3 of 4 Ward County agencies are fully encrypted
4 public safety agencies in Ward County, North Dakota have encrypted their radio communications.
Radio encryption in Ward County
Ward County agencies operate on North Dakota's Statewide Interoperable Radio Network (SIRN 20/20). Minot Police, Surrey Police and the Ward County Sheriff's Department are listed with P25 DES-OFB encryption on all monitored channels, and a fourth entry, Ward Township Police, with AES-256. Only the Sheriff's Department record has been verified against RadioReference system data; the other three are unverified. The county's catalogued talkgroups split evenly, 16 encrypted and 16 in the clear out of 32, so a scanner still receives half the listed traffic, though not the channels of the four agencies above.
Compiled from this site's agency database. Encryption status changes without notice — confirm any specific agency on RadioReference.
Radio systems serving Ward County
- North Dakota Statewide Interoperable Radio Network (SIRN 20/20)
Of 32 talkgroups catalogued for Ward County, 16 are encrypted and 16 remain in the clear. A scanner can still receive the unencrypted channels.
1 of 4 records here has been checked against a primary source; 3 have not.
System and talkgroup counts come from this site's agency database and change without notice — confirm current status on RadioReference.
Encryption Technology Used in Ward County
Encrypted Agencies in Ward County
| Agency Name | Type | Encryption | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minot Police Dept. | Police | P25 DES-OFB | Partially Encrypted |
| Surrey Police Department | Police | P25 DES-OFB | Fully Encrypted |
| Ward County Sheriff's Dept. ✓ | Sheriff | P25 DES-OFB | Fully Encrypted |
| Ward Township Police | Police | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ward County police radio encrypted?
3 of 4 agencies in Ward County, North Dakota are fully encrypted (75%), while 1 have partial encryption.
Can I listen to Ward County Sheriff on a scanner?
The Ward County Sheriff's Office has encrypted their radio communications using P25 DES-OFB. Scanner monitoring of sheriff operations is no longer possible.
How many police departments in Ward County are encrypted?
3 police departments in Ward County have implemented some level of encryption, along with 1 sheriff offices, 0 fire departments, and 0 EMS agencies.
What encryption technology does Ward County use?
The most common encryption type in Ward County is P25 DES-OFB, used by agencies for secure communications. This encryption blocks public scanner monitoring.
Fight Encryption in Ward County
Join the movement to restore transparency to public safety communications in Ward County, North Dakota.