Manheim Borough Police
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
How we verified this
As of August 2026 RadioReference lists "PD34 private - Manheim Borough PD" as encrypted on the Lancaster County-Wide Communications system, where all four regional police dispatch talkgroups are likewise encrypted.
Encryption Details
Verified Talkgroup Data
Lancaster County Context
Manheim Borough Police isn't an outlier here: 33 of the 36 public-safety agencies we track in Lancaster County are fully encrypted (92%), so most departments nearby have made the same move.
See every agency we track in Lancaster County → County encryption overview →
What This Means
Every channel this agency runs, including day-to-day dispatch, is encrypted. That shuts out the public and local reporters, and it can complicate coordination with nearby agencies that still expect to hear it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Manheim Borough Police radio encrypted?
Yes. Manheim Borough Police uses P25 AES-256 encryption. Every channel this agency runs, including day-to-day dispatch, is encrypted. That shuts out the public and local reporters, and it can complicate coordination with nearby agencies that still expect to hear it.
Can I listen to Manheim Borough Police on a police scanner?
No. Manheim Borough Police has fully encrypted their radio communications using P25 AES-256. No consumer scanner can decode encrypted transmissions.
Why did Manheim Borough Police encrypt their radio?
The reasons offered are almost always the same two: officer safety and operational security. Whether either was tested against a real Lancaster County incident is rarely part of the public record, whereas the consequences are easy to observe — no real-time accountability, and neighbouring agencies still in the clear left working around the gap.
Can Lancaster County reverse the encryption decision?
Yes — nothing about the underlying radio technology forces this. It's a decision Lancaster 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 Manheim Borough Police encryption?
Three things carry weight, in this order: a public-records request for Manheim Borough Police's encryption policy and radio recordings, a turn at the microphone during Lancaster County budget discussions, and finding the other people locally already asking the same question. Individually these are easy to deflect; together they are not.