Boardman Police
Mahoning, Ohio
How we verified this
Fetched the system page: all six Boardman PD talkgroups (Dispatch 5500, Tac2-4, Emergency, Supervisor) are marked encrypted.
Encryption Details
Verified Talkgroup Data
Mahoning County Context
Boardman Police isn't an outlier here: 6 of the 8 public-safety agencies we track in Mahoning County are fully encrypted (75%), so most departments nearby have made the same move.
See every agency we track in Mahoning County → County encryption overview →
What This Means
All traffic, including the day-to-day dispatch that used to be the public's window into police activity, now runs encrypted. Nothing from this department is receivable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Boardman Police radio encrypted?
Yes. Boardman Police uses P25 AES-256 encryption. All traffic, including the day-to-day dispatch that used to be the public's window into police activity, now runs encrypted. Nothing from this department is receivable.
Can I listen to Boardman Police on a police scanner?
No. Boardman Police has fully encrypted their radio communications using P25 AES-256. No consumer scanner can decode encrypted transmissions.
Why did Boardman Police encrypt their radio?
The standard justification nationwide is officer safety and operational security, regardless of whether a documented local incident ever required it. The tradeoff that follows is consistent too: public oversight drops, and reporters lose the ability to track police department response as it happens.
Can Mahoning County reverse the encryption decision?
It can. The radios support open and encrypted operation equally well, so this is a configuration and a policy, not a constraint — and policies set by Mahoning County officials are policies those officials can revisit when constituents press for it.
What can I do about Boardman Police encryption?
File a FOIA request for Boardman Police's radio recordings and encryption-decision paperwork, then show up to speak at a council or commission meeting. Find other residents or journalists in Mahoning County who want the same access — state legislation requiring public radio access is the longer-term fix, but organized local pressure is what usually moves the needle first.