Kirtland Air Force Base
Bernalillo, New Mexico
Encryption Details
Verified Talkgroup Data
Verification Status
We don't yet have per-talkgroup data for Kirtland Air Force Base from the RadioReference API. The encryption scope and type above come from the RadioReference Wiki, which is community-maintained rather than independently confirmed channel-by-channel. Our automated matching put this at moderate confidence (80%) based on how closely the wiki listing matches this agency's name and county.
If you monitor Kirtland Air Force Base 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.
Bernalillo County Context
Kirtland Air Force Base isn't an outlier here: 4 of the 5 public-safety agencies we track in Bernalillo County are fully encrypted (80%), so most departments nearby have made the same move.
See every agency we track in Bernalillo County → County encryption overview →
What This Means
This agency is listed in our database as encrypting all of its radio communications, including routine dispatch. The listing is unverified — confirm current status on the live RadioReference database.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kirtland Air Force Base radio encrypted?
Kirtland Air Force Base 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 in our database as encrypting all of its radio communications, including routine dispatch. The listing is unverified — confirm current status on the live RadioReference database.
Can I listen to Kirtland Air Force Base on a police scanner?
Likely not, if the listing is accurate: our database lists Kirtland Air Force Base as fully encrypted using P25 AES-256, which no consumer scanner can decode. The listing is unverified — check the live RadioReference database for current status.
Why do agencies like Kirtland Air Force Base encrypt their radio?
Officer safety and operational security are the reasons agencies give. What rarely comes with that explanation is Bernalillo 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 Bernalillo County reverse the encryption decision?
Yes. Encryption is a policy choice made by department leadership or elected officials, not a technical requirement, so it can be reversed the same way. Public pressure, city council advocacy, and organized local coalitions have reversed encryption decisions elsewhere.
What can I do about Kirtland Air Force Base encryption?
Ask for the paperwork first — the policy that authorised encryption for Kirtland Air Force Base, and the recordings themselves — because a specific request is harder to wave away than a general complaint. Then take what you learn to a council meeting, and bring others from Bernalillo County with you.