Philadelphia County District Attorney
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
How we verified this
As of August 2026 RadioReference lists all five District Attorney talkgroups on the Philadelphia P25 Phase II system — DA Operations 1 and 2, DA Narcotics Division, DA Investigations and DA All Group — as fully encrypted.
Encryption Details
Verified Talkgroup Data
Philadelphia County Context
Philadelphia County District Attorney isn't an outlier here: 3 of the 5 public-safety agencies we track in Philadelphia County are fully encrypted (60%), so most departments nearby have made the same move.
See every agency we track in Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia County District Attorney radio encrypted?
Yes — Philadelphia County District Attorney's radio system runs on 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 Philadelphia County District Attorney on a police scanner?
No. Philadelphia County District Attorney has fully encrypted their radio communications using P25 AES-256. No consumer scanner can decode encrypted transmissions.
Why did Philadelphia County District Attorney encrypt their radio?
Departments typically point to officer safety and operational security. Neither claim tends to come with evidence specific to Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia County reverse the encryption decision?
Yes, and some departments already have. Because encryption here is a choice rather than a technical necessity, the path back runs through the same people who chose it: budget hearings, records requests, and residents who keep asking in public.
What can I do about Philadelphia County District Attorney encryption?
Ask for the paperwork first — the policy that authorised encryption for Philadelphia County District Attorney, 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 Philadelphia County with you.