Dayton Police
Montgomery, Ohio
How we verified this
RR MARCS-IP Montgomery County Law Enforcement shows Dayton Police dispatch (RDC East/West) and car-to-car clear while Records, SWAT, Detective, Detective Ops 1 and Tac 1/Tac 2 are flagged full encryption, supporting and slightly exceeding the 'Records and SWAT' scope.
Encryption Details
Montgomery County Context
Montgomery County is a mixed picture: 1 of 3 agencies we track here are fully encrypted (33%), which means some neighboring departments are still audible on a scanner.
See every agency we track in Montgomery County → County encryption overview →
What This Means
Only the tactical side is closed. SWAT callouts and sensitive operations are encrypted; ordinary calls for service may still reach a scanner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dayton Police radio encrypted?
Yes — Dayton Police's radio system runs on P25 AES-256 encryption. Only the tactical side is closed. SWAT callouts and sensitive operations are encrypted; ordinary calls for service may still reach a scanner.
Can I listen to Dayton Police on a police scanner?
Partially. Dayton Police encrypts its tactical channels, so some channels may still be accessible. Check RadioReference for specific talkgroup status.
Why did Dayton 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery County reverse the encryption decision?
Yes. Whoever made this call for Dayton Police 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 Dayton Police encryption?
Ask for the paperwork first — the policy that authorised encryption for Dayton 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 Montgomery County with you.