Sheridan County Sheriff's Dept.
Sheridan, North Dakota
How we verified this
As of August 2026 RadioReference shows Sheridan County sheriff dispatch still in the clear — "151.460 | SheridanCo SO | Sheriff Dispatch | P25 | Law Dispatch" — while a second channel, "154.980 | SheridanCoSO Enc | Sheriff | P25e | Law Tac", is marked encrypted.
Encryption Details
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 Sheridan County Sheriff's Dept. radio encrypted?
Yes — Sheridan County Sheriff's Dept.'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 Sheridan County Sheriff's Dept. on a police scanner?
Partially. Sheridan County Sheriff's Dept. encrypts some of its talkgroups while leaving others open, so some channels may still be accessible. Check RadioReference for specific talkgroup status.
Why did Sheridan County Sheriff's Dept. encrypt their radio?
Officer safety and operational security are the reasons agencies give. What rarely comes with that explanation is Sheridan 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 Sheridan County reverse the encryption decision?
Yes. Whoever made this call for Sheridan County Sheriff's Dept. can also unmake it; there's no technical lock-in. The approach that has worked elsewhere combines public-records requests, direct council pressure, and a coordinated local coalition.
What can I do about Sheridan County Sheriff's Dept. encryption?
Start local: show up when Sheridan County officials discuss the budget for Sheridan County Sheriff's 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.