Newtown Police Dept.
Mountrail, North Dakota
How we verified this
As of August 2026 RadioReference lists New Town's single police talkgroup on the state SIRN system as encrypted — "31109 | T Enc | NEW TOWN PD MAIN | New Town Police Dept Main | Law Dispatch".
Encryption Details
Verified Talkgroup Data
Mountrail County Context
Newtown Police Dept. isn't an outlier here: 2 of the 2 public-safety agencies we track in Mountrail County are fully encrypted (100%), so most departments nearby have made the same move.
See every agency we track in Mountrail County → County encryption overview →
What This Means
Every channel this agency runs, including day-to-day dispatch, is encrypted. That shuts out the public and local reporters, and it can complicate coordination with nearby agencies that still expect to hear it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Newtown Police Dept. radio encrypted?
Yes. Newtown Police Dept. uses P25 DES-OFB encryption. Every channel this agency runs, including day-to-day dispatch, is encrypted. That shuts out the public and local reporters, and it can complicate coordination with nearby agencies that still expect to hear it.
Can I listen to Newtown Police Dept. on a police scanner?
No. Newtown Police Dept. has fully encrypted their radio communications using P25 DES-OFB. No consumer scanner can decode encrypted transmissions.
Why did Newtown Police Dept. encrypt their radio?
Agencies cite officer safety and operational security. Those are assertions rather than findings — no local evidence is typically produced — while the effects are concrete and land straight away on anyone who relied on hearing Newtown Police Dept. to know what was happening nearby.
Can Mountrail County reverse the encryption decision?
Nothing technical prevents it. Newtown Police Dept. 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 Newtown Police Dept. encryption?
Put the question to whoever signs off on Newtown Police Dept.'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 Mountrail County so the ask arrives as a group rather than a one-off.