9 of 10 Erie County agencies are fully encrypted
10 public safety agencies in Erie County, Pennsylvania have encrypted their radio communications. 90% Encrypted
Radio encryption in Erie County
University police dominate the Erie County listing. Gannon, Mercyhurst, Edinboro and Penn State Behrend all encrypt everything with P25 AES-256, as do Erie City Police, Millcreek Township Police, the Erie County Sheriff and Northwest Regional Police. Franklin & Marshall College Police is the sole entry encrypting only specific channels. Three systems carry the county's traffic: the Erie County Next Generation Public Safety Radio System, PA-STARNet, and a Mobile Communication Service Inc system. Of 62 cataloged talkgroups, 35 remain clear against 26 encrypted, so a scanner still receives more than half of what is documented, though not the main municipal police channels. Three of the ten agency records are unverified against RadioReference.
Compiled from this site's agency database. Encryption status changes without notice — confirm any specific agency on RadioReference.
Radio systems serving Erie County
- Erie County Next Generation Public Safety Radio System
- Mobile Communication Service Inc (1)
- PA-STARNet: Pennsylvania Statewide Radio Network
Of 62 talkgroups catalogued for Erie County, 26 are encrypted and 35 remain in the clear. A scanner can still receive the unencrypted channels.
7 of 10 records here have been checked against a primary source; 3 have not.
System and talkgroup counts come from this site's agency database and change without notice — confirm current status on RadioReference.
Encryption Technology Used in Erie County
Encrypted Agencies in Erie County
| Agency Name | Type | Encryption | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edinboro University Police ✓ | Police | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Erie City Police ✓ | Police | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Erie County Sheriff ✓ | Sheriff | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Franklin & Marshall College Police | Police | P25 AES-256 | Specific Channels |
| Gannon University Police ✓ | Police | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Mercyhurst University Police ✓ | Police | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Millcreek Township Police ✓ | Police | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Northwest Regional Police | Police | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Penn State Behrend Police ✓ | Police | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Strasberg Borough Police | Police | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
Related Case Studies
Learn more about police radio encryption issues in Pennsylvania.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Erie County police radio encrypted?
9 of 10 agencies in Erie County, Pennsylvania are fully encrypted (90%), while 1 have partial encryption.
Can I listen to Erie County Sheriff on a scanner?
The Erie County Sheriff's Office has encrypted their radio communications using P25 AES-256. Scanner monitoring of sheriff operations is no longer possible.
How many police departments in Erie County are encrypted?
9 police departments in Erie County have implemented some level of encryption, along with 1 sheriff offices, 0 fire departments, and 0 EMS agencies.
What encryption technology does Erie County use?
The most common encryption type in Erie County is P25 AES-256, used by agencies for secure communications. This encryption blocks public scanner monitoring.
Fight Encryption in Erie County
Join the movement to restore transparency to public safety communications in Erie County, Pennsylvania.