Kent Township Police
Putnam, New York
How we verified this
As of August 2026 RadioReference lists the Kent PD Tac talkgroup on the Putnam County P25 system as encrypted ("T Enc"), while the Kent PD Dispatch talkgroup remains in the clear.
Encryption Details
Putnam County Context
Of the 3 public-safety agencies we track in Putnam County, Kent Township Police is currently the only one we have flagged as encrypted.
See every agency we track in Putnam County → County encryption overview →
What This Means
Some of this agency's traffic is encrypted and some is not. What you can hear depends on the channel and on what the department is doing at the time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kent Township Police radio encrypted?
Yes — Kent Township Police's radio system runs on P25 AES-256 encryption. Some of this agency's traffic is encrypted and some is not. What you can hear depends on the channel and on what the department is doing at the time.
Can I listen to Kent Township Police on a police scanner?
Partially. Kent Township Police encrypts some of its talkgroups while leaving others open, so some channels may still be accessible. Check RadioReference for specific talkgroup status.
Why did Kent Township Police encrypt their radio?
Officer safety and operational security are the reasons agencies give. What rarely comes with that explanation is Putnam 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 Putnam County reverse the encryption decision?
Yes, and some departments already have. Because encryption here is a choice rather than a technical necessity, the path back runs through the same people who chose it: budget hearings, records requests, and residents who keep asking in public.
What can I do about Kent Township Police encryption?
Start local: show up when Putnam County officials discuss the budget for Kent Township Police, and ask specifically why full encryption was chosen over a delayed feed or tactical-only approach. File a FOIA request for recordings or policy documents, and connect with others nearby who want the same information — a coordinated ask carries more weight than an individual one.