 2026 Massachusetts State Police patrol dispatch remains in the clear on the Commonwealth Of Massachusetts Interoperable Radio System (CoMIRS) — talkgroups "2099 | B-PTL-1 | Troop B Patrol 1" and "2101 | B-PTL-2 | Troop B Patrol 2" are listed in mode "D" and are carried by an online Broadcastify feed — while "3617 | MSP-Tech E | MSP Radio Techs (Encrypted)" and "73/75 | F Secure 1 / F Secure 2" are marked "D Enc".
Encryption Details
What This Means
Coverage here is uneven — parts of the system are locked and parts are open, so a scanner gives you an incomplete rather than an empty picture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Massachusetts State Police radio encrypted?
Yes. Massachusetts State Police uses P25 AES-256 encryption. Coverage here is uneven — parts of the system are locked and parts are open, so a scanner gives you an incomplete rather than an empty picture.
Can I listen to Massachusetts State Police on a police scanner?
Partially. Massachusetts State 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 Massachusetts State Police encrypt their radio?
The standard justification nationwide is officer safety and operational security, regardless of whether a documented local incident ever required it. The tradeoff that follows is consistent too: public oversight drops, and reporters lose the ability to track police department response as it happens.
Can Commonwealth Wide County reverse the encryption decision?
Yes — nothing about the underlying radio technology forces this. It's a decision Commonwealth Wide County officials made and can revisit, and other communities have pushed departments back toward open channels through sustained council pressure and coalition-building.
What can I do about Massachusetts State Police encryption?
Put the question to whoever signs off on Massachusetts State Police's radio budget: why full encryption rather than a delayed feed or tactical-only channels? File for the recordings and the decision documents alongside it, and link up with neighbours and local reporters in Commonwealth Wide County so the ask arrives as a group rather than a one-off.