Akron Police
Summit, Ohio
How we verified this
Fetched News 5 Cleveland article (July 12, 2022): Chief Steve Mylett confirmed Akron PD will continue encrypting its radio traffic after the Jayland Walker shooting; article does not state when encryption began, and RR forums note a city-provided delayed feed exists.
Encryption Details
Verified Talkgroup Data
Summit County Context
Summit County is a mixed picture: 2 of 4 agencies we track here are fully encrypted (50%), which means some neighboring departments are still audible on a scanner.
See every agency we track in Summit 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 Akron Police radio encrypted?
Yes — Akron Police's radio system runs on P25 AES-256 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 Akron Police on a police scanner?
No. Akron Police has fully encrypted their radio communications using P25 AES-256. No consumer scanner can decode encrypted transmissions.
Why did Akron Police 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 Summit 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 Summit 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 Akron Police encryption?
Ask for the paperwork first — the policy that authorised encryption for Akron Police, and the recordings themselves — because a specific request is harder to wave away than a general complaint. Then take what you learn to a council meeting, and bring others from Summit County with you.