Monroe Police
Butler, Ohio
How we verified this
As of August 2026 the RadioReference listing for Butler County Law on Ohio MARCS-IP shows Monroe PD/FD Ops 4 and the city Ops 2/3 talkgroups flagged encrypted while the Monroe main dispatch talkgroup is listed in the clear.
Encryption Details
Butler County Context
Butler County is a mixed picture: 2 of 9 agencies we track here are fully encrypted (22%), which means some neighboring departments are still audible on a scanner.
See every agency we track in Butler County → County encryption overview →
What This Means
Encryption here is a mixed bag: some talkgroups are locked, others aren't. It varies by channel and by what the department is doing at the time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Monroe Police radio encrypted?
Yes. Monroe Police uses P25 AES-256 encryption. Encryption here is a mixed bag: some talkgroups are locked, others aren't. It varies by channel and by what the department is doing at the time.
Can I listen to Monroe Police on a police scanner?
Partially. Monroe Police encrypts some of its talkgroups while leaving others open, so some channels may still be accessible. Check RadioReference for specific talkgroup status.
Why did Monroe 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 Butler County reverse the encryption decision?
Nothing technical prevents it. Monroe Police operates encrypted because someone decided it should, and decisions of that kind get revisited when councils hear sustained, organised pressure rather than isolated complaints.
What can I do about Monroe Police encryption?
Three things carry weight, in this order: a public-records request for Monroe Police's encryption policy and radio recordings, a turn at the microphone during Butler County budget discussions, and finding the other people locally already asking the same question. Individually these are easy to deflect; together they are not.