4 of 5 Bernalillo County agencies are fully encrypted
5 public safety agencies in Bernalillo County, New Mexico have encrypted their radio communications. 80% Encrypted
Radio encryption in Bernalillo County
All 5 agency records for Bernalillo County are verified against RadioReference, and all use P25 AES-256. Albuquerque Police, Albuquerque Fire, Bernalillo County Fire and Kirtland Air Force Base are listed as encrypting every monitored channel, while the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office encrypts tactical traffic. At the talkgroup level the split is near even: 11 of 20 catalogued talkgroups are in the clear and 9 are encrypted, carried on New Mexico DTRS and a Public Service Company of New Mexico system. A scanner will still pull traffic in the county, but city police and fire dispatch are not part of what remains receivable.
Compiled from this site's agency database. Encryption status changes without notice — confirm any specific agency on RadioReference.
Radio systems serving Bernalillo County
- Public Service Company of New Mexico
- New Mexico DTRS
Of 20 talkgroups catalogued for Bernalillo County, 9 are encrypted and 11 remain in the clear. A scanner can still receive the unencrypted channels.
All 5 Bernalillo County records here have been checked against a primary source.
System and talkgroup counts come from this site's agency database and change without notice — confirm current status on RadioReference.
Encryption Technology Used in Bernalillo County
Encrypted Agencies in Bernalillo County
| Agency Name | Type | Encryption | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque Fire Department ✓ | Fire | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Albuquerque Police Department ✓ | Police | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Bernalillo County Fire ✓ | Fire | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office ✓ | Sheriff | P25 AES-256 | Tactical Only |
| Kirtland Air Force Base ✓ | Other | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bernalillo County police radio encrypted?
4 of 5 agencies in Bernalillo County, New Mexico are fully encrypted (80%), while 1 have partial encryption.
Can I listen to Bernalillo County Sheriff on a scanner?
The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office has encrypted their radio communications using P25 AES-256. Scanner monitoring of sheriff operations is no longer possible.
How many police departments in Bernalillo County are encrypted?
1 police departments in Bernalillo County have implemented some level of encryption, along with 1 sheriff offices, 2 fire departments, and 0 EMS agencies.
What encryption technology does Bernalillo County use?
The most common encryption type in Bernalillo County is P25 AES-256, used by agencies for secure communications. This encryption blocks public scanner monitoring.
Fight Encryption in Bernalillo County
Join the movement to restore transparency to public safety communications in Bernalillo County, New Mexico.