St. Cloud Police Department
Stearns Count, Minnesota
How we verified this
As of August 2026 the "Stearns County - St. Cloud" category on RadioReference's ARMER page shows that it is St. Cloud's main police dispatch that is encrypted — "24470 D Enc SC PD MAIN St. Cloud Police Main" and "24476 D Enc SC PD St. Cloud Police", both tagged Law Dispatch — while the department's Ops 1, 4, 5, 6 and 8, its 911 and emergency talkgroups remain in the clear, so the earlier claim of a single encrypted tactical talkgroup understated the situation.
Encryption Details
Stearns Count County Context
Stearns Count County is a mixed picture: 1 of 2 agencies we track here are fully encrypted (50%), which means some neighboring departments are still audible on a scanner.
See every agency we track in Stearns Count County → County encryption overview →
What This Means
The encryption here is targeted at tactical traffic rather than everything. Regular dispatch can still come through, which makes this a narrower restriction than a full lockout.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is St. Cloud Police Department radio encrypted?
Yes. St. Cloud Police Department uses P25 AES-256 encryption. The encryption here is targeted at tactical traffic rather than everything. Regular dispatch can still come through, which makes this a narrower restriction than a full lockout.
Can I listen to St. Cloud Police Department on a police scanner?
Partially. St. Cloud Police Department encrypts its tactical channels, so some channels may still be accessible. Check RadioReference for specific talkgroup status.
Why did St. Cloud Police Department encrypt their radio?
The reasons offered are almost always the same two: officer safety and operational security. Whether either was tested against a real Stearns Count 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 Stearns Count County reverse the encryption decision?
Yes — nothing about the underlying radio technology forces this. It's a decision Stearns Count 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 St. Cloud Police Department encryption?
File a FOIA request for St. Cloud Police Department's radio recordings and encryption-decision paperwork, then show up to speak at a council or commission meeting. Find other residents or journalists in Stearns Count 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.