Police Department Fully Encrypted

Dearborn Heights Police

Wayne, Michigan

What you can do right now

Encryption Details

Encryption Type P25 ADP
Scope ISD 3 is encrypted
Technical Details P25 ADP

Verified Talkgroup Data

Verified Mar 6, 2026 Moderate confidence
9 Total Talkgroups
5 Encrypted
4 Unencrypted
56% Encrypted
Radio System: Michigan's Public Safety Communications System (MPSCS)
View 5 talkgroups
DEC Alpha Tag Description Status
23199 61P604 Muskegon Heights Police Proprietary Encrypted
32388 63MHPOL1 Madison Heights Police Dispatch Encrypted
42272 343DPD2E Dearborn/Melvindale Police 2 Encrypted
42275 343DPD3E Dearborn/Melvindate Police 3 Encrypted
42284 343DPD1E Dearborn/Melvindale Police Dispatch (Future Use) Encrypted

Verification Status

We don't yet have per-talkgroup data for Dearborn Heights Police 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 Dearborn Heights Police 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.

Wayne County Context

Dearborn Heights Police isn't an outlier here: 12 of the 15 public-safety agencies we track in Wayne County are fully encrypted (80%), so most departments nearby have made the same move.

What This Means

Our records list every channel this agency runs as encrypted, including day-to-day dispatch. That listing hasn't been verified against live talkgroup data, so confirm it at RadioReference before relying on it.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dearborn Heights Police radio encrypted?

Our database lists Dearborn Heights Police as using P25 ADP encryption, though this listing is unverified. Our records list every channel this agency runs as encrypted, including day-to-day dispatch. That listing hasn't been verified against live talkgroup data, so confirm it at RadioReference before relying on it.

Can I listen to Dearborn Heights Police on a police scanner?

Likely not, if the listing is accurate: our database lists Dearborn Heights Police as fully encrypted using P25 ADP, which no consumer scanner can decode. The listing is unverified — check the live RadioReference database for current status.

Why do agencies like Dearborn Heights Police encrypt their radio?

The reasons offered are almost always the same two: officer safety and operational security. Whether either was tested against a real Wayne County incident is rarely part of the public record, whereas the consequences are easy to observe — no real-time accountability, and neighbouring agencies still in the clear left working around the gap.

Can Wayne County reverse the encryption decision?

Nothing technical prevents it. Dearborn Heights Police operates encrypted because someone decided it should, and decisions of that kind get revisited when councils hear sustained, organised pressure rather than isolated complaints.

What can I do about Dearborn Heights Police encryption?

Put the question to whoever signs off on Dearborn Heights 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 Wayne County so the ask arrives as a group rather than a one-off.

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