Madison Heights Police Department
Oakland, Michigan
Encryption Details
Verified Talkgroup Data
View 2 talkgroups
| DEC | Alpha Tag | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23199 | 61P604 | Muskegon Heights Police Proprietary | Encrypted |
| 32388 | 63MHPOL1 | Madison Heights Police Dispatch | Encrypted |
Verification Status
We don't yet have per-talkgroup data for Madison Heights Police Department 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 low confidence (50%) based on how closely the wiki listing matches this agency's name and county.
If you monitor Madison Heights Police Department 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
Madison Heights Police Department 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.
See every agency we track in Oakland County → County encryption overview →
What This Means
This agency is listed in our database as encrypting all of its radio communications, including routine dispatch. The listing is unverified — confirm current status on the live RadioReference database.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Madison Heights Police Department radio encrypted?
Madison Heights Police Department is listed in our records with P25 AES-256 encryption — a listing we haven't yet verified against live talkgroup data. This agency is listed in our database as encrypting all of its radio communications, including routine dispatch. The listing is unverified — confirm current status on the live RadioReference database.
Can I listen to Madison Heights Police Department on a police scanner?
Likely not, if the listing is accurate: our database lists Madison Heights Police Department as fully encrypted using P25 AES-256, which no consumer scanner can decode. The listing is unverified — check the live RadioReference database for current status.
Why do agencies like Madison Heights Police Department encrypt their radio?
Departments typically point to officer safety and operational security. Neither claim tends to come with evidence specific to Oakland County; what's verifiable is what's lost — journalists can't monitor police department activity in real time, and coordination with agencies that stay unencrypted gets harder.
Can Oakland County reverse the encryption decision?
Yes. Encryption is a policy choice made by department leadership or elected officials, not a technical requirement, so it can be reversed the same way. Public pressure, city council advocacy, and organized local coalitions have reversed encryption decisions elsewhere.
What can I do about Madison Heights Police Department encryption?
Ask for the paperwork first — the policy that authorised encryption for Madison Heights Police Department, 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 Oakland County with you.