Emergency Medical Services Fully Encrypted

Hatzalah EMS

Oakland, Michigan

What you can do right now

Encryption Details

Encryption Type MOTOTRBO
Scope Dispatch
Technical Details MotoTRBO Enhanced Privacy

Verified Talkgroup Data

Verified Mar 6, 2026 Moderate confidence
388 Total Talkgroups
9 Encrypted
5 Mixed
374 Unencrypted
3% Encrypted
Radio System: ComSource Michigan DMR, Michigan's Public Safety Communications System (MPSCS)
View 14 talkgroups
DEC Alpha Tag Description Status
612 26EADM Gladwin EMS Private Channel Encrypted
615 MMEMS2 EMS Dispatch Alpena & Sault Dispatch [Future] Encrypted
4889 MMEMS3 EMS Admin Encrypted
4901 04EADM Alpena EMS Private Channel Encrypted
6410 31MTUEMS Michigan Tech EMS Proprietary Encrypted
6540 17EADM Sault Ste Marie EMS Private Channel Encrypted
11691 56EADM Midland EMS Private Channel Encrypted
22266 82HEMS EMS to Hospital: Beaumont Wayne Encrypted
22885 44EMCNTE EMS Dispatch Mixed
22894 44FCNTE Fire/EMS: Dispatch [Simulcast on 151.130 MHz.] Encrypted
23221 61EWLAA White Lake EMS Dispatch Mixed
23222 61ETRINITY Trinity Health EMS Mixed
23334 61TRINTR Trinity Health EMS Transport Mixed
32451 63SLEMS South Lyon EMS Dispatch Mixed

Verification Status

We don't yet have per-talkgroup data for Hatzalah EMS 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 Hatzalah EMS 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.

Oakland County Context

Hatzalah EMS isn't an outlier here: 18 of the 18 public-safety agencies we track in Oakland County are fully encrypted (100%), 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 Hatzalah EMS radio encrypted?

Our database lists Hatzalah EMS as using MOTOTRBO 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 Hatzalah EMS on a police scanner?

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

Why do agencies like Hatzalah EMS 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 emergency medical services response as it happens.

Can Oakland County reverse the encryption decision?

It can. The radios support open and encrypted operation equally well, so this is a configuration and a policy, not a constraint — and policies set by Oakland County officials are policies those officials can revisit when constituents press for it.

What can I do about Hatzalah EMS encryption?

File a FOIA request for Hatzalah EMS's radio recordings and encryption-decision paperwork, then show up to speak at a council or commission meeting. Find other residents or journalists in Oakland County who want the same access — state legislation requiring public radio access is the longer-term fix, but organized local pressure is what usually moves the needle first.

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