Plainsboro Township Police
Middlesex, New Jersey
How we verified this
As of August 2026 RadioReference's Middlesex County/Sayreville system listing flags all six Plainsboro police talkgroups — dispatch and Police 2 through 6 — as fully encrypted, while the township's fire, EMS, town-wide and public-works talkgroups remain in the clear.
Encryption Details
Verified Talkgroup Data
View 5 talkgroups
| DEC | Alpha Tag | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18102 | Plainsboro PD 2 | Police Ch 2 | Encrypted |
| 18103 | Plainsboro PD 3 | Police Ch 3 | Encrypted |
| 18121 | Plainsboro PD 4 | Police Ch 4 | Encrypted |
| 18141 | Plainsboro PD 5 | Police Ch 5 | Encrypted |
| 18181 | Plainsboro PD 6 | Police Ch 6 | Encrypted |
Middlesex County Context
Plainsboro Township Police isn't an outlier here: 15 of the 17 public-safety agencies we track in Middlesex County are fully encrypted (88%), so most departments nearby have made the same move.
See every agency we track in Middlesex County → County encryption overview →
What This Means
Every channel this agency runs, including day-to-day dispatch, is encrypted. That shuts out the public and local reporters, and it can complicate coordination with nearby agencies that still expect to hear it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Plainsboro Township Police radio encrypted?
Yes. Plainsboro Township Police uses P25 AES-256 encryption. Every channel this agency runs, including day-to-day dispatch, is encrypted. That shuts out the public and local reporters, and it can complicate coordination with nearby agencies that still expect to hear it.
Can I listen to Plainsboro Township Police on a police scanner?
No. Plainsboro Township Police has fully encrypted their radio communications using P25 AES-256. No consumer scanner can decode encrypted transmissions.
Why did Plainsboro Township Police encrypt their radio?
The reasons offered are almost always the same two: officer safety and operational security. Whether either was tested against a real Middlesex 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 Middlesex County reverse the encryption decision?
Yes — nothing about the underlying radio technology forces this. It's a decision Middlesex 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 Plainsboro Township Police encryption?
File a FOIA request for Plainsboro Township Police's radio recordings and encryption-decision paperwork, then show up to speak at a council or commission meeting. Find other residents or journalists in Middlesex 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.