Police Department Partially Encrypted

Rockford Police

Kent, Michigan

What you can do right now

Encryption Details

Encryption Type P25 ADP
Scope Some talkgroups encrypted (76.9% per RadioReference data); others remain in the clear.
Technical Details P25 ADP

Verified Talkgroup Data

Verified Mar 6, 2026 Moderate confidence
26 Total Talkgroups
19 Encrypted
2 Mixed
5 Unencrypted
77% Encrypted
Radio System: Michigan's Public Safety Communications System (MPSCS)
View 21 talkgroups
DEC Alpha Tag Description Status
12773 82RPD1 Police Dispatch Mixed
12774 82RPD2 Police Secondary Mixed
13521 41RKP Rockford Police Car-to-Car Encrypted
13700 GRPD700 Police Ops 700 Encrypted
13701 GRPD701 Police Ops 701 Encrypted
13702 GRPD702 Police Ops 702 Encrypted
13703 GRPD703 Police Ops 703 Encrypted
13722 GRPD722 Police Ops 722 Encrypted
13723 GRPDN Police North Dispatch Encrypted
13724 GRPDS Police South Dispatch Encrypted
13725 GRPD725 Police Ops 725 Encrypted
13738 GRPD738 Police Ops 738 Encrypted
13739 GRPD739 Police Ops 739 Encrypted
22389 50WRPDTAC1 Police Tactical Encrypted
22391 50WRPD CID Police Detectives Encrypted
23282 GRPDEAC Police Emergency All-Call Encrypted
23404 GRPD404 Police Ops 404 Encrypted
42169 82FRPD1 Flat Rock Police 1 Encrypted
42170 82FRPD1 Flat Rock Police 2 Encrypted
42197 82RRPD1 River Rouge Police 1 Encrypted
42198 82RRPD2 River Rouge Police 2 Encrypted

Verification Status

We do have per-talkgroup data for Rockford Police from the RadioReference API, and used it to set the encryption scope shown above — but no additional human-reviewed source (a live feed check or a dated news account) has been recorded for this record, so treat it as a data-quality correction rather than an independently confirmed verification. Check the live RadioReference database directly for current status.

If you monitor Rockford 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.

Shared Radio System

Kent County, Michigan runs Michigan's Public Safety Communications System (MPSCS) as shared infrastructure: 1 agencies, Rockford Police included, ride the same system and inherit the same encryption status rather than each having made a separate call.

Kent County Context

Kent County is a mixed picture: 2 of 11 agencies we track here are fully encrypted (18%), which means some neighboring departments are still audible on a scanner.

What This Means

Our records list a mix here: some talkgroups encrypted, others not. The listing is unverified, so confirm what is audible at RadioReference.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Rockford Police radio encrypted?

Our database lists Rockford Police as using P25 ADP encryption, though this listing is unverified. Our records list a mix here: some talkgroups encrypted, others not. The listing is unverified, so confirm what is audible at RadioReference.

Can I listen to Rockford Police on a police scanner?

Possibly. Our database lists Rockford Police as encrypting some of its talkgroups while leaving others open, which would leave some channels accessible. The listing is unverified — check RadioReference for specific talkgroup status.

Why do agencies like Rockford Police encrypt their radio?

Agencies cite officer safety and operational security. Those are assertions rather than findings — no local evidence is typically produced — while the effects are concrete and land straight away on anyone who relied on hearing Rockford Police to know what was happening nearby.

Can Kent County reverse the encryption decision?

Nothing technical prevents it. Rockford 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 Rockford Police encryption?

Three things carry weight, in this order: a public-records request for Rockford Police's encryption policy and radio recordings, a turn at the microphone during Kent County budget discussions, and finding the other people locally already asking the same question. Individually these are easy to deflect; together they are not.

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