Wilmington Police
Clinton, Ohio
How we verified this
As of August 2026 the Clinton County Law Enforcement category on RadioReference's Ohio MARCS-IP page lists "11570 D Enc 14 WILM SEC Wilmington Police Secure" as encrypted, while "11560 D 14 WILMPD Wilmington Police Dispatch" — flagged as carried on a live feed — and the sheriff and village police dispatch talkgroups remain in the clear.
Encryption Details
Clinton County Context
Clinton 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 Clinton 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 Wilmington Police radio encrypted?
Yes. Wilmington 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 Wilmington Police on a police scanner?
Partially. Wilmington 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 Wilmington Police encrypt their radio?
Agencies cite officer safety and operational security. Those are assertions rather than findings — no local evidence is typically produced — while the effects are concrete and land straight away on anyone who relied on hearing Wilmington Police to know what was happening nearby.
Can Clinton County reverse the encryption decision?
Yes — nothing about the underlying radio technology forces this. It's a decision Clinton County officials made and can revisit, and other communities have pushed departments back toward open channels through sustained council pressure and coalition-building.
What can I do about Wilmington Police encryption?
File a FOIA request for Wilmington 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 Clinton 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.