Mercy Ambulance
Statewide, Michigan
How we verified this
On MPSCS, Houghton County's '31MERCY' talkgroups ('Mercy Ambulance' and 'Mercy Ambulance Dispatch,' both tagged EMS Dispatch) carry no encryption marker at all, unlike the neighboring 'Houghton County SAR' talkgroup on the same page, which is explicitly ENC.
Encryption Details
What This Means
This agency was previously listed as encrypted, but verification against live sources on 2026-09-27 found its dispatch broadcasting in the clear. Any P25-capable scanner can receive it — confirm current status on the live RadioReference database, since encryption decisions can change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mercy Ambulance radio encrypted?
No. Despite earlier listings, Mercy Ambulance broadcasts in the clear. This agency was previously listed as encrypted, but verification against live sources on 2026-09-27 found its dispatch broadcasting in the clear. Any P25-capable scanner can receive it — confirm current status on the live RadioReference database, since encryption decisions can change.
Can I listen to Mercy Ambulance on a police scanner?
Yes. Verification against live sources found Mercy Ambulance's dispatch broadcasting in the clear — any P25-capable scanner can receive it. Check RadioReference for frequencies and current status.
Why do agencies like Mercy Ambulance 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?
Yes — nothing about the underlying radio technology forces this. It's a decision Statewide 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 Mercy Ambulance encryption?
Three things carry weight, in this order: a public-records request for Mercy Ambulance'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.