Mandan Police Dept.
Morton, North Dakota
How we verified this
As of August 2026 RadioReference lists all four Mandan Police talkgroups on the state SIRN system as encrypted — "30108 | T Enc | MANDAN PD MAIN | Police Main | Law Dispatch" — and the department's conventional channels in the Morton County listing are marked "Mandan PD 1 - Encrypted (P25E)".
Encryption Details
Verified Talkgroup Data
Morton County Context
Mandan Police Dept. isn't an outlier here: 3 of the 4 public-safety agencies we track in Morton County are fully encrypted (75%), so most departments nearby have made the same move.
See every agency we track in Morton 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 Mandan Police Dept. radio encrypted?
Yes — Mandan Police Dept.'s radio system runs on P25 DES-OFB 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 Mandan Police Dept. on a police scanner?
No. Mandan Police Dept. has fully encrypted their radio communications using P25 DES-OFB. No consumer scanner can decode encrypted transmissions.
Why did Mandan Police Dept. encrypt their radio?
Ask why, and the answer is usually officer safety, sometimes operational security. What is harder to obtain is any documented case in Morton County where an open channel caused harm. The costs need no such documentation: reporting on police department response slows down, and mutual-aid coordination gets more awkward, immediately.
Can Morton 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 Mandan Police Dept. encryption?
Start local: show up when Morton County officials discuss the budget for Mandan Police Dept., 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.