Drug Enforcement Agency
Statewide, Michigan
How we verified this
As of August 2026 nearly every DEA talkgroup on RadioReference's MPSCS page is marked encrypted — including "11047 D Enc DEATAC2 DEA Statewide Tactical Ops 2" and the group, air-to-ground and supervisor channels — with one exception still listed in the clear, "12611 D DEAFLT DEA Flint".
Encryption Details
What This Means
This agency encrypts some of its communications while leaving others open. Which channels are affected depends on the operation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Drug Enforcement Agency radio encrypted?
Yes. Drug Enforcement Agency uses P25 AES-256 encryption. This agency encrypts some of its communications while leaving others open. Which channels are affected depends on the operation.
Can I listen to Drug Enforcement Agency on a police scanner?
Partially. Drug Enforcement Agency encrypts some of its talkgroups while leaving others open, so some channels may still be accessible. Check RadioReference for specific talkgroup status.
Why did Drug Enforcement Agency encrypt their radio?
The reasons offered are almost always the same two: officer safety and operational security. Whether either was tested against a real Statewide 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 Statewide County reverse the encryption decision?
Nothing technical prevents it. Drug Enforcement Agency 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 Drug Enforcement Agency encryption?
Three things carry weight, in this order: a public-records request for Drug Enforcement Agency's encryption policy and radio recordings, a turn at the microphone during Statewide County budget discussions, and finding the other people locally already asking the same question. Individually these are easy to deflect; together they are not.