Union County Sheriff
Union, Ohio
How we verified this
As of August 2026 RadioReference lists only the Union County Sheriff Investigations talkgroup on Ohio MARCS-IP as encrypted; Sheriff dispatch, Sheriff tactical and the county's municipal police talkgroups are listed in the clear.
Encryption Details
What This Means
Coverage here is uneven — parts of the system are locked and parts are open, so a scanner gives you an incomplete rather than an empty picture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Union County Sheriff radio encrypted?
Yes — Union County Sheriff's radio system runs on P25 AES-256 encryption. Coverage here is uneven — parts of the system are locked and parts are open, so a scanner gives you an incomplete rather than an empty picture.
Can I listen to Union County Sheriff on a police scanner?
Partially. Union County Sheriff encrypts some of its talkgroups while leaving others open, so some channels may still be accessible. Check RadioReference for specific talkgroup status.
Why did Union County Sheriff encrypt their radio?
Departments typically point to officer safety and operational security. Neither claim tends to come with evidence specific to Union County; what's verifiable is what's lost — journalists can't monitor sheriff's office activity in real time, and coordination with agencies that stay unencrypted gets harder.
Can Union County reverse the encryption decision?
Yes. Whoever made this call for Union County Sheriff 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 Union County Sheriff encryption?
Ask for the paperwork first — the policy that authorised encryption for Union County Sheriff, 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 Union County with you.