Police Department Partially Encrypted

Plymouth Police Department

Hennepin, Minnesota

What you can do right now

Encryption Details

Encryption Type P25 AES-256
Scope Some talkgroups encrypted (68.2% per RadioReference data); others remain in the clear.
Technical Details P25 on ARMER

Verified Talkgroup Data

Verified Mar 6, 2026 Moderate confidence
22 Total Talkgroups
15 Encrypted
7 Unencrypted
68% Encrypted
Radio System: Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER)
View 15 talkgroups
DEC Alpha Tag Description Status
11220 HCEPPD3 Police Patrol 3 Encrypted
12428 SPPD 12428 Police 12428 Encrypted
2986 MPPD-2E Police 2E Dispatch Encrypted
33818 NC SPPD ADM St Peter Police Admin Encrypted
12424 SPPD 12424 Police 12424 Encrypted
12426 SPPD 12426 Police 12426 Encrypted
12442 SPPD 12442 Police 12442 Encrypted
12440 SPPD 12440 Police 12440 Encrypted
11190 HCEPPD1E Police Patrol 1 Encrypted
11194 HCEPPDTRL3E Police Patrol 3 Encrypted
12438 SPPD 12438 Police 12438 Encrypted
12444 SPPD 6e Police 6 Secure Encrypted
3008 MPPD-ECOM1 Police E Comm 1 Encrypted
2988 MPPD-3E Police 3E Dispatch Encrypted
3014 MPPD-1E Police 1E Dispatch Encrypted

Verification Status

We do have per-talkgroup data for Plymouth Police Department 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 Plymouth 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.

Shared Radio System

Plymouth Police Department isn't on a radio system of its own: Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER) also carries 0 other agencies in Hennepin County, Minnesota. Whatever encryption status applies here was set once, for the whole system, not agency by agency.

Hennepin County Context

Hennepin County is a mixed picture: 1 of 8 agencies we track here are fully encrypted (13%), which means some neighboring departments are still audible on a scanner.

What This Means

This agency is listed as encrypting some communications while leaving others open. The per-channel breakdown is unverified — check RadioReference for current status.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Plymouth Police Department radio encrypted?

Plymouth 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 as encrypting some communications while leaving others open. The per-channel breakdown is unverified — check RadioReference for current status.

Can I listen to Plymouth Police Department on a police scanner?

Possibly. Our database lists Plymouth Police Department 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 Plymouth Police Department encrypt their radio?

Officer safety and operational security are the reasons agencies give. What rarely comes with that explanation is Hennepin County-specific evidence that open communications ever caused a problem, while the loss of public oversight and the friction with still-unencrypted neighboring agencies are both immediate and real.

Can Hennepin County reverse the encryption decision?

Yes, and some departments already have. Because encryption here is a choice rather than a technical necessity, the path back runs through the same people who chose it: budget hearings, records requests, and residents who keep asking in public.

What can I do about Plymouth Police Department encryption?

Contact the officials who oversee Plymouth Police Department's budget directly and ask why full encryption was chosen over partial alternatives. Pair that with a FOIA request for recordings and policy records, and look for an existing coalition in Hennepin County, or start one, since agencies respond differently to organized, sustained pressure than to individual complaints.

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