Toms River Police
Ocean, New Jersey
How we verified this
As of August 2026 both Toms River Police talkgroups on the township's P25 system, "TR PD Disp | Police Dispatch" and "TR PD Tac | Police Tac", are flagged "T Enc", as are township fire dispatch and fireground; only "Interop 1", "Interop 2" and an ALS EMS channel remain in the clear.
Encryption Details
Verified Talkgroup Data
View 2 talkgroups
| DEC | Alpha Tag | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5000 | TR PD Disp | Police Dispatch | Encrypted |
| 5001 | TR PD Tac | Police Tac | Encrypted |
Ocean County Context
Toms River Police isn't an outlier here: 15 of the 17 public-safety agencies we track in Ocean County are fully encrypted (88%), so most departments nearby have made the same move.
See every agency we track in Ocean County → County encryption overview →
What This Means
There is no partial access here: routine dispatch is encrypted alongside everything else, so a scanner picks up nothing from this agency at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Toms River Police radio encrypted?
Yes. Toms River Police uses P25 AES-256 encryption. There is no partial access here: routine dispatch is encrypted alongside everything else, so a scanner picks up nothing from this agency at all.
Can I listen to Toms River Police on a police scanner?
No. Toms River Police has fully encrypted their radio communications using P25 AES-256. No consumer scanner can decode encrypted transmissions.
Why did Toms River Police encrypt their radio?
The standard justification nationwide is officer safety and operational security, regardless of whether a documented local incident ever required it. The tradeoff that follows is consistent too: public oversight drops, and reporters lose the ability to track police department response as it happens.
Can Ocean County reverse the encryption decision?
Nothing technical prevents it. Toms River 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 Toms River Police encryption?
Put the question to whoever signs off on Toms River Police's radio budget: why full encryption rather than a delayed feed or tactical-only channels? File for the recordings and the decision documents alongside it, and link up with neighbours and local reporters in Ocean County so the ask arrives as a group rather than a one-off.